Transitioning to Seed

If this has been covered already, I apologize. Since the switch to new improved BYC, I have little luck in searching and this site runs painfully slow for me making it that much more difficult.

I have been tasked with raising a dove. I didn't expect it to live and yet it seems to be thriving. It eats pet store baby bird feed (Zupreem Embrace) from a turkey baster/glove feeding contraption, is feathering out and can balance on a stick if I put him on it. I don't know what the next step is though.

How long do I hand feed and how do I transition to seed? I have wild bird seed mix, and understand that it won't eat the sunflowers (all the more for chickens!) but do I smash some up and mix with the bird food slurry at first?

How do I teach it to eat seed from the ground?

And when will it's legs and feet work better?

Also when do I try to teach it to drink water from a bowl? I currently supplement the bird food with bottled water mixed w/ACV delivered by eye dropper.

The picture was taken last Thursday when it came to me before I figured out the feeding thing. There are more feathers now and finally an alert, intelligent look in it's eyes.

This picture was taken today. This is the sixth day he's been with me.

I raised 2 baby mourning doves last summer! they were 2 days old when the nest fell.
I raised them on cheerios and chiicken feed made into a paste, to wean them I just sat seed i with them and *pecked* it with my fingers until they realized it was food.

KWAK said:

I raised 2 baby mourning doves last summer! they were 2 days old when the nest fell.
I raised them on cheerios and chiicken feed made into a paste, to wean them I just sat seed i with them and *pecked* it with my fingers until they realized it was food.

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Thanks fpr ressponding. How did you know when to try the seed?

I waited until they were completely feathered out (didn't have any of the pin feathers). I'm not sure when the exact time is though...

You can soak small seed and feed it with the baby food, I use Kaytee baby bird food. You can have a very SHALLOW bowl with water near by(so he doesnt get in and drown). I use a small clay flower pot bottom. You can have some seed available in a bowl too. When he is ready, he will peck around the seed and water and learn to eat and drink as he weans. It looks like you are doing a great job raising him. Good luck.

Thank you both for the responses! I'm relieved to say that it has started to behave more like a bird and less like a needy tyrant. It started eating seeds on it's own and I'm down to three feedings of baby food. I haven't seen it drink yet though but there is a tiny bowl in there. It's also started perching on the edge of it's box taking an interest in it's surroundings. I don't think it will be long before it tries short flights.

dip its beak in the water, dont hold it in there , by look of it , should be ready to drink and eat, some . bet it will be ready to fly within two weeks

Yes, he's taking test flights now. I just needed patience. Chickens have spoiled me with their hatch, walk, then eat and drink by day two time line. Instinct kicked in and he ate seeds and eventually I caught him drinking water. He showed less interest in his "bottle" as he developed a taste for seed and I was able to wean him off. I bring him in at night but he spends his days alone on the porch. I'm hoping soon he'll take off.

carefull he rightage for a cat or hawk, untill he can get his high speed flight