# Is There A Reason My Doves Won't Lay



## Sacred_Covenant (May 17, 2005)

I apologize if I have placed this in the wrong place, I looked and looked but this seemed to be the closest.


I have a pair of white doves that I bought at a local pet store that I use as display doves in my business. Just weeks before I bought them and brought them home, the hen had lain 2 eggs which were broken in the store before I got them.

I want to have babies but in the 2 months that I have had them they have never had young.


The male courts her and coos and bows so sweetly but she never lays eggs.

Can anyone offer some advice?

Loretta


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Loretta, 

Try offering your doves a good vitamin supplement, and particularly vitamin E. This is supposed to increase the fertility of the male bird. Make sure they have plenty of natural daylight as well. Make sure the birds have plenty of grit and/or oyster shells for producing good eggs. That is about all you can do for them. Sometimes, matings are unsuccessful and you could also make sure that your cage/pen or whatever is spacious enough to allow the male bird to mount the female properly without slipping off or it being cumbersome 

good luck!


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## WhiteWingsCa (Mar 1, 2002)

Are they ringneck Doves?

I have had ringnecks for 4-5 years now, and find that they don't lay as often as pigeons do. We've only managed to raise 3 babies in that time, with two pairs of doves for most of those 4 years!

I have also found that the warmer the weather - the more they lay. We've had a very warm spring/early summer so far. My doves have raised one baby to weaning (the 2nd egg did not hatch), and now they are on eggs again. Most years, they only lay one set of eggs - and then don't bother setting on them.

I've heard that ringnecks are not that easy to raise....


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## upcd (Mar 12, 2005)

*Breeding Problem*

Do they have room to fly? How big is there cage? Can they get in and out of the sun light? Do they have 2 nest boxes with nest building materials?


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## Sacred_Covenant (May 17, 2005)

*Thank You All*

Thank you all for your kind replies. I have found several possible problems. When I first got them, I knew very little about doves as I was mainly concentrating in cockatiels.


First they have little to no daylight. Would it help to set them up in an outside pen or aviary?

Second, I have no idea how to tell if they are ringneck doves. How would I tell? 


Also I was told to provide them with a bowl shaped nest not a box.


I will try these ideas.

Thanks again
Loretta


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## Doves1111 (Mar 5, 2005)

*Ringneck Doves*

Loretta,

A dove or a pair of doves can be comfortably kept in an 18”x24” or 24”x24” size cage. A large cockatiel cage, or a small parrot cage will also work. Just remember, the bigger the better! If you let your dove out everyday for an hour or so of exercise, the cage doesn't have to be so big.

For my Ringneck Doves, I feed “Wagner” wild birdseed, “Wagner” black oil sunflower seeds (both purchased at “The Home Depot” store). They also get game bird starter, pigeon pellets, millet, and Kaytee High Calcium pigeon grit (these I purchase at a “Agway” store). The seed, game bird starter, pigeon pellets, and grit should all be offered in separate containers.

All doves that are kept indoors, or out of the direct sunlight, require a vitamin D3 supplement and a vitamin A supplement. Game bird starter supplies these vitamins plus a whole lot more. It also gives them extra protein that they don't get from just a plain seed diet. When they are raising young, they will consume more.

Vitamins are added to their water 2 to 3 times a week. Avitron is good for a few birds; you can get this at a pet store. I use Red Cell not only for it's economical price but also because I also give it to my horses...a teaspoon to a gallon of water.

Boiled eggs with the shells added back in, is an excellent source of protein and calcium, especially for female doves or doves raising young. Mash up the boiled eggs real fine. I put the peeled shells in the microwave for a few minuets to sterilize them and to make them more brittle. Crush them up very fine, and add them back into the egg mixture.

My birds also get wheat bread (“Home Pride” wheat is their favorite) a few time a week and greens. The green consist of fresh spinach leaves, dandelion leaves, or chickweed. The fresh spinach can be purchased at a grocery store…the dandelion leaves and chickweed are found in our yards or flowerbeds in the warmer months of spring and summer. I use a clothes pin to pin the greens to the side of the cage.

My birds are bred in individual breeding cages with a nest that is 5"wx7"lx3"h...basket, bowls, milk jugs cut out will also work. Something that is around 7" in diameter hung on the side of the cage, or placed on the floor of the cage. I put pine shaving on the bottom of the nest with either hay or pine needles placed on top. Give them some more nesting material on the bottom their cage, so they can make/or add to the nest.

Here are a few great sites on Ringneck Doves:

http://www.internationaldovesociety.com/
http://ringneckdove.com/ 
http://www.doveline.com/

Healthy ringneck doves breed like rabbits...and you usually (I do this) have to give them fake eggs to control the breedings. Indoor breeding or outside is up to you...I breed my ringnecks outdoors in the warm months and breed some in my house during the winter months. 
Dawn  

Dawn Wisniewski
The Coocoo House
ADA and NPA Member in CT
[email protected]


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Dawn,

Thank you for all the wonderful information on feeding and care of doves.

My rehabber uses the Avitron for rehabbing birds, she said it works well on ducks too!

Treesa


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