# Incubating dove egg



## Seijun (Apr 14, 2010)

Hi all,
A friend of mine at work rescued a wild/feral dove with an injured wing. A few hours later the dove laid an egg! I took the egg home and have been incubating it in an old styrofoam incubator. The egg has been incubating for 8 days now. Last I checked it had a little baby squirming around inside!
We originally thought the mom was a ringneck dove, but she may be a Eurasian collared dove. I've been incubating the egg at 100F and turning the egg one quarter turn ever 3-4 hours based on instructions I found for ringneck dove eggs. Are ECD eggs any different? 
Any further advice would be much appreciated. I'm not entirely sure what to do if/when the egg hatches, though i have a general idea (I have hand-raised pigeon squabs before, but not newly-hatched ones, and never a dove).


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Where are you posting from? c.hert


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## Seijun (Apr 14, 2010)

Central Oregon, south of Portland.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

How have you hand raised Squabs before? And do you have lots of time at home around the clock to do this adventure...c.hert


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

If you don"t know the answer to the above question and I have been waiting here awhile for you to answer then I would stop the process of incubating because it is early in the game and learn more about doves and pigeons before you take on a project like this...c.hert


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## Seijun (Apr 14, 2010)

I have hand raised pigeon squabs before that had their eyes open already (my parents kept a large free-flight pigeon loft and I would sometimes "adopt" squabs whose parents had been killed by hawks--they were all probably about 1.5-2 weeks old). My parents also incubated/hatched quail and other birds so I am familiar with the general incubation process and with raising chicks. However, this is my first time incubating my own egg and potentially caring for my own chick from a hatchling. I understand that pigeons/doves take a lot of work because of how they are born but I am prepared for that. My work is not labor intensive and is very animal friendly. The injured mother dove is currently living at my work where my boss has been caring for her. If the chick hatches I plan to take it to work with me so I can feed it there (I work about 6 hours a day, 5 days a week). I have spent the past week researching chick feeding methods and hatchling care but its been hard finding anything relating to doves.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

This would not be a easy process because the first week or so they would have to have that pigeon milk and in your case dove milk and they would be at a great disadvantage without it. What did you feed the squabs where the hawk killed the parent? c.hert


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

I would say end the process because there is a lot of things to consider and one is a constant temperature for the infant besides a whole lot of other things to consider and you going back and forth with infant baby to work would not be feaseable in my opinion so I would end the process . c.hert


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## Seijun (Apr 14, 2010)

With squabs I fed them chick starter mixed with water to make a paste until they were old enough to eat corn and seeds.
Its my understanding that with human raised hatchlings they need probiotics at first or (so I've read) "natural yogurt". I see that you can buy probiotics for birds but I don't know what the recommended brand is, how much to administer to the bird, and for how long.

c.hert: It must be possible to hand-raise a dove from a hatchling. I am willing to do whatever it takes. With a proper heating pad and thermometer, it cant be that difficult to keep the temp right.

P.S. I live literally 5 minutes walk from work.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

There is just too many variable here and never give milk products and I feel as much as you want to do this you are just not ready at this time--this is my personal opinion and there are other philosophical questions that I just cannot agree with as well..I would end the process now and get more education for yourself along these lines and why not volunteer at a wild life center and really spend you time helping birdies and getting much experience in doing it--Oregon has some real good ones and heck its going to be summer time and that type of experience would just be amazing for you....c.hert


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## Seijun (Apr 14, 2010)

I did hope that I could get some education here as well (something beyond just "abort"). Again, I am not completely unfamiliar with young birds. My parents bred and raised birds (quail, hawks, and falcons) so I literally grew up around birds of all ages (but raising a quail or bird of prey from the egg is different from raising a dove!). 

Of course, raising the baby (IF it even hatches) _will_ be very challenging when I can find almost no information on how to do it! If anyone has any links with information on raising hatchlings it would be very much appreciated. Then perhaps I can make a more informed decision on the matter


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

It's very challenging to raise a baby from day one but it has been done. I don't suppose you know _anyone_ who keeps domestic doves or even pigeons, do you? The best way to raise the chick is to foster it to a pair of ringneck doves. If not doves, then small pigeons. I once fostered a mourning dove chick with a pair of rollers and they raised it with no problem, though I'm sure they were surprised when it flew at two weeks.


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## Seijun (Apr 14, 2010)

My parents have pigeons but they are 2000 miles away. My boss has two pet pigeons but I think they are both male.


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## yopigeonguy (Oct 22, 2009)

Here is what I have been doing and I am only thirteen. First, it IS possible to raise a dove with little experience, and I successfully raised over thirty birds this summer, that were all different ages, some just one day old. I used Kaytee parrot formula, but you can also use turkey starter socked in water at 102- 105 degrees Fahrenheit, which is what you will want to feed them at.

You can pm me privately and I will help you day to day when the squab hatches.

Talk to you soon,

Kevin


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## Seijun (Apr 14, 2010)

Thanks Kev,

Right now my primary concern is the probiotics. I haven't looked at every topic here concerning them yet so I may well find the answers I am looking for with some more searching. I know I can get baby parrot food at the petstore but not sure about pb's.
Right now I would just like to know if there is a particular probiotic brand that is best for hatchlings, how much they should be given and how often. I am also finding conflicting info on what temp the baby should be kept at (have read anywhere from 80-95F) and how often it should be fed (feeding every 2-3 hours during the day is the general consensus for hatchlings but no word on how often to feed at night).

Also, when I fed pij squabs I used a catheter attached to a syringe. I have watched youtube vids of people feeding with their fingers though which seems safer and more natural for the baby. Is it best to feed a hatchling dove with catheter, syringe, or fingers?


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Seijun,

I've been a bit missing in action here on Pigeon-Talk .. sorry .. NOW I see why you are asking all the MacMilk questions ..

Get Kaytee Exact (a small bag) and the human chicken baby food .. you're good to go to start. Mix the Kaytee Exact very thin at first and add a dab of the baby food. Syringe or tube feed that to the baby. The baby HAS to be very warm or you are fighting a losing battle to begin with.

Assuming your egg does hatch, you are in for an intense time with the little one, but it CAN be done. 

You don't feed them through the night .. the parents don't .. so you don't .. feed basically from daylight to dusk, and that's it until the next day.

I don't know or recall where you are .. doesn't matter .. call me if you need help .. 949-584-6696.

Terry


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## Seijun (Apr 14, 2010)

Terry, I've been advised that MM works better to start with, so I thought I would begin with that for the first few days and then slowly graduate to Kaytee. I have syringes ready and a few other tools. I wont be using the tube unless its a last resort. I hated doing that with pij squabs and they were much bigger than this fellow will be. 

SOMEWHERE on this forum I ran into a feeding schedule for newborns but I've gone and lost it. 

I've got a "nest box" and warmer ready for after the chick hatches. I candled the egg last night and the chick looks fine. Should be hatching the 21st! If the hatch goes well I will be going into work VERY early so that I can return home every 2-3 hours to feed him, at least until he is alright going a little longer without food.


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