Question on lone dove laying eggs

[VicW]

Some so called religous people, whose religion promotes love of animals, had ten white doves given to them as a 'gift'. Due to TOTAL neglect nine died.

One white dove remained. I felt for her and took it off them, (they were only too happy) and I have looked after her for at least two years. I hate caging birds but couldn't see an alternative. The poor think didn't even have anything to roost on at night.

She is laying up to four eggs a week and sits on them but I take them away. She is just a common white dove and I don't know what to do. I doubt anybody would take her and I myself would not/could not get her a mate to cage with.

Any suggestions. I'm in Brisbane Australia and feel really sorry for her.

Vic

[ptras]

Originally Posted by VicW

Some so called religous people, whose religion promotes love of animals, had ten white doves given to them as a 'gift'. Due to TOTAL neglect nine died.

One white dove remained. I felt for her and took it off them, (they were only too happy) and I have looked after her for at least two years. I hate caging birds but couldn't see an alternative. The poor think didn't even have anything to roost on at night.

She is laying up to four eggs a week and sits on them but I take them away. She is just a common white dove and I don't know what to do. I doubt anybody would take her and I myself would not/could not get her a mate to cage with.

Any suggestions. I'm in Brisbane Australia and feel really sorry for her.

Vic

It would be better to leave the eggs for her to sit. That way, the egg laying will slow down. Egg laying is tough on the hen's body, so anything you can do to slow it down is good. Make sure that you have calcium available with her grit to replace that which she is using to produce eggshells. If you are concerned about the mess/stink should an egg break, you can slip them out from under her one or two at a time and boil them for three minutes. This will hard-boil the eggs so that there is no liquid inside should one break accidentally. (Make sure you cool them well before putting them back.)

[Siobhan]

You don't have to cage her all the time. You can let her out to wander around. Give her some toys, too. Mine loves budgie sized toys though they seem too small for her. She doesn't play with them that much, but she pecks at them and makes the bells ring a couple of times a day. She likes beads, too. You could get some wooden craft beads and string them together and hang them for her to peck at. If she had something to do, she might not lay so much.

[VicW]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've got a spare room where I've shut the door covered the floor, put in a rod she can roost on. I put her on my finger and moved her up and down moving forward initally just so she could flap her wings. I let her go and she flew into the wall. I persevered and held my hand out and guided it toward her. After a few rough landings she started landing on it. After a few hours I put her back in the cage and hang it in an outside place.

I'm pretty sure in a few days I'll be able to have my hand out and she'll land on it like a falcon.

The only thing is she frequently makes this funny cackle/whooping sound. I've heard it frequently when I take the cover off and I put the food in and she does it just before beginning to eat. Now she does it in the room out of the cage.

This has gone on since I've had her. I'm hoping it's a happy-happy sound and not fright. Does anybody know what I'm talking about.

[Doves1111]

Originally Posted by VicW

The only thing is she frequently makes this funny cackle/whooping sound. I've heard it frequently when I take the cover off and I put the food in and she does it just before beginning to eat. Now she does it in the room out of the cage.

This has gone on since I've had her. I'm hoping it's a happy-happy sound and not fright. Does anybody know what I'm talking about.

I'm trying to imagine the sound you are describing. When Ringneck Doves get scared ...they will make a sound like "hoot hoot hoot".

Dawn

[VicW]

Originally Posted by Doves1111

I'm trying to imagine the sound you are describing. When Ringneck Doves get scared ...they will make a sound like "hoot hoot hoot".

Dawn

Thanks. I guess that could it, but why she be scared when dropping down to feed. Actually the only thing I can thing of that the sound resembles is a wheezy slower version of part of just a second or two of the Woody Woodpecker laugh. Just the beginning bit, not when it speeds up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3caNrHJ7q1g&NR=1

[Doves1111]

Ahhhhh...you may mean the laughing sound...that means she is happy!!!.
Ringnecks will laugh after they mate, greet each other, when they land. They are also known as the Laughing Dove.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_ueMAZ1eIA

Dawn

[VicW]

Originally Posted by Doves1111

Ahhhhh...you may mean the laughing sound...that means she is happy!!!.
Ringnecks will laugh after they mate, greet each other, when they land. They are also known as the Laughing Dove.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_ueMAZ1eIA

Dawn

Aah. What a relief. That's close to the sound. What makes her happy... makes me happy.