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Andrew Loyal user 285 Posts |
Eggs alive!!!
Yesterday, one of my dove eggs hatched! Though I have worked with doves for approx. 6 years now, I've never had this situation to deal with. I currently have only two doves and both seem to be taking turns sitting on the nest which is in a cage in my basement. Are there any suggestions as to what I should be doing to help nurture this little guy or should I just leave every thing to mom and dad dove? Thanks for any and all advice! Andrew |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Andrew: doves are natural parents. You'll see them change sittings about every 12 hours. The male sits for 12 and then the female. They'll take care of feeding it and teaching it what to do. In a few weeks, they'll start pushing it out of the nest to teach it to fly. A few more weeks and they'll leave it alone even when it begs.
Don't handle the newborn until it is on it's own. You should have two eggs. Is the other one still in the nest? If so, it will hatch in a day or two. Let me know if you need any advice. I've been through this a hundred times.
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Andrew Loyal user 285 Posts |
Dave,
I greatly appreciate your help! There was one egg before this one, but it fell out of the nest and cracked. The male and female both sat on it for quite some time, but then lost interest. I candled it and it appeared to be only yolk. After it was cracked, I threw it out. About a week later, another egg appeared and they have been sitting on it for quite some time until it produced the little one. Approximately how many weeks does it take for the baby to grow before it is on its own? Also, should I suspend working with the parents until the baby is on its own? Thanks again. Andrew |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
I'm sorry Andrew, I missed your last questions. The baby should be on its own in 4-6 weeks. The parents will try to get it out of the nest and will refuse to feed it. Don't worry, it's natural. The baby will try to feed from the mother all the time, so she has to refuse to teach it to feed.
Watch to see which bird sits on the nest during the day and which at night. Then you can use the opposite bird while the baby is growing. Be prepared. Once the doves start laying eggs, it's a never ending cycle. They lay some more a few weeks after the first is on its own. Just remove the eggs if you don't want any more babies.
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lewis Regular user 199 Posts |
Ahh, how cute. I've always wanted a dove! (My parents don't though!)
Dove poo poo Lewis. |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Cute is one way of putting it. One dove is cute, but in my case where I have 21, it can be a nightmare. I enjoy it though.
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Andrew Loyal user 285 Posts |
Dave,
Thanks again. The little one is progressing well and will be 2 weeks old this Wednesday. I have noticed that the parents are no longer sitting on the baby, but I presume that they know best. He/she is getting pretty big. Thanks again for all your help! Andrew |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
You're welcome. Asking questions is how I learned and I'm glad to help you with yours anytime.
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streetmagician_08 Regular user 133 Posts |
Hey guys,
I have 2 white parents (well kind of yellow from dirt) and they had 3 babies. One is snow white and the other 2 are a tan color but have some white on their face and tail feathers coming in. What color will they be? Thayne |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Thayne: Somewhere in the history of your birds, it sounds like there was a mix of breeds. The tan color most likely comes from a brown ringneck dove. It's hard to tell exactly what color they will be when they mature, however, they will not be white. They may vary color from tan to a darker brown. You may even have a mixed brown and white usually refered to as Pied. These are very pretty birds but a little harder to tame and train. BTW, if you have 3 babies, there must have been one that didn't hatch. You may not have noticed if it fell from the nest. Doves lay eggs in clutches of two, about a day apart.
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streetmagician_08 Regular user 133 Posts |
Dave,
Thanks once again. What could I hand feed a baby who isn't as big and active as the other babies? Preferably something I can make, due to the fact I live an hour and a half away from any pet store. Thanks, Thayne |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Thayne: Are the parents feeding all the birds? If they are, just leave them alone. They'll be all right. There are several different mixtures you can use if you are going to hand feed. First though you'll need an eye dropper. As a temporary solution, you can give them applesauce. You can also mix up some milk and oatmeal, just make it very thin.
If the bird doesn't begin to grow or get active, you'll need to get to a pet store for some hand feeding mixture. Since the store is so far away, you may want to contact a vet that is nearby. Normally the birds will do fine on their own though.
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streetmagician_08 Regular user 133 Posts |
Dave,
I'm not sure if the parents are feeding the bird. The other two are twice its size and already perching. The little one just sleeps, and when I do see the parents feed the babies the two big ones push it away. Thanks Dave |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
OK. It may be too late but you need to get some food to the little one. Try the mixes I gave you with an eye dropper several times a day. Just be careful handling the baby. If you can't get to the pet store for some real formula, you should call a vet. This happens sometimes.
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Andrew Loyal user 285 Posts |
Hello,
For those who might still be interested, the baby bird is four weeks old today and doing very well. He/she is eating on its own and I am beginning to allow it to perch on my finger just to get it to know me. Two more eggs have now made their appearance in the nest so it looks as though I may have a large family before long. Thanks for your help Dave! Your comments have been very valuable! One question; At this point in the bird's life, can it be separated from the parents without harm to its growth? Thanks again. Andrew |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
As long as it is eating completely on it's own there is no reason why you can't separate them. In fact, if you don't, when the new eggs hatch, there will be some fighting going on. The doves are very territorial even with their own young.
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