# Advice on young white dove squabs please



## Faith (Apr 25, 2009)

Hello everyone,

This is my very first post on Pigeon-Talk and I haven't read many posts yet. I am not even suire I am posting this in the right place.

May I first give you a potted history and then ask for advice.

A pair of white feral doves set up home in my empty dovecote. I called them Hope (f) and Glory (m) They successfully hatched eggs - the first on 19th March and the second the day after. Unfortunately Glory was killed by a hawk on 22nd March. Hope has reared the babies on her own. She found a new mate and left the babies for the first time when they were only 2 weeks old. I have been bringing them into the house every night since and putting them back in the dovecote at first light.

The squabs are now approx. 39 and 38 days old. I call them Victory and Purity. Hope has now, it seems, stopped feeding them. She didn't feed them last night and I haven't seen her feed them today. I have been getting them out of the dovecote and putting them on the ground for the last few days and they have been pecking at small grains, and drinking.

I am trying to get them as independant as possible before I go away next Wednesday. I'm away one night, back one night, then away Friday early to Sunday late.

My question is - Should I leave them in the dovecote tonight, alone? Are they old enough to stay warm now. They are still not fully feathered under their wings. I would have to leave them Wednesday anyway.

Any thoughts on the whole situation would be appreciated.

Am I allowed to give a link to my blog?

Thank you in advance for any replies.

Faith


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Yes, you can link to your blog,,, that's fine.
At thier age, the babies will be just fine left outside. Are they eating on their own pretty good? I would think by Wednesday, they will be pretty good at it.


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## Faith (Apr 25, 2009)

Thanks for your quick reply. And here is the address for my blog if anyone is interested in the whole story.

http://faithsdoves2.blogspot.com/

I will be very nervous leaving them alone tonight but I have to do it!


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## jameswaller (Nov 4, 2008)

put them in your,ie, garage,large cage,with lots of food and water,you are to be comended on their survival,don,t quit now be creative,..sincerely james waller


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## Faith (Apr 25, 2009)

Thanks James, but they are past that stage now I think. I left them in the dovecote for the first time last night and they were fine. This morning, the mother dove had them out on the hedge, but didnt feed them, and when she eventually gave up and flew away, I put them on the ground and they pecked at grains. The largest one, Victory, flew up onto the roof after a while, the mother dove and some others joined him, and he has flown away with them for the time being. I hope I see him again. The little one, Purity, has put herself back in the dovecote and I will keep an eye on her. It's a miserable rainy day here anyway - not much fun for flying!


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