05.09.2026 13:30
In the Kumlu district of Hatay, Mulla Biçer, a mixer truck driver working at a concrete company, noticed a dove's nest and eggs in the reducer boiler section of his vehicle. The company management decided not to operate the concrete mixer until the chicks hatched from the eggs flew away.
Mulla Biçer, who has been working as a concrete mixer driver in the Kumlu district of Hatay for many years, encountered a surprise situation while performing routine pre-trip checks on his parked vehicle. Biçer, who spotted a collared dove incubating its eggs around the mixer's reducer drum, immediately informed the company owners. The company management decided that the vehicle should remain in the parking area and not be operated until the chicks fledge, to ensure the birds and the eggs in the nest were not harmed.
PRECAUTION TAKEN WITH 'CAUTION: BIRD NEST' WARNING To prevent the vehicle from being started accidentally or by another employee, a warning note reading "Caution: bird nest" was hung on the mixer. The 21-day incubation period, the first stage of the hatching process, is now behind them, and the 45-day period expected for the hatched chicks to fledge is awaited. The vehicle's return to work depends on the chicks fledging and leaving the nest. Hamza Cankır, a company employee known for his interest in birds, has taken on the daily feeding of the mother dove and her chicks. Cankır, who regularly leaves food and water at the nest every morning, closely monitors the growth process of the chicks.
"THE TRUCK WILL STAY AS IF PARKED UNTIL THE CHICKS FLEDGE" Mixer driver Mulla Biçer, describing the incident and the process, expressed his feelings and the decision taken with these words: "A few days ago, I had taken leave for my personal business. When I came back, while doing the vehicle checks, I noticed the nest and the egg. After seeing the egg, I informed my bosses, Mustafa and Mr. Resul. It was decided that the vehicle would stay in its parking spot and no work would be done until the chicks hatched from the eggs. We come and check every day; after 21 days, we saw the chicks hatch from the eggs. The chicks will also fly from the nest after 45 days; unless the dove lays eggs again, we will start the truck. Since the day we saw the eggs, we haven't started the truck. The truck is in the parking lot, just sitting there. We were very happy when we first saw the eggs. I have an interest in animals, and especially a love for birds. Because of my curiosity, I was delighted; I was very happy at that moment. We wrote a note on the vehicle so that friends or others might not come and start the truck unknowingly and destroy the nest. We hung it up so that our friends would be careful. Thankfully, they are also showing care and attention. Thanks to Hamza, he brings food and water every day and gives it to the mother. He places it where she made the nest, and the mother eats there and feeds her chicks. Since the chicks were born, we've been feeding them that way."
"I WANT PEOPLE TO BE AS SENSITIVE" Hamza Cankır, who ensures the birds' food and water are never missing every day, called on people to be sensitive, stating: "Ever since my brother noticed, we've been trying to take good care of the birds. We try to give them their food and water every day. I also have a bird I feed at home. Because of that, I know a bit about it. We are waiting for the birds to grow; hopefully, they will fledge and fly away. Until that day, we won't do anything anyway; the birds will just stay as they are. I want people to be as sensitive. I feed them every morning at a certain time."