Nesting problems

[Artsyrache]

My son recently got 2 ringneck doves, a male and a female. We've had them for about 2 weeks now, and tonight the female laid her first egg. The problem is, it looks like she just dropped it from where she was sitting on a perch. I found it directly underneath her, smashed.
We had 2 nesting boxes ready to go in the flight cage before we brought them home. One was a round Tupperware dish, the other a cardboard box cut to what I was told was the correct size (6"x4"x2"). We laid out a variety of nesting materials-twigs, hay, strips of paper. When they showed no interest in creating a nest, I put a few pieces of hay, paper, and feathers in the box. Still nothing. Tonight I cut another cardboard box and secured it to a high perch, thinking they might prefer to nest off the floor.
Does anyone have any ideas? These are our first birds, but they seem healthy in every way. Lively, curious, active. They get most of the day outside of their flight cage in my son's room. How can I get them to nest?

PS- Any info on the appropriate amount of calcium to provide an egg-laying female would also be appreciated!!

 

[Hokum Coco]

We've had them for about 2 weeks, and tonight the female laid her first egg. . I found it directly underneath her, smashed.

Does anyone have any ideas? Sounds like you are doing everything right. The dove may have been forced to lay from the perch because it was in darkness and unable to access the nest box. Try to provide her with constant light until the second egg arrives. She should lay a second egg in the next 24 hours she hopefully lays it in one of your nest boxes. This sometimes happens with pigeons who are new at parenting whether she was in darkness or not. It may take round two before they begin to get things right. Round two could happen in as early as about 3 weeks. You can expect eggs 10 days after witnessing copulation after that 3 week period.

PS- Any info on the appropriate amount of calcium to provide an egg-laying female would also be appreciated!!

I feed egg laying pellets as one solution another way you could approach it is to provide your bird with crushed egg shells or you can buy crushed oyster shells to provide extra calcium at most feed stores.

 

[Artsyrache]

Thanks so much!! I'll definitely give them some extra light until she lays the second egg. I appreciate the advice!