Hi. New to doves with one about to hatch

[caesargirl]

Are you seeing him eat by himself at all?? Any seed pecking?

 

[Majd]

No seperation until baby is at least 4-5 weeks old and eating and drinking on his own... If they lay another clutch beforw that time you can remove the eggs before incubation begins and replace them with dummy eggs or you can boil the eggs and put them back in the nest... If you just toss the eggs, they will lay yet another clutch soon after.. Good luck and keep us posted! Happy that all worked well!

 

[laughingdog]

Mother sounds like she needs more nutrion and maybe probiotics as she seems better but further stress like laying again, moving her, or her moulting will make bad and maybe deadly diseases act up again. When I was doing rescue, I'd put pigeons on layer, and probiotics, possibly poultry vits and vet Rx (has natural antibiotics etc n epervesence aside from alcohol perking them up).

 

[appps]

Are you seeing him eat by himself at all?? Any seed pecking?

No he is nowhere near eating himself yet. He's 2 weeks old now but looking at development photos I think he is at least 3 days behind feather wise. He wanders round the nest when mum or dad are in there but the rest of the time just sits waiting for them. Not showing any interest in exploring or looking for food himself.

No seperation until baby is at least 4-5 weeks old and eating and drinking on his own... If they lay another clutch beforw that time you can remove the eggs before incubation begins and replace them with dummy eggs or you can boil the eggs and put them back in the nest... If you just toss the eggs, they will lay yet another clutch soon after.. Good luck and keep us posted! Happy that all worked well!

That's a good idea about boiling the eggs. Was thinking I'd have to track down plastic eggs or something. I think Dad is thinking its time for the next batch. Has been going silly all day looking around and around and craning his neck trying to look up and around their added food house bit. He's cooing and cuddling at mum too so think he's trying to find another nest spot. Trouble is there really isn't much room for another one. Should I put something in there for him?

@laughingdog
I was going to go get some vitamins for one of my chickens today, was going to grab this again
http://vetafarm.com.au/product/soluvet/
Would that be okay to add to their water?

 

[laughingdog]

I never add vit to water unless small amount of water source, as can turn toxic quickly if left out too long, n not all birds need the bits, and I don't like over medicating. I just put one drop down back of their right side of throat (if your worried about going down windpipe and asperating, turn them on their right side when giving), if bird sick like yours sounded before, do three or dose said for a bantam. Afyer a drop, if bird not half dead, your bird will act as having sugar high etc. Lol. I just use the small container of show poultry conditioner "poultry nutri-drench".

 

[Majd]

Good advice from our friend over there. As for another nesting place, no they don't need a new place, they will probably make another nest next to the previous one, probably at the back of the box.

 

[casportpony]

I read some place that they should be with their parents if their beaks are still soft. I have no idea how true that is, but thought it wa worth mentioning.

-Kathy

 

[nchls school]

All good . I really expected to get up and find mum dead the other day, she was just literally nodding off all day. She'd nod off and startle herself when her head dropped and wake again, and at one point was just sitting with her head against the wire holding it up while sleeping. But the next morning she was back to her normal self. I suspect the poop dried on her was blocking things so getting it all off seems to have fixed it.

Young Maddox is growing like a weed . They aren't sitting on him as such because he is getting too big now, but mum still likes to sit in there with him cuddled up with her. Dad tends to feed and run these days as he has perfected the art of nagging to be fed I've noticed lol

I will grab some photos later.

Now starting to think about when to seperate them and send mum and dad home. It's been pouring rain here on and off lately and where I have them is more waterproof than my sisters so I'm going to keep them at least another week. By then he will be three weeks old and starting to feed himself so I think not long after that they will go home and he will stay. Thinking he might be tamer than his parents if I feed him after that rather than them. What do you think? Is the 3 weeks onwards feeding pretty simple? He should be almost feeding himself by then shouldn't he?

Maddox should stay with his parents until weaned. When weaned the parents will drive him away and refuse feeding.

Also-Now that Maddox is older there is less chance the parents will refuse to feed him if they are moved as a family unit.

 

[appps]

Maddox should stay with his parents until weaned. When weaned the parents will drive him away and refuse feeding. 

Also-Now that Maddox is older there is less chance the parents will refuse to feed him if they are moved as a family unit.

It's the when is weaned that's been the hard bit to find. I've found everything from 21 days to 40 on Google. I'll just have to be patient and let him be weaned when he is weaned

I'm being a little selfish I think and enjoying watching him grow so think I'll keep quiet about him being movable now, I've got quite attached to them and don't really want to send him back, they are just going to all have to stay a bit longer then lol

I'm now starting to think about where he will live long term. He can't stay with his mum and dad as my sister is renting and is already trying to keep the two she has hidden, expanding the flock isn't really an option. So we will keep him and eventually get a friend for him/her. So I need to come up with a more permanent housing option than my bunny cage.

 

[Hokum Coco]

So I need to come up with a more permanent housing option than my bunny cage.

I dovecote might be ideal for your housing situation. Hand feeding shelled unsalted peanuts as a treat only is the best way I have encountered to keep pigeons tame and you inviting to them. Most birds do not like to be picked up or handled I find in my flock anyway.