Help with young collared doves.

[FoxtonWildlifeRescue]

I think that your best bet is to get it to a wildlife rehab centre who will have had a lot of experience in hand-rearing doves and pigeons?

Whereabouts are you?

In terms of feeding, we tube feed a mixture called exact which is a hand rearing formula that you mix with water. It is quite expensive but i think that you can get it from pets at home.

Would advise getting them some help though.

[kezzer]

Hi Tracy,
What ever happens you made a really good effort, well done.
All the best.

[Tracy_]

Well the dove I've kept hold of seems to be doing well. I put some seeds in the crate with him and he started eating right away. He has made it very clear now that he does not want force feeding. At first he sat very still and didnt struggle much, now he will not stop flapping and trying to get away. I have been giving him 1mm of liquid calcium mixed with water every day by syringe and his beak has hardened and he can stand now. He also is using his wings a lot more (especially when i try to feed him!) He just seems a lot stronger and independent so I think I must be doing something right! His tail feathers are nearly all in, and his collar too.

[kezzer]

here is an old link where some one found a collared dove...........................

collared dove dilema

Have you seen the other dove that you put outside?

[ElwoodsGirl]

Hi Tracy,

I found a baby dove about a 3 days old when I moved into my house ... We syringe fed him and cared for him and reared him by hand and he is now 2 years old and called Percy .... Only thing is he will not leave us so we have had to build him an aviary ... One day he did fly off but within half an hour I was in the garden and he landed on my head .... Stick with it but be prepared that he / she may never be able to go back to the wild !!!

[kezzer]

Hi EG,
Thats interesting. So is he in the avery all the time?

It would be nice to hear what happened with the Op's doves wouldn't it.

[ElwoodsGirl]

Yes he lives in a huge avairy with another dove (Dave) which we got from a rescue centre and a pigeon (Eric) which we rescued and hand reared as we did Percy....

[kezzer]

thats nice, you obviously know a bit about care for orphaned birds, good on you. well done.

[kitkat1977]

Hi All
I know this is an old thread but I just had to respond. if you were to find a sick child or adult you would take it to a hopital, yes? or treat yourselves? so if you find a sick wild animal whether it be a bird or mammel then you take it to a wildlife hospital or you call your local wildlife hospital who will collect it. Time and time again people think they can care for these animals and I'm afraid unless you've had specific training you cannot. The number of wildlife that die because of this is incredible. And I know people are only trying to help but it is not helping and if an animal dies through someone not seeking appropriate care and that animal dies you can be prosecuted through a court of law as this is animal cruelty and a criminal act. How cruel that now collared doves who are healthy are being kept in an aviary, its barbaric they should be in the wild! I personally hand rear all birds from hatchlings, to juvenilles to adults. Whether they are sick, new born, have canker are calcium deficient they all need specialist care and specialist food. And all of the ones i/we have are reared and always released back into the wild NOT tamed!
sorry but just need to get my point across our birds are on a massive decline in fact all british wildlife are. at at the rate we humans are going there will be nothing left!
apologies rant over!