# What to feed baby doves?



## FrostyWing (May 14, 2017)

Hello Good afternoon...
Really need help with feeding these 2 baby doves my aunt found in her yard.
There's no nest in sight, and the doves look around 1week+ old.
I want to know what can I feed them. 
Not everyone lives in the US or these 1st world countries. I have no access to these foods such as Latter extract or the others.
I need to make homemade food. Basic homemade baby dove foods. I can't stress the basic enough... Things are expensive and the closest rehabilitaters are miles away. Sorry if I'm sounding rude or bold. But I'm scared and fedup of all these posts on the net that have all these foods that I've never seen selling in stores or it's too expensive to buy. 
I just want to find something basic and easy to get to rear these Doves.
I've seen posts about using dry oatmeal, shaken Silk unsweetened organic soy milk and using 2 raw eggs.
Is there something more basic or this what I just listed is good enough?
Here's the link: https://www.2ndchance.info/WildDoveDiet.htm
Please tell me if there's something more easier to use?
Please hurry
Thank you


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Where are you from? Can you post a photo of the doves? A handraising formula for parrots and parakeets will be the best choice. If you cannot get this, try a brand of baby cereal that contains no sugar and milkproducts. You can also defrost some frozen peas, blend them well and add to the cereal. A drop of apple cider vinegar to their food will also help with digestion.


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## Ladygrey (Dec 10, 2016)

FrostyWing said:


> Hello Good afternoon...
> Really need help with feeding these 2 baby doves my aunt found in her yard.
> There's no nest in sight, and the doves look around 1week+ old.
> I want to know what can I feed them.
> ...



I would try to figure out what species of dove it is.. you have a handful of different species there.. they probably all have the basic seed grain and legume diet, but some may eat more protein than others.. or another may eat more berries.. the rock dove or common pigeon or feral pigeons eat grain seeds legumes.. they do not eat much if any fruit, or insects.. maybe occasionally but not as the main diet. they really need high protein at this stage, they are developing and growing feathers , egg whites cooked soft and put in the beak and gently poked in for them to swallow.. or blend it with the oatmeal.. no sugar. If you can get baby food in jars..look for green peas and add that to the mash.. dry baby cereal is easier to make than oatmeal I would think.. just add warm water and make a mash with the egg and green pea baby food.. 

Later you can use whole peas defrosted from frozen as the diet gets less mushy, these you put in the back of the throat and they swallow them .

Two things make sure they are warm, as they can not digest if not warm. 

Two , do not feed if there is food still in their crops.. feel the front of the neck for the little “ sack” where to food goes. 

Then depending on the species you can add things that closer match that species diet.. hopefully they are all close in that regard.


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## jameswaller (Nov 4, 2008)

*squab food*

dear frostwing,--try the internet to get squab food..-kaytee,exact formula-for baby pigeons--it,s a substitute for the adult crop milk,-sincerely james waller


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## Dogknows (Sep 12, 2017)

Exact Hand-feeding Parrot formula is the best. Follow the temperature instructions exactly to activate digestive enzymes. You can use a meat thermometer. Just use a 6cc syringe without the needle, and open their mouth with the end of the syringe (buy the syringe without the new screw-on cup which makes the tip too short) and squirt a little in until they get the idea. I've never choked one in 20 years, so their anatomy seems to know what to do. Soon they might even open their mouths on their own. You can buy Exact on Amazon.


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