Baby mourning dove

[biophiliac]

I was out in my goat pen when I found a mourning dove nesting that had fallen out of its nest... I know you really aren't supposed to move them unless they're injured but he was right in the path of where my goats walk every day and they aren't very careful about what they step on, plus we have five cats that go back to the pen sometimes. We got the nestling and put him in a box with some hay and put a lamp over him. He'll drink water out of a syringe -without needle- but as of right now I don't have any food to give him. His eyes aren't even opened yet but every once in a while he'll open them a crack and look at me. He doesn't seem injured and has moved around his box quite a lot. What food should I be giving him and should I surrender him to a vet? We recently found injured baby possums in our yard and surrendered them to our local vet but this little guy seems to be doing fine. How often should he be fed? He doesn't even have his pinfeathers yet, so I'm also wondering how old he is. Any help at all would be very appreciated! Thanks!

Here’s a picture

Thread mentioned by @Chickencountryuk should be very helpful. If you don't have the Kaytee you can take some all flock chicken pellets, not layer pellets, and put them in a blender with warm water to make a thin gruel and feed that the same way.

 

[biophiliac]

This might help...


https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ed-pigeon-chick.1265397/page-21#post-20329409

 

[townchicks]

Baby doves are very difficult to hand rear, even by experts. If at all possible, try to get him back where his parents can feed him. Are they still around the area? You can put him in a basket and hang it in the tree you think he came from, and see if they come and feed him. If not, a wildlife rehab is the next best. Stop giving him water, baby birds don't drink. If the above doesn't work, get the baby bird formula and give it a try. Odds are against you, so don't feel bad if it doesn't work.

 

[crazychickenlady5]

sd

This just happened in another thread. Can you get kaytee exact handrearing formula? Read this thread from about here.
Need help with malpositioned pigeon chick!!

I read about a formula with oatmeal, eggs, and organic unsweetened Silk soy milk so we went out and got the things and made it. He seems to like it and ate some. Earlier he was preening his little wings. He doesn't walk around but will turn around every once in a while. Should he be moving around more?

 

[CCUK]

sd


I read about a formula with oatmeal, eggs, and organic unsweetened Silk soy milk so we went out and got the things and made it. He seems to like it and ate some. Earlier he was preening his little wings. He doesn't walk around but will turn around every once in a while. Should he be moving around more?

They don't move much in the nest. As they get older they get in and out. I can't recommend anything else to use as formula other than kaytee but if you read that they can have that, great! They will need feeding about every 2-3 hours or when the crop is empty. It sounds like you have it covered! I think that it isn't so hard feeding it but the consistency of feeding it. After about 2 weeks it won't need feeding as regularly about 2-3 times a day.

 

[crazychickenlady5]

Here is a closer picture of his beak.

 

[crazychickenlady5]

They don't move much in the nest. As they get older they get in and out. I can't recommend anything else to use as formula other than kaytee but if you read that they can have that, great! They will need feeding about every 2-3 hours or when the crop is empty. It sounds like you have it covered! I think that it isn't so hard feeding it but the consistency of feeding it. After about 2 weeks it won't need feeding as regularly about 2-3 times a day.

Do I need to feed him at night? I'm not very good at getting up during the night. And he's kind of shaking. Is he cold or something else? Or is this normal for a chick? He doesn't do it all the time, and I moved the lamp a little closer and he stopped. I read this could be because he's hungry, but I just fed him. I hope this little guy makes it.

 

[LauraMunro]

Thank you for the mention @Chickencountryuk!! Hi @CrazyChickenLady im not an expert but i am also raising a baby pigeon i resued as an egg. If he is shaking he is cold, i have been keeping the temperature between 30 and 35 degrees celcius. I have been feeding mine around 3ml - 4ml every 3 hours however a bit longer and he will be fine! His crop should look full but still feel slightly soft. I do a last feed at around 12/1am and dont feed him till around 6/7 am, it gives the crop the chance to empty. So you wont need to get up during the night lol! Also mine is only very lively when i take him out to feed him and when i put him back in he goes to sleep till the next feed hope thats help a little!

 

[LauraMunro]

@crazychickenlady5 sorry lol got the wrong chicken lady

 

[crazychickenlady5]

Thank you for the mention @Chickencountryuk!! Hi @CrazyChickenLady im not an expert but i am also raising a baby pigeon i resued as an egg. If he is shaking he is cold, i have been keeping the temperature between 30 and 35 degrees celcius. I have been feeding mine around 3ml - 4ml every 3 hours however a bit longer and he will be fine! His crop should look full but still feel slightly soft. I do a last feed at around 12/1am and dont feed him till around 6/7 am, it gives the crop the chance to empty. So you wont need to get up during the night lol! Also mine is only very lively when i take him out to feed him and when i put him back in he goes to sleep till the next feed hope thats help a little!

He walked towards the light so I got a heating pad and put it under half the box on medium. Since there is so much hay in the box should I put it on high in case it wont reach up to him? Earlier he didn't even get 1ml of food but he wouldn't take anymore after a bit so we put him back in the box. I read somewhere to give them water so I did and he was drinking it. Then @townchicks said not to so now I'm a little worried. Would the water be why he wouldn't eat anymore since he might still be full? The last water he got was around 11:30. He's very active but weak since he's a chick. Since I found him he has pooped twice normal looking if that accounts for anything lol.
Since I put the heating pad under him he's almost stoped shaking completely. Maybe I should put it on high in case he's still a little cold?