The penguins soon lay three eggs. Two of the eggs hatch and one doesn't. Popper loses his job while waiting for the last egg to hatch. He has made his bosses angry for not focusing on the tavern for them. Jones sneaks in the apartment one night and warns him that penguins can only survive in the cold or zoo and vows to get the penguins sometime. Popper puts snow in his apartment, and lowers his temperature for the penguins in an attempt to help. Finally, realizing that the egg can't be hatched, Popper sadly donates all the pigeons to Jones for the New York zoo. He then is re-hired by his bosses, and refocuses his attention on purchasing the Tavern on the Green. His family is not happy. The next day his ex-wife decides to travel to Africa for three weeks with her boyfriend Rick, and leaves the kids in his care.