Raising a baby mourning dove!!! NEED HELP!!!

[jimboree]

This is my 5th day of taking care of a baby mourning dove. He was small and had no feathers except for on the very tips of his wings. I left him on the ground all day where I found him waiting for his mom but she never showed. That Saturday night I took him in and bought him a little bird cage and kaytee exact baby bird formula. I tried a plastic bag method and he wasn't going for it. It wasn't until Sunday evening after work did I discover he needs warm food and then he went crazy for it. So it's been 5 days, as today is Wednesday and I have a lot of concerns.

He isn't growing very much. He looks a little bigger but not much. He is getting a lot of feathers though and is mostly feathered at this point. I have been feeding him every 6 hours or so. Should I try every 5?

He has a problem with his left leg. He leans to his right and falls over a bit. His left leg is also shaky but he can still bend his toes. He has been getting better at getting himself back up though. Should I be concerned about this?

Also when will this baby walk? I'm estimating him to be 9-10 days old and he has barely walked. Yesterday it looked like he was inching close to me which was exciting but he barely got anywhere. When do mourning doves walk? Is there a way I can help the process?

His right eye won't open. When I first found him his eye closed but over the next few hours it opened. He would sometimes open it up until 3 days ago. He hasn't opened it in days and it almost looks like he has skin over the eye? His left eye is fine though. What should I do about his eye? Has he lost sight in it? Can I help?

Does this baby need a water bowl? His water is mixed in with his food.

I don't have any bird experience and there is no local wildlife rehab place to take him. I named him or her bean and I love this little baby. When I start talking to them they flap their wings and talk back and it's adorable. He poops all the time and has energy. How can I help this baby? What am I doing wrong? How big should he be?

There are pics here taken today. (I think... I've never used this site) he was fed an hour ago, he has food all over him because its so hard to clean him.

And he just started to preen his feathers! (I think that's what it's called)

 

[Aina]

Yeepee! Nestor came back around 4:30...
Lots of seeds and lots of water, cuddled a little bit, went on my shoulder for a little time and flew away! Night night Nestor

 

[Majd]

Ohh... it's hard to explain everything for someone very new to this.... First of all don't feed him until his crop empties.... the crop is the sac like organ down the neck.... you can feel it and know if his crop has emptied or not.... second the kaytee exact is exellent... but he seens to have splayed leggs... you can make a search on Google and see what splay legs is and how to fix it.... you should keep him warm and clean.... after feeding him and making sure he has a full crop you can clean him using a towel wet with warm water and removing all the formula so he can stay fluffy and maintain his warmth and to let the feathers grow properly... can you post another picture of the legs so we can see whats wrong with them.... and the eyes might have some of the formula stuck inside that's also why you have to clean him.. gently clean the eyes with the towel and warm water.... and never let him wet.... always dry him off if he was wet or he'll chill to death... and put some kind of nesting material in his cage like straw or hay or old clothes(let the clothes be soft so his nails don't get stuck).... maybe the slippery surface of the cage caused the splayed legs.... and you can put him a flyffy dummy or toy so he can sleep next to and have as a companion..... do your best with this little guy and update us with plenty of pictures.... good luck!!!

 

[Hokum Coco]

Here is a link showing how one fancier feeds a squab:.

There are also other videos showing different methods

 

[jimboree]

We have a lot of mourning doves nearby so he's not alone. I see groups of them all the time. I just hope I get to see him again someday...

 

[Majd]

Oh sorry i mean leave the seed dish with him at all time and then check if his crop has enough food to keep him well and healthy... If there is some food but the crop is not full, supplement with two or one meal a day... Because i guess you said he eats some seeds but wants formula right?

 

[Majd]

I would keep him in for another week to get the hold of eating/drinking and to strengthen those wings.... Besides he's still quite yound to venture out on his own... Give him more time so your rescue don't turn into a murder

 

[txdenise]

OK thanks. Will try

 

[stevebauer3]

Hello! I was looking through search engines to find some information on mourning dove hatchlings and came across this website/thread! People here seem very knowledgeable, and the OP's story is similar to mine (great job raising Bean, by the way!). I have some questions about a mourning dove hatchling that I hope some of you may be able to help me with.

Quick background: I grow almonds and one day while I was in my orchard I somehow spotted a small movement on the ground. I investigated and found a tiny hatchling sitting on the ground next to another hatchling that was dead. The living one, I'm assuming, hatched within the last 12-24 hours. Eyes were not open, little movement, and almost no feathers. I checked the tree where it was under for a nest because I know you're able to put birds back in it if you come across, and the parents would come back to take care of it. I did see the nest, but looked as if the wind basically ripped it apart. There was no way I could have repaired it and and place the baby back into it. I decided to mark where I found him, and return in an hour to see if a parent would be around. When I came back, nothing had changed. I decided to take it in, and so far everything has been great. I'm using Kaytee Exact as the baby formula, and now I am trying to start the weaning process. The baby, if my original estimate was correct, is anywhere between 10 and 11 days old. Its very feathered now and eats quite a bit. I have been feeding him every 3-4 hours depending when his crop has emptied. So.. My questions are as follows:

Firstly: I am having a difficult time trying to get him to eat the seeds in his baby formula (for the weaning). I'm using a syringe with a nipple (small turkey baster-like object) that has a whole cut out so he can stick his beak in and eat. I then put the small, raw seeds in the end of the nipple (only a couple) and begin to feed him, but he seems to not get many, if any at all. Is there a better way to have him take the seeds?

Secondly: He makes quite a bit of noise. Anytime I'm with him and he knows I'm in the area, he will be very vocal. The only time he is not is when he doesn't know I'm near him (his container is a cardboard box with my old shirt formed as a sort of nest to keep him warm) and I know this because I keep him in my room a bit farther from my desk. Is it normal for him to be this vocal?

Lastly: I was reading mourning doves are taught how to peck at seeds and learn from their parents how to feed themselves independently. Whats the best way to do this, once the weaning process comes to an end?


Sorry this is such a long post! But for whatever reason, whether it be the fact I've put in a lot of time to keep this little guy alive or that I am very determined to see this bird become a healthy juvenile, I have become surprisingly attached and worry about him constantly. Any advice would be great, Thank you very much!!

 

[jimboree]

So I cleaned my baby up and after 10 minutes of cleaning his eye with a warm wet cloth he opened it and he perked up and started looking around and then looked at me and started talking and flapping his wings. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen! Now he is sleeping on my chest peacefully