Diamond Doves... new to these guys...

[CrazyWestTexasFarmGirl]

So I was given a pair of Diamond doves and their baby Friday. They were with a bunch of canaries and finches in a large cage and the canaries were tormenting them. Babys tail was picked almost bloody. and the backs of the parents tails are bare. I got a cage similar to what they were used to got them setup with multiple feed dishes and water dishes inside, working on lots of perches... They sat on the perch I put them on for over 24 hours only scooching over to the feeder and water dish... I refilled this morning and they fluttered to the floor and they have sat there ever since. How long should it take before they aclimate to their new home and start moving around and flying intheir cage? I am hoping soon so they settle in and start a new family!
Anybody have any tips and suggestions for these little guys? I am used to chickens and ducks and turkeys!

 

[chseeads]

As long as they are finding the food and water okay, don't worry...they should come around before long.

When I got my first diamond dove I put it into my aviary out of the cage it had been in and it had trouble figuring out where the food and water was. I had to put it back in its old cage because it never had found the water and stuff.

 

[mudhill]

it is hard to answer your question the right way with out seeing the birds myself.

it sounds like they are suffering from stress,the best thing is to keep them in a 2'by 2' foot cage in a warm place or put a 25 watt light bulb where they can get next to it next to cage.

keep feed in front of that at all times,some thing that has a lot of white millet in it.

they will eat finch and parakeet feet.

put apple cider vinegar in their water at about 1 tablespoon per gallon.

the vinegar is inportant for all birds and people.

i have raised diamond doves of all color mutations since 1970,i do know what i am talking about.

i use to keep several hundred doves,but only keep a few anymore since i am older and don't have the room.

i love the sound of my doves cooing at all hours of the day and nite.

if you need more info i am glad to answer any question that i can.

Larry
the bird man of mudhill

 

[CrazyWestTexasFarmGirl]

Thanks for the wonderful info.
They have started moving around more, puffing up less and even cooing. I can make a cooing whistle sound to them and they coo back. Are the males more apt to coo than the females? One coos more than the other two. I think it is the male. When moving them into the big cage one struggled to escape and lost her tail feathers. I felt aweful, but she seems no worse off. I have multiple food and water stations in their cage ( about 4 feet tall by 3 feet wide. ) I have reached in to put new food in the dish and they mob me and arent afraid of my hands. I got one to sit on my finger calmly while they were eating. I am feeding the finch food seed mix. They seem to leave the little black seeds behind. I have millet sprays hanging around the cage for them and on the cage floor. They are quite rowdy about attacking them. Are there other treats I can give to help get them used to me. I would like to be able to interact with them some and maybe have any babies be tame. I am going this weekend to get some nest setups for them (bowls that bolt to the side of the cage. Going to put a few in different places to encourage them. They sure are rowdy little eaters... flinging seed out everywhere. I will try to get pictures of their feather damage. The other birds they were i picked their back bare just above their tails. What kind of temps are best for them... ? our house stays in the 60's at night usually and mid 70s during the day up to 80 at times when we leave the ac off. Should I still put a light on them at night for warmth? They are peaceful to have around. So tiny they are fascinting to watch. SO far they only coo for me.. My son and hubby are always asking me to get them to coo.

 

[chseeads]

Regular room temperature range is fine.

Some people raise them outdoors, even in cold climates.

 

[mudhill]

Quote:
room tempeture is fine,put the canary type nests about 1/3 the way up in cage,don't bother them much when they are setting.

the male does the cooing and bows to the hen as it spreads it's tail in courtship.
hens make kind of a murmur or throat coo.

when i lived in illinois years ago,i had walkin aviaries that i kept different types of doves in.

i would put them out side in spring after the last frost date and bring then in around the first frost date in fall of year.

the doves do like certain kinds of music and seem to coo to it.

i knew a guy by the name Leroy Reed from rockford ill.,,who was one of the founders of the american dove asociation,,he kept he doves out side year around with heat lamps in his aviaries,,but when the electric went out he lost a lot of doves.

good luck

Larry