2008

~~~   International White Dove Society Online Magazine  ~~~

Volume 3 Number 3

Management

Hand-feeding Birds
There will come a time when you will need to hand-feed a bird.  It may be an abandoned baby or a youngster that is orphaned.  It may be a youngster that is hurt for some reason and must be moved to a separate box or cage while it is healing.  In just the past year I have had to supplement a hen that was hit by a hawk and broke her wing.  She was in shock for several days, so I hand fed her until she could eat on her own.  I have hand-fed a baby that was pecked by an aggressive male when it fell from its nest. I almost always supplement my Love Dove babies for about a week after the male stops feeding them and they are still learning to eat on their own.  The extra boost makes a tremendous difference in their survival and condition.  I also give any birds that I ship a good dose of 'liquiddy' food to help keep them hydrated until they arrive at their destination. 
Feeding Doves   
If you decide to care for the baby dove and feed it, put the chick in a small box (a shoe box is ideal), Then put it in a small bowl with some straw or absorbent material in the bowl.  Do not use a very smooth dish unless you glue a piece of rough fabric (indoor-outdoor carpet is perfect) on the bottom.  Easier still is to put dried grass or straw on top of the dish or fabric and use paper towels as absorbant.  The chick must be able to get some traction or the legs will not develop properly.  Place a light over the box keeping the chick warm, but not too warm. A 40 watt bulb on a desk lamp is perfect, and then just raise or lower the light to keep the temperature about 96 +/-2 degrees Fahrenheit..  Do not guess at the temperature... use a thermometer.  You can partially cover the box to shade the baby from the light, and add some damp paper towels or an open water container to provide some humidity.  As the baby grows and becomes feathered, decrease the temperature to about 80 +/-3 degrees Fahrenheit. 

As a rule, if the dove is less than 4 days old, the parents would normally be feeding it only crop milk".  There are some Squab Formulas available commercially, but they are often very difficult to obtain.  There really is no good substitute for crop milk, but the following formulas may work. 

Formulas
►Hatching to 3 or 4 days of age:
1 jar chicken and gravy human baby food mixed with a 1 TBS plain live yogurt, a few drops of corn oil, and 1 finely sieved hard boiled egg yolk.  Add a little water to a consistency of gravy. 
►4 days of age to about 7 days:
 2 tablespoons dry instant High Protein or Mixed Grain Baby Cereal (such as Gerbers)
1/4 Mashed hard boiled egg
1/4 teaspoon Wheat Germ (optional)
Liquid vitamins (a few drops - optional)
---Moisten with warm water and feed to the baby.
►Day 7 to 10:
Gradually change the formula to be mostly instant Baby cereal until it is in the proportions of the Juvenile Supplement.  The boiled egg is no longer necessary. Begin to add some seeds to the formula and gradually increase the proportion of seed until the bird can eat independently.  Provide a dish of seed for the baby to find when it leaves the nest bowl.
►Juvenile and Adult Supplement:
1/4 C. dry instant baby Oatmeal or Mixed Cereal
1 t. Wheat Germ
1t. Corn Meal
Moisten with water to gravy consistency.  Let sit for 10 minutes and add more water if necessary. 

How to feed:
My favorite method of feeding a young dove is to use a bottle with a long neck such as a ketchup or condiment bottle.  Just insert the tube down the babies throat and fill the crop. Be sure it is deep in the throat before you squeeze. One good squeeze can fill the crop.  When the chicks are very small, use an eye dropper, insert it down the throat and fill the crop. Be sure it does not go into the lungs!  You can also use a syringe with some aquarium tubing (about 2 inches) to direct the food down the throat or a poultry baster if it is small in diameter.

 Leave the baby in the bowl between feedings and it will raise up and defecate outside the bowl. This makes keeping it clean very easy.  When the baby leaves the nest, remove the bowl.  When it is fully feathered and eating and drinking on its own, you can eliminate the light. 

Approximate feeding schedule:
►Days 1-2: feed 5 to 7 times a day or more.
►Day 3 to 4:  4 to 5 times a day
►Day 5 to 6:   3 times a day, adding a small amount of seed.  If the baby won't eat the seed in the formula, push it gently into the bill.  You will spill a lot so be sure to work over a tray to catch the seed.
►Day 7 to 15:  3 times a day, increasing the proportion of seed
►Day 16 to fledging: At least 2 times a day.  Chicks begin to beg, so listen to them.  Put a low bowl of seed nearby so they can begin to peck seed. Tap your finger in the seed to show the baby where it is.  Continue feeding the bird for the next week or so until you are sure it is eating totally on its own. 
►Juveniles and Supplemental feeding of adults:
Feed one time a day, filling the crop.