YOUNG DOVE PROBLEM

[Kaaren]

I'm taking care of my friends pets while she is gone and that includes a cage of doves. She left a note saying there was a baby but the parents would care for it. When I checked the food and water I noticed the "baby" was on the floor of the cage and adults were pecking it. I'd say it's more of a kid then a baby, it's mostly feathered showing a few pin feathers around the beak and throat. There are primaries. The kid was protecting itself with it's wings. I removed it to another cage and gave it food and water. Did I do the right thing or is it normal for doves to peck their kids? Should I put it back in the cage? Keep it separate? Does it need special care? It looks bright eyed and fine but we haven't seen it eat or move. It just sits there. Help!

[raynjudy]

Hi!

Too much to post here. Email me and I'll reply when I get back in this evening. Or navigate the home page for emergency instructions. Pigeons and doves are of a family.

Meanwhile, provide fresh water and a quiet, warm refuge. A sprinkling of the smallest seeds may be accepted too. Speak softly and keep small kids and other pets away.

There are highly capable people here--so check back!

--Ray

[Marian]

Hi Karen,
If the baby is being picked on, keep them separated as he could sustain serious injury. Make sure he is self-feeding though or he will starve.
If he is not self feeding, you might be able to locate his parent (s) and keep them together, apart from the aggressive birds), so that the parent can still feed.
Feel the baby's crop. If it is always empty during the course of the day, he is not able to eat on his own. Also, droppings are an indication of eating or starving. If the droppings continue to look normal, he is eating. But check the crop several times a day.
If the bird is not eating, and the parent can't be found or is pecking at the baby, then the baby has to be fed by hand.
Ray or Carl can give you info on this.
Warmth is also important. The baby should have a surrounding temperature of not less than 75-80 F. I assume it has feathers.
If it is cool in the house, you can put a heating pad (on low) either under or on the side of the baby's container. The pad should be wrapped in a towel if it is under the baby. There should be room for the baby to move away from the heat if it chooses. Attaching the heating pad to the side of the container also an option, and it doesn't need to be wrapped in a towel.
Good luck,
Marian

[duvluvr]

Dear Kaaren, What kind of dove is it? You may have saved its life. Or you may have just committed yourself to hand feeding!
Often young doves look mature and do eat seed if we observe them for a while. The problem is that they don't know to fill themselves with seed in the beginning. My domestic Ringnecks coddle and nurture their babies long after the kids leave the nest.

There is one way to tell if the babies are thriving...daily weights on a gram scale tells the whole story.

Please e-mail back with the description of the doves...let's go from there...

Julie in Ft Lauderdale
jewel_e@bellsouth.net

Originally posted by Kaaren:
I'm taking care of my friends pets while she is gone and that includes a cage of doves. She left a note saying there was a baby but the parents would care for it. When I checked the food and water I noticed the "baby" was on the floor of the cage and adults were pecking it. I'd say it's more of a kid then a baby, it's mostly feathered showing a few pin feathers around the beak and throat. There are primaries. The kid was protecting itself with it's wings. I removed it to another cage and gave it food and water. Did I do the right thing or is it normal for doves to peck their kids? Should I put it back in the cage? Keep it separate? Does it need special care? It looks bright eyed and fine but we haven't seen it eat or move. It just sits there. Help![/quote]