What seeds/mix to feed doves?

[Quails1]

Hey there folks, the same exact bird mart once arrives again on Building #4 at Fairplex, Pomona on June 25, the same day on Michael Jackson's passing!How sad!

But anyways, I'm planning on obtaining a pair of barbary/ringneck doves in the bird mart. I choose them since they're really accustomed to human activity, smaller than pigeons and they'll brood their squabs even in a captive environment. I always though quail but they don't raise their chicks in the same fashion as columbiforms (pigeons & doves). I harvest the eggs and place them in an artificial incubator, which I've done long ago but am not doing this anymore. Sorry if you had to read all of this but this is just why I'm beginning to lean toward doves over quails.

What I do know is doves consume the seeds whole rather than shelling the husk open like a parrot or finch does. Due to this, I have read that these seed-swallowers require grit in their diet, unlike most other birds. Yet I doubt if they really need it since I've never kept, nor bred them in my entire life. When I get them, this will be my first time raising these birds of peace. In addition, what types of seeds is best for barbary doves? Parakeet and finch feed?

Moreover, will they ever peace out in a cage like this???

Thank you in advance!

 

[JaeG]

We had a ring neck dove turn up one day and land on us. She now lives in our aviary with bourkes parakeets and finches. She enjoys budgie (parakeet) seed, dry commercial egg food and loves millet sprays. I bought her some dove food with kibbled maize and other seeds, but she looked at me like I was nuts. The finches like it though!

They may need a bit more flight room. I kept ours in a 1.2 meter (just over 3 feet) long indoor rabbit cage and there were times she would fly back and forth inside it a lot to burn off some energy.

 

[Quails1]

We had a ring neck dove turn up one day and land on us. She now lives in our aviary with bourkes parakeets and finches. She enjoys budgie (parakeet) seed, dry commercial egg food and loves millet sprays. I bought her some dove food with kibbled maize and other seeds, but she looked at me like I was nuts. The finches like it though!

They may need a bit more flight room. I kept ours in a 1.2 meter (just over 3 feet) long indoor rabbit cage and there were times she would fly back and forth inside it a lot to burn off some energy.

Thanks! Now I'll just wait for more members to chime in...

Edit: What about grit? Is it necessary for these birds?

 

[JaeG]

I believe so. I must put some in for our Tilly. I read you can use coarse sand. I'm sure a dish of dirt would provide grit also, just as it does for chickens. Doves swallow seeds whole whereas parakeets etc remove the husk before swallowing.

 

[PiGE0N]

My doves eat parakeet feed and also chicken scratch or pigeon feed, they just don't eat the large cracked corn pieces. I noticed my doves' favorite are safflower seeds, they'll also eat black oil seeds and I'm pretty sure they'd eat sunflower kernels.

Another one of my doves' favorite is hardboiled egg chopped up nicely, they enjoy greens too such as spinach and spray millet, sprouts grown from parakeet seed, dry ones too.
Grit is necessary since they cant hull seeds, their crops wont have to work as hard.

 

[Hokum Coco]

what types of seeds is best for barbary doves?

Nice set up. Homing pigeons are more my passion first and foremost. I live in Canada and am subject to -40º and my birds are housed in an un-insulated loft. That being said I would suggest crack corn in a separate feeder as a staple especially during the winter months especially if the birds are to be kept outside or in an area with little to no heat.

Oops I just noticed you live in California.

 

[Quails1]

I believe so. I must put some in for our Tilly. I read you can use coarse sand. I'm sure a dish of dirt would provide grit also, just as it does for chickens. Doves swallow seeds whole whereas parakeets etc remove the husk before swallowing.

Could I provide crushed oyster shells and other sources of calcium for their eggs as grit for the doves?

 

[JaeG]

Oyster shell grit is a soluble grit so it doesn't help to grind up food but it does provide calcium for strong egg shells. So they still need a source of insoluble grit such as sand/tiny stones which helps to break down their food.

 

[biophiliac]

X2

 

[Quails1]

Oyster shell grit is a soluble grit so it doesn't help to grind up food but it does provide calcium for strong egg shells. So they still need a source of insoluble grit such as sand/tiny stones which helps to break down their food.

Thanks! But do they absolutely need grit to survive? Or is this just a pure sample of black/white thinking?