Baby Dove Learning to Eat Seeds

Baby Mourning Dove
Baby Dove learning to eat seeds.
The bird is still mainly eating "bird" baby food.
[7/8/2012]

[@AdamOwenBrowning]

Wow, this taught me a lesson i should have learnt a decade ago. a two-day old woodpigeon came into my care and for seven weeks he stayed with me. I didn't know anything about birds and couldn't for the life of me understand why he couldn't pick up seeds as he got older and capable of flight. I tried for hours. I needed to use much smaller seeds, this was the whole problem. Your level of patience is incredible and that "pecking motion" has to be done for HOURS. This bird came to me when I was in active opiate use and I am sober now, that seven weeks forced me to care for him. hat little darling's flaps and squeaks - we all know those little chicken-wing flaps so well! If I hear a young pigeon in a tree that is hungry, it wakes me up from sleep. I learned to shut the windows. Even reading "kaytee" makes me smell that smell of that bizarre gruel you have to prepare when they are so young. I carried him around when he was this small, in a picnic basket well-insulated with towels and a water bottle underneath re-filled with warm water every two hours. A baby bottle was always both in the dishwasher and on my person; I cut a hole in a rubber glove, rubber-banded it over the bottle and did my best to prevent him drowning in that strange-smelling liquid food. Tiro, I named him. He was my whole life and turned so much around. He lives at the Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital (the rear birds barn) in the orange aviary, number 169. He left us entirely in 2017 to live in the shelter, because he had become so accustomed to sitting with people and being with people, as well as not learning to fear anything. He would ride about on my cat's back and neither had an issue with that. She, that beautiful cat, passed away two days ago.

[@pilotmike7569]

She has a very good and loving teacher!🥰👍

[@mariellegrant6248]

Adorable! The little " twit!". And the little wings moving with excitement! ❤

[@dsflores]

If you have a very young bird, he will not eat seeds. You need to feed it bird baby food. As it gets older the pecking action of your finger will get his attention and want to peck at the seeds.

[@user-dz4it1kp1t]

Such a cute bird, Awww, would make a good pet

[@davidhopperusa]

I just raised a dove from about 6 days of age until he was about 6 months old. He managed to escape but the neighbors & I have seen him several times and he is doing well on his own. Glad to see that others have put forth the effort to save a dove. Thanks. I have several videos of my dove eating formula & learning to peck at seeds here on KZbin.. Take a look & enjoy

[@ashsaalgalneto1158]

my turtle dove rocks check out my video on KZbin its called: (dove bird on fire!!!!! lol)

[@LoneStarLadybug]

THANK YOU! We have one of these pretty babies that fell from its nest. My son is trying to raise it now 🙂🥰 hoping it doesn’t die

[@LoneStarLadybug]

Poor baby has a broken wing 😢

[@sarcasticat7114]

0:26 he eats like a vacuum 😂

[@PlaceholderDoe123]

That’s because they actually do just suck up food like a vacuum. 😆

[@kindofanironfist]

Haha he gets all excited when you move.

[@Wicked_Pixey]

My baby red-eyed dove is not at all interested in eating seed. It's just easier to scream at "mommy" for nice warm porridge (Kaytee hand rearing baby bird formula). He is 4 and a half weeks old, and can fly about 4 or 5 feet - his aim and direction are terrible. My cat brought him in to the house at midnight on a cold windy winters night. (I live in South Africa, and these doves breed year round). He was mostly featherless, no more than 4 days old. I have no idea where his nest was. It's been a huge learning curve as I've never cared for a baby dove before, but so rewarding. I just love the way he shimmies his little wings and peeps back to me when I talk to him. I will probably keep him as a pet, as there are way too many neighborhood cats around. Luckily it's not illegal to keep doves here.

[@dsflores]

Tracey Parker He probably needs to be a bit older before eating seeds, just keep offering them and peck with your finger like in the the video. He will start by eating seeds when he gets most feathers. Doves build very bad nests and the baby birds leave the nest as soon as they can fly a tiny bit and try to hide at ground level. Easy targets for cats.

[@reneswart4956]

Hey tracey. How awesome. I have the exact story. My cat braught a red eyed baby dove, he was about 5 days old. I had to learn a lot and amazingly he's doing great and he is about 21days old now. I live in south africa as well, in cape town. I just started with the weaning process and it is hard...but patients I believe is all that's needed now.

[@zenebornman7917]

Aww it's so cute.

[@dsflores]

When they are very young, they can't eat seeds. Start feeding them "Kaytee Exact Hand Feeding". It’s a bird baby food. As they grow a bit, start introducing some of the small round bird seeds sold everywhere. Entice the bird to peck at the seeds by using your finger to simulate pecking at the seeds.

[@thecasualatvguy617]

I have one that's between 2 and 3 weeks old. He looks about like this one. I lightly grind up the seeds for pecking and mix some fine ground seed into the exact mix so she is getting used to seed in there choped up nicely.

[@xXAISPXx]

When Mourning doves start to fledge, they are taught to feed on seeds by their father. Fledging happens at around 17 days of age.

