Baby Dove Abandoned By Parents

by Terri Steele

We have two mourning doves (Mr. and Mrs. Dovely) that have laid 4 sets of eggs in our flower box on our deck.

This time the baby dove fell out of the box onto our deck. The mother sat with it for a few hours and then flew off.

I picked up the baby with gloves and put him into a larger flower box on the deck since he was too big for the nest he was born in.

It has been 24 hrs and neither parent has returned. What can I feed the baby dove if the mother/father does not return?


--------------------------
Comments

Baby Dove
by: Erin

Hey :) I've been rehabbing a baby dove for about 5 days now, the best feeding method I've picked up has been using a baby bottle and a piece of a rubber glove.

Mix Kaytee Exact hand feeding formula according to package directions, and place the rubber glove section over the end of the bottle.

Secure with the bottle ring.

Cut a small slice in the glove piece and the baby will thrust its beak into the slit while shaking its wings and peeping at you.

Feed until their crop (area at the base of its throat) is bulging, don't worry you'll see it when it is, part feathers and look if necessary.

3 times(ish) a day, keep it warm (not too warm, watch for heavy breathing and wing puffing for overheating birds), and make sure you wash your hands!


Tough Dove
by: Jeannie

My husband and I witnessed an attack by a falcon on some baby birds.

Of course, all the birds in the neighborhood were attacking the falcon and it dropped one of the babies it had in its talons from over 20 feet.

The baby survived the attack and the fall with only a small puncture wound on its back.

We have been feeding it Kaytee exact but don't know how old it is and are wondering when to start trying to wean it.

We've had it for 5 days now and its feathers have filled in but I know she is very young.

Just don't know how to proceed. Any help would be appreciated.


Baby Dove Care
by: Anonymous

Kaytee Exact is what I feed my baby doves. They love it.

Keep Pigeon and dove seed in cage so they can play with it and investigate it.

Make sure Exact is no warmer than 102 degrees or it can burn the babies.

Depending on their age they should be fed 2-3 times a day.

They do not need to be fed during the night.

When feeding use a syringe and when the bird has had enough it will pull back and not open its mouth.

I Know
by: Anonymous

I found a baby dove too, because my dad is in tree debris, at first we didn't know what it was.

A lady at Petsmart tried to help but couldn't either.

Then a customer helped, she was a breeder of many animals.

She said we should buy a nipple bottle and some "exact" mixture you can feed a dove baby.