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WKM Regular user London Uk 139 Posts |
Hi all its been a while!
I have as some of you know got 8 adult doves in an aviary and over the past few weeks they have been laying. I was pleased to see 3 new additions a couple of weeks ago and all mothers and chicks seem to be doing fine. I went to feed them today as always, and have tried not to interfere with the nests so as not to put off the mums and dads, but one of my little chicks has fallen from the nest and is now running around on the aviary floor. so here is the dilemma, what do I do. I had a good look at him/her running around and seems to be fine, was a lot of flapping and running so no broken wings or legs, but cant get to the seed tray and I don't even know if it will be able to eat seed at the mo. What do I do? Do I leave it and hope that mum will continue to feed, try to get it back to the nest without touching it or take it inside and take up the role as surrogate mum. Any help is appreciated. Thanks
Liam Ball AIMC*
The Gentleman Magician |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Liam, if it's several weeks old and walking around, you can gently pick it up and put it back in the nest. It may have just fallen. They are quite active at that age. You won't hurt the balance of things by handling it.
Where the magic begins
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WKM Regular user London Uk 139 Posts |
Thanks dave will do
Liam Ball AIMC*
The Gentleman Magician |
BalukMagic Veteran user Toronto, Canada 319 Posts |
When is it okay for the birdy to fully leave the nest?
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Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
When the parents stop feeding it and it can eat and fly around on it's own. It's a natural thing. When they are ready, they will leave the nest on their own. You'll see the parents ignoring it and trying to get it to go to the seed dish on it's own. That's a good sign that it's getting close.
Where the magic begins
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BalukMagic Veteran user Toronto, Canada 319 Posts |
Ah well mine went out of the nest a while ago and I put it back in the same day but then a few days later or came out again and now for a quite while its been out of the nest and at the bottom of the cage.
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Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Mark, as long as it is eating, then everything is fine.
Where the magic begins
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BalukMagic Veteran user Toronto, Canada 319 Posts |
Well, the parents are feeding it, still haven't seen it eat of the food cup bowl thingy.
However it was perching on the food bowl today. (could be eating? but I didn't see it) |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
It won't be long. Just have a little patience.
Where the magic begins
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Autumn Morning Star Grammar Hostess Today, I corrected grammar in 1378 Posts |
Your baby bird will do a wing-tip flap and make a lot of little squeaks to let the parents know she is hungry. They will feed her on the floor of the cage. She does not have to be in the nest.
The parents will slow down on feeding her as she grows until she begins to eat on her own. I usually put canned corn and a few whole-wheat bread crumbs on a paper plate in the middle of the floor of the cage. The baby sees the mom and dad eat and sometimes they catch on quicker. A few days later, I boil an egg and chop it up and put it in a paper plate in the middle of the floor. The birds love it and it is very nutritious. The paper plate makes clean-up really easy! I leave the paper plate in there for about 4-6 hours. Autumn
Wonder is very necessary in life. When we're little kids, we're filled with wonder for the world - it's fascinating and miraculous. A lot of people lose that. They become cynical and jaded, especially in modern day society. Magic renews that wonder.
Doug Henning |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
And don't forget the meal worms! Sorry Autumn I just had to
Where the magic begins
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Autumn Morning Star Grammar Hostess Today, I corrected grammar in 1378 Posts |
Aaaaarggggggg!
Wonder is very necessary in life. When we're little kids, we're filled with wonder for the world - it's fascinating and miraculous. A lot of people lose that. They become cynical and jaded, especially in modern day society. Magic renews that wonder.
Doug Henning |
WKM Regular user London Uk 139 Posts |
Cool guys, well I lifted the little one up into the nest again, and she seems very happy, I check on her morning and night just to be sure.
What is the best thing to feed them now that there are chicks in the aviary? Boiled eggs seems good and meal worms..... well OK if you say so!!! any others I should know about?
Liam Ball AIMC*
The Gentleman Magician |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
You don't really have to change their diet at all. The eggs, meal worms (yes some doves like them) are just treats. When you give them the boiled eggs, give them the shells too. Egg shells are a great source of calcium and the female needs that during the laying phases.
In addition to the worms and eggs, diced up apples, leaf lettuce (not iceberg lettuce), frozen peas, bananas, and millet are great. Pieces of bread as Autumn mentioned are good treats too. Some birds like peanut butter but that can get a little messy.
Where the magic begins
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Kyle^Ravin Inner circle I slammed my head against 1070 Posts |
I was wonderin...are the mealworms fed live?? And when does a mother leave her chick to fend for herself?
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Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Yes, the mealworms are live. Not every dove likes them so you just have to experiment. If they like them, then only use them once in awhile as a treat. The mother and father will begin to stop feeding the chick after about 4 or 5 weeks. You'll see them refuse to feed the baby everytime it asks for food. They won't let it starve so don't be worried about that. After about 6 weeks or so, the baby will be eating totally on it's own.
Where the magic begins
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WKM Regular user London Uk 139 Posts |
Thanks guys, I feel a lot more confident with the chicks now.
When would you say is a good time to start handling them so that they get used to me?
Liam Ball AIMC*
The Gentleman Magician |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Liam, this is just my opinion, but I wouldn't start handling them until they don't depend on the parents any more, about 6 weeks. You can hold them before that but I've always found 6 weeks to work out well.
Where the magic begins
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Autumn Morning Star Grammar Hostess Today, I corrected grammar in 1378 Posts |
Six weeks is a good suggestion, Dave. I start handling them when the baby is out of the nest, is fully feathered, and eating on their own. I never looked at the calendar, but I think that is about six weeks.
I think one of the nicest things about being a magician is the wonderful fact that our doves have babies. I get tremendous happiness from seeing a pair of doves hatch and nurture their babies. I love watching the babies grow and am always amazed when I look in a nest and see a new pink hatchling, with little yellow fuzz sticking up like a crazy hairdo. I simply fall in love.
Wonder is very necessary in life. When we're little kids, we're filled with wonder for the world - it's fascinating and miraculous. A lot of people lose that. They become cynical and jaded, especially in modern day society. Magic renews that wonder.
Doug Henning |
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