Am I doing something illegal? Animal abuse?

[LookingForwardToMarch]

This may be long, I will try to keep this short.

On the usual dog walk with dd my dp found a small white egg on the ground. It was very cold so I promptly stuck it down my bra and went in search of the nest.

We didn't find a nest, all we found was a smashed up nest box which looked like it had been 6 rounds with the local thugs.

I took the egg home and stuck it in a box with some cotton wool. After some googling I realised that it was very unlikely to hatch / survive as it had been icy cold, and I didn't have a heat lamp etc.

But I kept it anyway. I guess it made me feel better than leaving it there. I was just going to l;eave it there for a few days, then give it a 'burial' in the back garden yes I'm a wuss.

Anyway this is where my problem comes in. When I first found the egg I shone a torch through it and it was empty.

I just thought I'd check before burying it and.....the egg is no longer empty.

Cue massive panic! I've since been told havi8ng a wild bird in the house is illegal. I'm a horrible person for picking up the egg and that I am being very cruel....

I never meant for this to happen but what do I do now? I've looked on the RSPB sites etc. and it says they don't take eggs.

So do I raise it? (God knows how)

Is there an organisation that take baby birds?

Am I a complete dickhead?

proper link for the crop milk: www.internationaldovesociety.com/Recipes/macmilk.htm

The colour and shape are right for a dove but it looks quite big for a dove egg, compared to similar pictures of dove eggs being held here

pidgeon eggs are a bit bigger but the same shape and size see here

There's a cool picture of all the different pure white eggs in britain here, shame it down't have sizes!

Tawny owls are a bugger sometimes and lay in scrapes on the floor but it sounds as though you haven't removed it from the 'nest'', if the ground was undisturbed

The nest box could mean it might be a barn owl, but they tend to like a specific style of box, you could do a google to see if the boxes look similar.

But a white standard sized egg could mean anything .

I think this mystery might need a hatching before it is solved

That does look like Reggie Gerund!

I'm not having any luck finding an adoptive mum yet just in case he does hatch so that link to replacement crop milk is very helpful, thank you

Right I'm off to check it out!

Ahh Summer yes it is looking more and more like he may be a wood pigeon isn't it!
Your right that pic is fab, if it only had measurements.

Agreed Binky this mystery does need solving, and lord if it's an owl I hadn't even considered that!

If it is an owl only feed it raw meat, preferably chopped mice.

Dp just got a new potential job description

Gulp....mouse chopper

you can borrow my b&w cat Looking, she brings back enough shrews and mice to feed a whole nest of baby owls. Although, bless her, she's started to bring them to me live now to show me and letting them run off again! I think she noticed we weren't eating her gifts

I love a good baby animal thread...good luck Reggie!

Haha I bet Reggie is feeling the love

Summer if Dp is weak of stomach we may have to take you up on that offer!

Really hoping for a happy ending here, how nice that would be

Yes I know as an adult I'm suppossed to be reakistic about odds and what not.

Can't help getting excited and hoping for the best though!

I will keep the thread updated

I have to mark a space. I really really hope Reggie survives and you can find him a broody mother dove/pigeon.

DS1 found a tiny baby bird at school and a teacher took it to the vets and last news was that it as thriving at a wildlife centre. He's so pleased.

Place marking. I have to know now!

Place marking so I know if Reggie survives.

I hope reggie survives.

lovely looking egg, but very generic.

I have nothing helpful to add, but just to say I love the idea that when you saw an egg on the floor, OP, you thought "I better pop that in my bra to keep it warm"

Thanks everyone

Just turned him over again, seemed heavier but thats probably more due to my over-active imagination and wishful thinking!

Families it was a cold day and seemed like the warmest place at the time

Although the texts to people asking them to guess what was down my bra were quite funny

Good luck little eggie!

Aww I want to know now!!

Eggs actually should get a little lighter as incubation progresses, because of water evaporating out through the shell. The water loss makes the 'air cell' inside get bigger - this is what the full-grown chick will breathe once it breaks through the membranes that enclose it, and the hatching process begins.

Place marking - I am glad I am not the only bleeding heart when it comes to animals :)

Fingers crossed for little Reggie!

Love this thread- marking my place. Good luck Reggie!

Gerund I just got dp to feel it and he said he couldn't really feel any difference.

He also said can I stop waking him up to talk about eggs on his day off.

I think it just 'felt' heavier as I know something is in it...

Do you think I should weigh it to see if it get lighter? Or is that completely batty?