Need help rearing (feeding) baby doves!

[The_Chicken_Dude]

I rescued 2 baby mourning doves yesterday evening and brought them in. I found a recipe online for food (blended oatmeal, eggs, and almond milk), but I can’t get them to eat. I’ve watched YouTube videos and tried different methods, but I can’t get them to open their beaks. I’ve only fed them once so far. I just spread the paste on my fingers and gently squeezed their beaks, and they seemed to swallow some but so know it wasn’t nearly enough. Does anyone have any tips on caring for them, specifically feeding them.

I attached a photo of the 2 birds as well. I’d love to know how old they are too.

 

[Qwerty3159]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/migratory-bird-treaty-act.1369913/

 

[animalfinatic]

I rescued 2 baby mourning doves yesterday evening and brought them in. I found a recipe online for food (blended oatmeal, eggs, and almond milk), but I can’t get them to eat. I’ve watched YouTube videos and tried different methods, but I can’t get them to open their beaks. I’ve only fed them once so far. I just spread the paste on my fingers and gently squeezed their beaks, and they seemed to swallow some but so know it wasn’t nearly enough. Does anyone have any tips on caring for them, specifically feeding them.

I attached a photo of the 2 birds as well. I’d love to know how old they are too.

they are fledglings! which means they are ment to be out of the nest at that age, put them back outside as their parents are still taking care of them and feeding them.

 

[LamarshFish]

they are fledglings! which means they are ment to be out of the nest at that age, put them back outside as their parents are still taking care of them and feeding them.

Those look a bit young to be fledgelings, not sure though. With homing pigeons, when they're that age they usually have 4-6 more days in the nest before fledging. Tell tale sign is they have no yellow baby fuzz anywhere but on top of their head. Might be different for doves, but I assume it is not.

I'm currently caring for a few day old pigeon orphan, and I am just gently opening its mouth and injecting a pea sized amount of paste food towards the back of its mouth, and it is eating it nicely. It's a bit of a pain, takes about 15-20 mins per feeding, but it has worked. It's gaining more energy and weight by the day, and is pooping and seems well.

Eventually, you'll want them to take food from the inside of something like a balloon or tee shirt with a hole in it, because that is how young pigeons eat--they are not gaping feeders like many birds who hold their mouths wide open and have food dropped in; rather, pigeons stick their entire beak inside their parent's mouth and the crop milk is deposited inside.

 

[Dreamers Nook]

As Lamar said, they are old enough to resist you, but too young to be out of nest yet. Be gentle and persistent with opening their, I usually approached from the back of beak forward. Once you get something down them, they should start responding. And make it easier, usually takes a little time.