We have had them 8 weeks let them out for first time yesterday and the male came back allot on a nearby roof once with the female then didn't see them again for rest of day the male came back alone this morning on house right behind I shook his seed and his favourite peanuts called him he kept looking in but won't come the chicks are 3 weeks old thought they would definitely come back for them what do I do
They won't come back in after been let out
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Its not actually a good idea to let your birds out when they have nestlings, if you have bought the pair 8 weeks ago you may call the owner and ask if the female had returned to the previous loft
Male has returned but he is confused to get inside or may be looking for his mate, if the parents don't come back the babies life will be at risk and you will be left with only one option of hand feeding them
Male has returned but he is confused to get inside or may be looking for his mate, if the parents don't come back the babies life will be at risk and you will be left with only one option of hand feeding them
I did hand feed them this morning as hadnt been fed all day yesterday I managed to get hold of the owner he said it was a good time to let them out as he said they would never abandon their babies he said something must of spooked her the male has been coming back closer and closer I Managed to catch him and get him
Back in,
The man who Had them before said they would never remember where they was before and wouldn't go back to him when I asked and he said put some food on the platform
And take it away at night he said she will be sheltering in a tree but would come back so will have to see now
Back in,
The man who Had them before said they would never remember where they was before and wouldn't go back to him when I asked and he said put some food on the platform
And take it away at night he said she will be sheltering in a tree but would come back so will have to see now
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at 3 weeks, you should be feeding them food...i'd go to petco and get the supreme blend of wild dove seeds...they are small seed, my chicks at 3 weeks ate this food just fine. at 4 weeks the parents abandon the chicks anyway...if this was the first clutch, the second clutch is on the way...maybe why the mother is missing. i wouldn't let them out until you have a sizeable flock enough eyes watching to protect each other; a couple of doves are easy prey for hawks and other bigger birds, once you handle them keep them safe around around you, you become their parent. Letting them fly free; they are not afraid, as they should be in the wild. I hope the mother returns, however if she has dropped the second clutch somewhere, she'll pull her mate to her. The squabs are on their own now, if the cock doesn't come in, within a day or two; the squabs are yours to care for...this happened to me; the cock was scared and wouldn't come in, his chicks were 2 weeks old, he eventually found another mate and left his family. My breeder said to keep doves in the cage for at least a year, if i let them out; the would home back to his loft...he is 15 miles from me.
I did catch the male as he kept coming back and I caught him i did hand feed them in the morning but caught him later,
he is feeding them although the man who had them before said to carry on feeding them incase he can't do it alone
he is feeding them although the man who had them before said to carry on feeding them incase he can't do it alone
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Good that you caught the cock; you might look around nearby you, the mother could be setting on the second clutch that is why she isn't coming around; if so, and you find her/see her, she should be easy to catch, as she won't leave her eggs. (she is probably not in a tree...my guess is some kind of semi-protected area off the ground...they are not good at building nests...and she is all alone...need to find her if you can.
I am going to look later as she hasnt come back still and i I think I know where she might go do u think I have to feed the chicks again aswell as the male like i was told? we have a camera in there I have seen him feed them several times since he been back can he do it on is own?
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what i did was put the chicks in a plastic 4" high 20 qt tub, i put the nest in there and put it where the nest originally was...i put a small dish of the wild dove seed in there close to the nest, the chicks saw the seeds and crawled to the dish and ate when they got hungry...the cock can still feed them; they will eat on their own; the cock won't stop them.
hope you find the mother and all is well with your dove family again
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Was she with her mate when they wouldn't come in? Did you watch to see what direction she flew off too? If i were you, i'd be combing the area, even the ground, if she is setting, it might be in tall grass; OR she may have dropped the eggs since her mate has left her they know they can't raise them alone...she may be trying to get back to wherever you got her...have you contacted the person you got her from to see if that is where she is? You said the chicks were about 3 weeks old, so if the hen hadn't laid her second clutch, she is due. Again, if she believes she has lost her mate, she will abandon the 2nd clutch...do you think if you released the cock, he would find her and bring her in; or show you where she is setting? you might follow him, if you can and are sure you can get him to come back in....only you know this.
i see flocks flying nearby me; i am feeding them; there are at least 15-20 in this flock. So, this is my example for my own flock. i don't want to over breed, so it will take me a good year; by then mine will have forgotten the breeder's loft, so he says.
She was only there once with him yesterday far away that was the only time she was with him, the breeder said to keep him In now to raise the chicks I am worried he will not come back Again if i let him out again I have looked everywhere I can get into look
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hummm, where you thought she was, put food and water out for her...also i'd put food and water on top of the cage for her...she has got to be hungry by now...what color was she...white homers do not do well in the wild, even other pigeons won't accept them; they attract hawks, they stand out. i know you are heartsick, i am heart sick for you, i've been there...lost 3 doves so far.... that's why now, i won't let mine fly without plenty around them to protect each other. give her a couple of days maybe she will show up, let's hope so.
I have left food on the platform I can't get into where I thought she would be its a old cemetery with big and small trees and its locked and they have put a sign up saying its permantly locked I am pleased the male is back but yes I am heartbroken she hasn't they have names and become quite attatched i keep looking for her constantly but i cant go in other peoples gardens or where i think she may be I really hope she shows up in a few days
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if i were you, i would leave notes on the doors of homes where you think she might be with my phone number and a description of her...also that cemetary...can you contact the owner and request a walk through, surely they wouldn't mind after you tell them why. You know i was so upset when i lost the male since the chicks were only 2 weeks old..the mother showed them the door he left through, they were on the floor together trying to get through the door, i know they were crying inside to be with their dad...it broke my heart, a friend of mine knew how upset i was, he went and found the male at a nearby lake with trees, he found him beat up and on the ground, he has him....but right now i don't have room for more chicks, so we are keeping them apart...hopefully in July there will be a happy reunion.... Don't give up, it's early yet, she may come back it's only been a day. keep us posted
i know your heartbroke; praying she comes back to her family with you!
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??? lay egg??? what??
Anyway, she is probably gone now. She will not come back. If you got the birds 8 weeks ago and you just let them fly for the first time, then kiss goodbye especially for the hen.
Its a good thing that you manage to get the cock back because he will continue to feed the babies so dont worry about it.
Anyway, she is probably gone now. She will not come back. If you got the birds 8 weeks ago and you just let them fly for the first time, then kiss goodbye especially for the hen.
Its a good thing that you manage to get the cock back because he will continue to feed the babies so dont worry about it.
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You did what was told and i think that's fine, there is always a chance that pigeons when relocated will try to return to their original home and they may get lost during the process
Its better that you don't let your breeding pairs fly specially when they have babies in nest, try to raise some from them and those birds will consider your loft as their home
Good I'm pleased what I did was fine as that's what the breeder said put a grill on let them see their surroundings and let them out in 8 weeks I thought I was letting them out at the right time and the breeder said they wouldn't abandon their babies but after posting on here I can see it was the wrong time so what age should I wait for babies to get bigger to let them out again will he not come back again and go looking for a mate if I can't find her and she don't return? Should I get him a new mate?
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