Emergency bird formula?

[RosemaryDuck]

Hey all. I've got someone bringing me a dove squab. They found it about 2 hours ago. I'm usually prepared with several things on hand, but I recently had to toss out the old formulas/etc I had as they went bad. I have nothing on hand right now and all the pet shops are closed.

What can I feed this baby overnight? It looks to be about 3-4 days old. I know how to feed and care for them, just looking for an emergency formula recipe.

 

[biophiliac]

Hey all. I've got someone bringing me a dove squab. They found it about 2 hours ago. I'm usually prepared with several things on hand, but I recently had to toss out the old formulas/etc I had as they went bad. I have nothing on hand right now and all the pet shops are closed.

What can I feed this baby overnight? It looks to be about 3-4 days old. I know how to feed and care for them, just looking for an emergency formula recipe.

There are some recipes using baby cereals ... Thawed frozen peas hand fed by placing in mouth could provide nutrition and hydration overnight till you can get amore complete formula.

 

[biophiliac]

For a very young hatchling try egg yolk... Can you post a pic when you get him?

 

[RosemaryDuck]

For a very young hatchling try egg yolk... Can you post a pic when you get him?

Really sucks I got caught with my pants down here. I would have recommended they take it to another rehabber but someone told them about me and they just showed up.

But he's here now. Very skinny. Looks like he's been without food for a bit.

 

[biophiliac]

Yes he looks undernourished but older than a few days. Probably dehydrated. I normally use chicken pellets ground up with water to make a gruel formula for handfeeding. Is it a mourning dove, pigeon, or ...?
Remember, hydration first.

 

[RosemaryDuck]

Yes he looks undernourished but older than a few days. Probably dehydrated. I normally use chicken pellets ground up with water to make a gruel formula for handfeeding. Is it a mourning dove, pigeon, or ...?

Looks to be a mourning dove. We get a lot of them out here because the doves just hatch them wherever (more frequently in people's gardens). This one's parents died and it was sitting in a hole in a garden plot. At least that's what the people said. I found a pretty good recipe for formula I think should hold him over. Hoping he's not to far gone/emaciated.

 

[biophiliac]

Good luck with him!!!

 

[RosemaryDuck]

Good luck with him!!!

Thank you. Sorry I figured it out in the end myself! Hope this little guy makes it.

 

[RosemaryDuck]

Update: Little guy ate a few times for me during the night in small amounts. Ran out first thing this morning and got the correct formula. He scarfed that immediately. He ate so much I had to actually stop him before he filled his crop to much!

Hoping nothing is wrong with him otherwise and he continues doing good.

 

[RosemaryDuck]

Actually starting to think this little dude is a ground dove or inca dove. I've raised a few mourning doves and they are about double this size. He's so, so tiny. Getting feathers really fast though and eating like a champ!

Dove and pigeon squabs are so hard to tell apart (species/breed) this little so I guess it's a waiting game!