# 3 weeks old turkish dove



## Florianne4 (Jan 25, 2014)

Hello

I need advice with diet of a 3 weeks old turkish dove fallen from the nest. I am feeding pigeon seeds mix and defrosted green peas and giving water with vitamins. I intend to release this dove when ready, so I would like some advice about how to go about this. How do these doves find food in the wild and what food do they find? So that the baby dove is able to practice looking for food in conditions that are as similar as possible with the wild. I was thinking of getting a few branches with leaves and bays and putting them in an outdoor cage with her. Dimensions are 1.50 height, 2 long and 0.80 wide (in meters).
Any advice appreciated and pointing out resources, I have no experience with doves only pigeons. Many thanks!!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You can always keep him till old enough to release, and do a release from where you live, and leave food and water out for him for as long as he needs it. If he learns how to be wild and find food on his own, then he will eventually come less and less for the food and water.
You can pick up a good dove mix in smaller bags with more smaller seeds in it for doves. Keep pecking at the seed with your finger to show him, and gently dip his beak, but not over the nostrils, in a small crock of water. Eventually he will learn.


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## Florianne4 (Jan 25, 2014)

Many thanks. Yes I intend to release it myself. It started trying to fly so I have put it with the wood pigeon in the aviary and they are getting along well. I live in a rural area where there are many such doves including on the roof of my house. I just wanted to make sure it would not starve when released. Sometimes the birds just leave and they don't come back, i want ro make sure he can recognise the food that is out there. I am more used to feral pigeons but I don't have experience with turkish doves, I guess their lifestyle and diet is different


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## Florianne4 (Jan 25, 2014)

For example i have worms and frozen crickets, could I give it one once in a while? And cut some tree branches with buds to peck... that was my idea


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Don't they eat seeds only, like other doves do? Not much difference between pigeons and doves. Don't release him too soon, I would wait another 6 weeks before releasing. Then he would be almost 2 months old. One or 2 weeks before releasing, you can start putting out food next to the aviary to attract the other doves. Then on the day of releasing, put the pigeon inside the house and leave the door of the aviary open for the dove to leave on his own and join the other doves. You can always mark him with a dot of water soluble paint on the breast so that you can recognize him amongst the others.


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## Florianne4 (Jan 25, 2014)

Thank you Marina. I think they do eat mainly seeds, but from what I read it can be unripe cereals for example, and also bays, flower buds, green peas and suchlike, maybe grab an insect occasionally? What I mean is that their diet in the wild difers from a feral pigeon's in a city. They won't scavange human food. So I want to make sure she knows what is food for them here and expose her to it if that makes sense. Ok I did not know I had to wait two months before releasing, is that what is recommended for feral pigeons too? I have release one recently and he was about that age, maybe a week less.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Marina's advice is good. Trying to introduce him into a flock is much safer for him, as they do know how to forage for food. Because he is not with his parents who would teach him these things, he won't really know how to survive in the wild. But if he can join this group, then his chances of survival will go way up.


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## Florianne4 (Jan 25, 2014)

Ok thank you. I am not sure how it will go because the doves are all in pairs and they don't really seem to flock, they mostly engage in territorial and mating behaviour. But they do come and visit often so they get to see each other already. I hope this little one will somehow be adopted!


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## Florianne4 (Jan 25, 2014)

There she is with her woodie pal. Once she in gone I will adopt another disabled wood pigeon from a bird refuge, they have one they would like to place. I think it will be nice for mine to have company


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Perfect for now. I always prefer to release them when a bit older and closer to maturity. That way if male they will start searching for a female, or if female then a male out there will start to show interest. Their chances of survival also better when they are operating with a mate that grew up in the wild, know the dangers and where to find food. Let us know how he/she is doing.


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## Florianne4 (Jan 25, 2014)

Great Marina thank you very much for the advice. I have contacted a bird refuge and they have said that when it is ready in some weeks i can bring it to them and they will put it in a big flight aviary where they have other doves to rehab and they can be released together after some time. I think that this is also a good option no? I will ask to see photos of their facilities to make sure it looks good. It is doing really well and mostly eating by itself.


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## Florianne4 (Jan 25, 2014)

Ready for her meal


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Florianne4 said:


> Great Marina thank you very much for the advice. I have contacted a bird refuge and they have said that when it is ready in some weeks i can bring it to them and they will put it in a big flight aviary where they have other doves to rehab and they can be released together after some time. I think that this is also a good option no? I will ask to see photos of their facilities to make sure it looks good. It is doing really well and mostly eating by itself.


This would be the very best way to do it, and would give your dove the best chance I think. I would ask if they also support them for a while by leaving food/water for them to come back to until they adjust to being on their own.


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## Florianne4 (Jan 25, 2014)

Guys something terrible happened yesterday. I opened the cage to change the water and the little dove flew away straight above my head! I could not catch her and she flew out to a neighbouring roof. There another dove immediately landed next to her and pecked her. They disappeared off the other side. I ran around and looked for them for hours but there was no trace of the little dove. I waited to see if she would come back at night but no, and I left seeds out and she never came in the morning either. I am really gutted. Is there any chance she makes it? She could eat by herself and fly but she was not fully grown. I keep an eye out today but no trace of doves! I believe the other doves drove her away. All the birds are really crazy with breeding at this time.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

I'm so sorry this happened. Only thing you can do now is just to keep on putting out food and water and hopefully he will return.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

He doesn't know enough about how to survive on his own, or how or where to find food, water, shelter. His only chance is probably if he does find his way back. They would be out of the nest now normally, but would be in the care of his parents who would teach him what he needs to know. And usually there are 2 so they kind of look out for each other.
Sorry he got away.


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## Florianne4 (Jan 25, 2014)

I feel awful. He was doing so well! There was a lot of rain these days in the afternoons. I've never seen him again since he flew away.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Would be better if this ever comes along again, or if he does come back, to keep him inside.


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## Florianne4 (Jan 25, 2014)

I am not religious but I pray for this!


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Well, he was clever enough to know the escape way to freedom. With the rain that fell, he will have drinking water available. The doves that I release sometimes only come back 3 days after release, but then they are much older than yours.


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