# Fantail Doves stopping out!



## wookeynigel (Aug 15, 2012)

I'm pretty new to dove keeping but have been really enjoying getting fantails settled into a garden dovecot. We had 6 and then raised a squeaker to maturity. Then two more eggs hatched and those two squeakers are now about 3 weeks old and still staying mostly in the pophole. The parents of these young ones are mostly around but the others are now spending most time well away from the garden. Don't know where they go - they are all (including the parents of the young ones) roosting away from the dovecot. They all come back briefly early evening to feed and then head off again!!
The change of behaviour happened after we were away on two weeks holiday and the neighbours were left to feed and water them. Prior to this they just flew about as far as the roofs across the road and mostly sat on our conservatory roof!
Any ideas why this has occured and any tips to entice them all back again?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

They probably have another nest near by. Once the babies are about 10 days old, mom and dad make a new nest, she lays eggs and they start the process again. Just watch...in a few weeks, they will be bringing more young birds to your garden.


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