# Baby doves. (Salt and ??) Pics.



## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

OMG 2!!!

I have questions. 
One of the shells is not as thick and strong as the first one. Does this mean the chick is calcium deficient? I had to make a lot of changes to the environment, diet, grit, and lighting to get this hatch. I mean really, imagine waiting 4 months for a proper pair of good eggs and the hen to feel they are good enough to sit on. This is, of course, good practice for when I become a wildlife rescue volunteer. One day I would like to help rescue injured ravens and quail, but only after I get the hang of these tiny doves!

How am I going to put the band on? Like decorating a bumble bee, that is!

The dovelets make NO noise. They move around and beg for food by scooting out and going for Mom's face but I haven't heard a sound. Why are my squeakers squeak free?

Is that normal for one to scoot out and take a while to scoot back in? Mom doesn't look worried as it flops and twitches it's way slowly back into her feathers.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi,

When it comes to 'quality' of eggs, it would indicate the calcium deficiency (if there is one) is in the hen. We have had one of our pigeons lay some very dubious eggs, even shell-less eggs. In such a case, I'd go for extra calcium by giving a liquid calcium supplement orally when the hen is at the point in the cycle of having mated and probably starting to form the next clutch. Sometimes, supplying grit in the normal way may not be enough for some birds.

Couldn't say about the dovelets, having never seen baby doves developing from the egg onwards. I have observed, though, that the baby pigeons I have had hatch on my balcony back in the past did not make any peeping sounds at first and the parents simply seemed to 'know' when they needed feeding.

John


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

philodice said:


> One of the shells is not as thick and strong as the first one. Does this mean the chick is calcium deficient?


If the parents are getting a good diet, the babies should be OK.




> How am I going to put the band on? Like decorating a bumble bee, that is!


You just need to wait until the babies are large/old enough for the band to stay on. Did you get ADA bands or other dove sized bands for them?



> The dovelets make NO noise. They move around and beg for food by scooting out and going for Mom's face but I haven't heard a sound. Why are my squeakers squeak free?
> 
> Is that normal for one to scoot out and take a while to scoot back in? Mom doesn't look worried as it flops and twitches it's way slowly back into her feathers.


That all sounds pretty normal to me. It won't be long before the babies open their eyes and start to become more active. Once this time arrives, they will be more vocal.

They are darling little ones!

Terry


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Got ADA bands. I figured I'd band them so I could tell them apart, and so that I could trade them with other breeders for genetic diversity, and some don't take unbanded birds.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

I noticed baby doves are not as noisy as pij babies. I love dove babies, they are smaller than then pijies and soooo cute.
None of my doves ever laid an egg, but I had alll my doves brought to me as tiny little babies, I so enjoyed watching them grow. Usually I give them to my pigeons for raising, I have a couple of pairs that do a wonderful job in raising any babies.


Reti


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

philodice said:


> Got ADA bands. I figured I'd band them so I could tell them apart, and so that I could trade them with other breeders for genetic diversity, and some don't take unbanded birds.


You're good to go then! Congratulations again on your babies!

Terry


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Is it normal for some part of the dovelet to stick out from under the dove-covers? There always seems to be a winglet, crop bulge, or butt sticking out. Are they already getting too big for complete coverage? They seem to have doubled in size since hatch day, 02/07/08 only two days ago. I held one as I tucked it back in. Like a hairless cat, seemed rubbery and warm, but wiggly like a mouse. Amazing. I've never held something so small and naked, young and wobbly before.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

philodice said:


> Is it normal for some part of the dovelet to stick out from under the dove-covers? There always seems to be a winglet, crop bulge, or butt sticking out. Are they already getting too big for complete coverage? They seem to have doubled in size since hatch day, 02/07/08 only two days ago. I held one as I tucked it back in. Like a hairless cat, seemed rubbery and warm, but wiggly like a mouse. Amazing. I've never held something so small and naked, young and wobbly before.


Yep .. quite normal for some little body part or other to be peeking out. The bigger the babies get the more body there will be peeking out  They do very rapidly increase in size, so your eyes are not deceiving you  They are lovely and amazing little ones .. enjoy the time with them while they are so small .. it will be only a few days before they start looking like "real" birds.

Terry


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## *ADRIAN* (Jun 3, 2005)

Ive had them too .They were squeakless for two weeks but then they slowly started to squeak.Dont know anything about the eggs.But mine are doing fine.Hope all goes well.


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Three days old and all hungry!


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Concerns...
Stuffed till they look like they will pop? Boy are they pigs or doves?
Is that ok?

Success! Just banded the larger, first hatched dove and it stayed on so far even though it was a few days early. I'll keep checking to see if it stays on once a day. Was not easy to place the band. Little blighter kept wiggling. I have my first banded dove! That makes me an official member of the breeding community.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Yep, sometimes they look like they're gonna pop from all the food. It's normal. 
Congratulations on putting on the band.

Reti


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## stach_n_flash (Mar 15, 2006)

If they are both white. 

And you named one salt already. Then the other could be named sugar .

Just a sugestion


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

Philodice,

Your babies are utterly delightful. At four or five days, the band might slip off, so keep an eye out for that. They do grow like little weeds the first week. They are so doggone cute I have to smile each time I look at the pictures. Thank you for sharing them with us. I'm looking forward to more as they grow.

BTW, rescuing ravens is a snap compared to doves. The babies open their mouths to be fed and yell their heads off. They practically take off your fingers when the food is offered. But they are really fun. Messy, but fun. 

Margaret


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Two at once!









Guys hanging out.










Pretty pretty doves.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Really lovely pictures, Philodice! Please keep 'em coming!

Terry


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