Doves at 3 Weeks

[Edna]

Baby doves grow up fast! These guys are beginning to take a little seed on their own. The parents have already produced 2 more eggs, which I removed so they will continue to care for/tolerate these two. First, the whole family together on the perch.

This is the little girl. The students have named her Polly.

This is the little boy. The students had named him Tuffy even before he sprouted feathers.

This picture is from 3-25, when the babes were just a week old. I took it to show the students how the older one (girl) was just starting to open some shoulder feathers. The kids also noticed that you can see the pin feathers as they begin under the skin. Would that be a folicle? I'm no biologist, but anyway this pic has been flashed up on the smart board and studied extensively by the 6-7 year old crowd.

Thanks Kristina for the tip about offering chopped greens. These guys have picked at/enjoyed collards and spinach, along with their variety of grains.

 

[dmarcus]

Wow there feathers have really grown, now they look like doves..

 

[terryo]

They are very beautiful. I don't know if they are the same as "Morning Doves", which are gray here, but we find so many babies in the Spring, that fall from nests. I can't even find any of the nests they fall from. We find other babies, from so many different birds here too, and are always able to feed them and then release them when they are grown. But the Morning Doves never make it. Is there any special food that you can recommend if we find any babies this Spring, that we might feed them, or how to do it? I would put them back in the nests if I could only find them.

 

[Edna]

These are African Ringneck doves, Terry. If Mourning doves nest like these guys, then there isn't much of a nest to speak of. People do hand rear these babies sometimes, but I've never done it. Doves feed from the parents crop, rather than the parent placing food in their beaks. I purchased some Harrison high potency super fine for the parents, and I see that they make a neonatal formula. It might be worth a try.

http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/NEONATE-FORMULA-350g/productinfo/PF2+NEO/

My doves highly recommend Harrison's!!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

They are doing great!

 

[terryo]

Thank you very much Edna. I saved that site, and if I find any babies, I will definitely put it to use.

 

[tyler0912]

no offense...but when they are young i think they look stinking ugly even with feathers because they have not grown into there beaks!

 

[RV's mom]

beautiful pics. All babies are beautiful, no matter how ugly they are. they can't help themselves for what they are.....

and I think they're beautiful. IMHO

 

[tyler0912]

i agree......but ...... they are in there 'special' way!