Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 9/9/2007

Question
I recued a pair of dove babies that got blown out of their nest. My husband, as a young boy, had raised pigeons, so gave me some tips on how to feed the babies. One did very well from the begining, and one not so well, and after about 5 days, died. I think it got chilled. I know am making sure the other does not get chilled. They seemed to be about 3-4 weeks old when I found them, they had feathers and flap. I have now had the single one for 10 days, and it is doing well. When I first started to feed them, the gruel got on their brest feathers and hence they fell out. My question is will those feather grown back in?
I'm still hand feeding it, and it is just starting to peck at the floor, but I don't think it is really pecking up seed. How and when will I know if it is getting enough food on it's own?
Any other advise would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Gayle

Answer
Hi, Gayle,

Good for you for rescuing these babies!

They may not have gotten chilled, but rather may have had canker or some other pigeon illness.  

Yes, the feathers will grow back in.  It takes time, but they will grow back.  

When he starts pecking at the floor/ground, start offering dove food.  Keep some grain in his cage/enclosure all the time.  You'll need to start offering water if/when he eats grain...he will need to take a drink after eating grain to help soften up the grain in his crop.  Dip his beak down into the water dish to teach him to drink.  You may not want to leave the water in the cage all the time until the bird learns to drink on its own.

When the bird is eating enough grain so that you can feel it in the crop, it will most likely start refusing the handfeedings.  If not, you can start to gradually reduce the amount you handfeed so the bird will be hungry enough to eat on its own.  This usually encourages them to eat more and more by themselves.  Be sure to handfeed though until you are sure the bird is eating enough.  An adult dove needs about 1-2 tablespoons of food per day (as long s the bird isn't feeding offspring).  Watch the level of food in the food dish and the surrounding area to gauge how much you think the bird is consuming.  

Chrys