Jillus Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 We have been watching a lot of amorous behaviour between my white doves for a few days now and yesterday we discovered that Lily had laid an egg. I don't know if it will hatch as it is quite late in the season to lay, and the nest is pretty pathetic. She has laid it in the dove cote on a bed of twigs. The arrival of the egg takes away from the sadness I have as one of the males doves disappeared a couple of days ago, not down the chimney this time but just completely vanished. It could have been a hawk or a cat but there is no evidence of anything amiss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I've been reading about your 'doos' Jillus, how sad that that Bully has disappeared Is there any chance he may come back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jillus Posted September 28, 2008 Author Share Posted September 28, 2008 I fear that he has gone, not sure where though, it is all a bit of a mystery but quite sad. Miracles do happen as I said when Hindoo was up the chimney last week so who knows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I do hope he turns up again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Sorry to hear about Bully . I hope he turns up safe and well. Lovely about the egg though . Is it tiny compared to a hen's egg? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jillus Posted September 29, 2008 Author Share Posted September 29, 2008 I have just been for a long walk around the fields that surround our house and no sign of any feathers from Bully. Rather worryingly, this morning though when I got up I saw a sparrowhawk in a rowan tree about 6 feet from the dove cote so I think he may have been looking on the doos as potential food. He may even have already had one, although seeing no evidence of this I am remaining hopeful that Bully got fed up and just left. I have been trying to see if Lily has laid a second egg but no luck as she only comes off the nest for a short while. The eggs are very small, about 3.5 to 4 cm long and white. Fingers crossed that the incubation works, we wave to wait until around 13th to 14th October to know. I am like an expectant granny!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jillus Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 Lily has laid a second egg!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Oooh, how exciting, dove eggs! Hope she makes a good mum, I have absolutely NO experience of doves or pigeons or anything like that. Will look forward to updates! Mrs B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jillus Posted October 1, 2008 Author Share Posted October 1, 2008 I have no experience either and am learning as I go along but the doves seem to know what to do! If they hatch it will be around the 13th of October so I will keep you updated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Exciting I hope she is a good mother and at least one of the chicks hatch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted October 4, 2008 Share Posted October 4, 2008 Any sign of Bully Jillus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jillus Posted October 4, 2008 Author Share Posted October 4, 2008 No sign of Bully at all. I have walked the fields looking for white feathers or evidence that he was caught but so far nothing. I have put up notices asking if anyone sees feathers then to let me know. On another pigeon forum I read of a bird that got chased by a hawk and came home 6 months later so fingers crossed yet again. Lily is continuing to sit on her two eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted October 4, 2008 Share Posted October 4, 2008 Do keep us up to date on how Lily gets on with her eggs Keeping everything crossed for Bullys safe return Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jillus Posted October 24, 2008 Author Share Posted October 24, 2008 Well after a long wait I am sorry to say that things have not gone well. Bully never came home and two weeks later Hindoo also disappeared, again after we had seen a sparrowhawk in the sky above the garden. The other two doves continued to take turns at sitting on two eggs but a few days ago there seemed to be longer periods when "Ooops, word censored!"ody was on the eggs and today we decided the eggs had been abandoned. My son removed the eggs and did a 'post mortem' both eggs had dead perfectly formed chicks in them, one with very little yolk sac left and one obviously less developed. The doves have not been back to the nest box in the cote since the eggs were removed and are behaving as they always did. It is sad though just to see the two of them when once there were four. I suppose it may have just been too late in the year, it is cold up here and with the storms of the last few days not very good for baby dove rearing. At least we know they are fertile and if they survive the winter we may get babies in the spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Not too good then. As you say, you might get chicks next year! And the fertility is obviously a good sign, when it's warmer, they may be more inclined to sit, as they won't get too cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 So sorry to hear about Hindoo and your eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jillus Posted October 30, 2008 Author Share Posted October 30, 2008 (edited) After all the sadness of last week the two remaining doves have been a little amorous and have laid another egg. This time I have put a felt nest liner into the dove cote and hope that the warmth it will give will aid incubation. The nesting felt was eyed with great suspicion by the dove who for a few minutes seemed just a bit confused but it is now in and on the egg so again I have another stressful wait fo about 3 weeks to see if we are yet to get some baby doves this year. Edited October 30, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Fingers crossed for you again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Keeping everything crossed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Eggs! Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jillus Posted November 5, 2008 Author Share Posted November 5, 2008 The doves have laid another egg, or maybe two but as I cannot get in to see we will just have to wait. Today as I was sitting in the sitting room I noticed a flash of white from the corner of my eye and saw that a hawk had Lily in its grips and was tumbling down to the ground, I literally flew out of the house and was able to scream and wave enough to scare away the hawk but Lily was traumatised, she flew off and eventually calmed and settled into the dove cote. I have now decided after taking advice from pigeon fanciers on another forum to build some winter housing a bit like an aviary and if I can trap the doves to get them into it. Easier said than done but as they tend now to roost in the dove cote and are on eggs I may be able to trap them with a net and move them to a safe refuge. It won't be nice seeing them caged but hopefully with her meal ticket gone the hawk will move on to pastures new. 15 days till egg hatching day if they make it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 I hope you get them to safety soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 Good luck with that, and it's for their own good. You are potentially saving the babies too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Today as I was sitting in the sitting room I noticed a flash of white from the corner of my eye and saw that a hawk had Lily in its grips and was tumbling down to the ground, I literally flew out of the house and was able to scream and wave enough to scare away the hawk but Lily was traumatised, she flew off and eventually calmed and settled into the dove cote. How awful for you both Hope that she is ok today. Good luck with the winter accommodation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Oh my goodness! Hope you manage to get them to safety and they have a successful hatch this time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
