# Pet Mourning Dove, update and eggs



## Reddi (Jun 20, 2013)

Two years ago, we ended up with an injured mourning dove, and you can read about that here: http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/injured-young-not-baby-mourning-dove-69208.html

She has always been just a little leery of us, but she was wild so I expected this (she's just not releasable due to the bad break in the wing, which healed,but she can't fly and never will). She did, with a nominal amount of fuss, let us pick her up and place her on the floor for 'out' time. She walks around the floor pecking things and seems fairly calm. She normally is in a large parrot cage and she uses the floor only as she cannot fly even a little to a perch. We have newspapers lining it with a bit of hay on top, which she seems to like. Been doing this for two years.

Then just recently she decided I was desireable. She began trembling and cooing in a different way (expanding her throat quite a bit), and lifting her vent. I've had other birds so I translated the gestures correctly. She also let me-- even wanted me-- to pet her. That was new. I was not surprised when I saw an egg in the cage (nor was I surprised when she stopped the romantic overtures just before the egg dropped). Within a week she had three eggs, and was very broody. I let her sit on them (I was uncertain she was a 'her' until this event). I didn't want t remove them and have her keep laying. She sat for awhile, then realized the eggs were duds (I forget how long-- a week or two?) and stopped sitting on them. However, she's now making romantic overtures again. I really don't want her to keep laying. So far no new eggs, but I expect to see them before too long. I have added some calcium to her diet, and she seems very healthy otherwise.

Reading some other threads here I'm guessing taking the hay out and just leaving her on newspapers might help her to stop laying. it's rather nice that she finally decided I was friendly, and she lets me handle her now. I just don't want her to drain her system laying. I have read mourning doves don't live much beyond three years, though that sounds odd to me (in the wild, maybe, due to cars and predators). Vet thought she was a young adult when we rescued her two years ago. I'm wondering if I should be doing something different... getting another domestic dove to keep her occupied sounds wrong, as I fear she might lay even more (though I don't think you can breed them to other doves, can you?). She does seem quite healthy other than her old injury, and she seems basically content. I am puzzled why she just started to lay for the first time now, at age 2+


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Not only calcium but it should contain D3 too to get calcium absorbed in her body. So go for something which has both, it is necessary for laying hens. I have seen hens lay in even odd places if you block their cage, so don't know if you take out hay, will she stop laying or not. Adding proper supplement that is Calcium +D3 to diet will help her.


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## Reddi (Jun 20, 2013)

She's got another egg (arrrgh!). Well, she's determined. I'll get vitamins and switch out the "hi cal grit" for something with calcium and vitamins. I have some layer mash and I put a bit on her dove seed, as that has vitamins. Poor thing seems so determined to have offspring.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Lol. Offspring with infertile eggs. 
Don't go for only calcium but with D3 because indoor pigeons don't get enough sunshine and calcium doesn't get absorbed in body. So go for something which has Calcium +D3, with D3 it will be absorbed in her body and it will be used for her in making egg shell.


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## Reddi (Jun 20, 2013)

Yes, she keeps hoping!  I don't know how to break it to her.  She's sitting on two now. I thought we'd get three again but she seems to have stopped at two this time. I have added the Vitamins to her water. She looks pretty good. I just hope she stops laying after this batch.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Oh probably missed that part. 3 eggs in how many days??
Usually they lay two eggs on 1-2 days 
time interval.


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## Reddi (Jun 20, 2013)

She lay three eggs last time, I'd say in four days. This time just two in three days. She had one in there on July 3, and the next on the 4 or 5 (I'm not sure-- I didn't write it down but I think she skipped a day), and none since. She's been broody with them. She shows no signs that I can see of being egg bound so I think there are just two this time.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Usually they lay 2. Lol
Never heard of three


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Reddi said:


> She's got another egg (arrrgh!). Well, she's determined. I'll get vitamins and switch out the "hi cal grit" for something with calcium and vitamins. I have some layer mash and I put a bit on her dove seed, as that has vitamins. Poor thing seems so determined to have offspring.



Why would you switch out the Hi Cal grit? That's what it means. Hi calcium. She needs that. They generally do lay 2. After about 18 days of them not hatching, she will start laying again. Doesn't matter if the other 2 are still in the nest.


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## Reddi (Jun 20, 2013)

I kept the hi cal grit and added vitamin D3 as well. She did lay three the first time, but two now. Over the past two years she never laid an egg until a few weeks ago-- maybe it's taken her that long to recover from being hit by the car. She does seem healthy and alert, eating like crazy and does not look thin.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Good that she is healthy but her lifestyle shouldn't be sedentary. Encourage her roaming around more if you have some space as she can't fly. Sedentary lifestyle and good eating habit could make them fat and fat hens some times develop problem of egg bound. If she gets good calcium and D3 she most probably will face no problems in laying. Still moving around a bit more may help her too to stay healthy.


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## Reddi (Jun 20, 2013)

She does have out time to move around the floor of the bird room. She also has a large cage. She's just decided today that this last batch of eggs won't hatch and now is moving around the large cage floor again instead of sitting on the eggs. I'm going to cut back on the feed now and hope she doesn't try again (but given the vibrating feather dance she's giving me, I think she's just going to keep on trying... :: sigh :: ).


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Cutting back on the feed isn't going to stop her from laying.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Reddi said:


> She does have out time to move around the floor of the bird room. She also has a large cage. She's just decided today that this last batch of eggs won't hatch and now is moving around the large cage floor again instead of sitting on the eggs. I'm going to cut back on the feed now and hope she doesn't try again (but given the vibrating feather dance she's giving me, I think she's just going to keep on trying... :: sigh :: ).



LOL. Determined again 
Yes, don't cut back on feed, they eat what they need. 
Just give her calcium and D3 supplements. You can try with changing her rooms so she won't feel so comfortable at one place,at least she takes some time to adjust in new location and have to plan to lay and they again you can relocate. Just some ideas from what I read here.


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