[@MrVulcanator]

For a moment I read "Fledging happens at around 17 days of rage".

[@xXAISPXx]

I don't know about you, but I would definitely rage for 17 days just so I can learn to fly.

[@garyshrock4445]

xXAISPXx I read where gravel is supposed to be added to there diet when they start eating seed

[@dsflores]

How old is it? is he eating? When they are very young, they can't eat seeds. Start feeding them "Kaytee Exact Hand Feeding". It’s a bird baby food. As they grow a bit, start introducing some of the small round bird seeds sold everywhere. Entice the bird to peck at the seeds by using your finger to simulate pecking at the seeds.

[@miriamalvidrez1409]

Thank God for KZbin, because without it, I would be lost when trying to take care of an orphaned baby dove. It had fallen out of our tree and I couldn't reach the nest. I put it where the mom could reach and she ignored it 😞💔 But long story short, thr baby is thriving because of videos like yours! Which seed do you prefer I give the baby once it's old enough to be weaned?

[@dsflores]

I fed him the small seeds sold for pet birds. I avoided the seed mix with larger seeds, he didn't seem to like them.

[@CrisMadla]

I have a fledgling pigeon thats I guess 14 days ish old kinda looking mature and itdoesnt know to eat seeds and still looks for the ground up granola and warm water that I've been feeding it like regurgitated food. How do I wean it?

[@SuperButtstick]

I like birds like turkeys pigeons chickens geese swan pelican and more

[@jamesgiurgea6390]

what type of seeds are those i have one that age and i need to teach i to start eating seeds so when it gets older i can set it free. pls reply

[@ReggieTexas]

hi there dsflores.. the info u gave me on what to do with this new baby bird has WORKED!!! its growing and doing wonderful ..today its started eating seeds off my hand now eating seeds in cage i have with a dish ... does it know when its full or should i watch on the amount i give it? i know when i fed it oatmeal and bananas u could tell when he started getting full he started to pick and not chow as much backing away.. i dont want it to eat to much and get bloat or sick.. get back with me . you rock on knowing alot about this . i rescue squirrels for years but no irds and your advice has sure saved this little ones life THANK YOU. gte back with me thanks..

[@garyshrock4445]

ReggieTexas you give him bananas? How

[@gwenjenkins155]

Smash a tiny piece with a fork. I mix it in the dry baby powder then add a little hot purified water- stir it all up. My baby bird loves it!

[@garyshrock4445]

What type of seed are you giving him

[@dsflores]

Probably not. The ones I have are now older and do not like big seeds. When the on the video was small I did get him to eat some sunflower seeds that I chopped up into very small bits.

[@riverbabbles]

How did you get it started eating seeds? I cant whistle so thats out 😅 How old was yours when it started and how long did it take for it to be fully off the baby food? Thanks for posting!

[@dsflores]

Just introduce them to small seeds and peck at them with your finger. They will try to eat anything and will get better over time. They continue to eat baby food till they can fly.

[@fkkhamarbd]

Wow

[@Mahjabivlogs786]

❤❤❤

[@jjlovelord]

i am looking for home will to commit and provides love and care for my two beautiful doves.

[@mmanya9475]

I rescued a baby one two days ago , Luckily survived so far , day three today . Just wondering how many days is this little one in the video as this one that I'm looking after is still too flimsy , some feathers growing but mainly bare yet .

[@dsflores]

Don't remember how old he might be. But he was still manly eating the bird baby food. Here I was just trying to introduce small seeds to his diet.

[@DaphneKarina]

Hey. I know this is an old video, but I still hope someone can help me. I rescued a baby white-winged dove that fell from a tree outside my house, he was around 10 days old. Now he should be around 18 days old, I guess (I'm not really sure, I have no experience with doves). He's only eating baby food (basically, cereal for babies), and he's doing fine, but I was wondering if I can start to give him some seeds, fruit or something to get him used to eat solid food. Is he old enough to eat on his own?

[@dsflores]

DaphneKarina They take a while before eating seeds, you can try introducing them to to bird, but keep feeding him the other food. Also, the pet shops sell bird baby food, more balanced nutrition.

[@ninbendoyt3203]

Aww :3

[@rachael3089]

How old is your bird here? I have one and he looks just like this. He's on the Exact formula. I read to soak some seeds and add them to his formula, he didn't take the big ones but I believe he took some of the smaller ones. How often should I feed him at this age? Tons of feeding videos but not much else for help

[@dsflores]

He is probably a few weeks old. Feed only the baby food, and you can offer small seeds on the side. I think I was feeding him twice per day.

[@gwenjenkins155]

Twice a day feeding a baby bird! I feed mine every 3-4 hours. Feel its crop and you’ll know if its time for them to eat.

[@babylee1849]

I have a baby dove (assumed 8-11 days old) and I'm feeding it unsweetened organic silk milk, whole oats, 1 egg, with water untill the kaytee extract formula arrives at my house in a few days, I was wondering if this was okay? I believe it's a mourning dove

[@dsflores]

Might work. Make sure it is blended well. Not too watery. I would put the mixture into a small balloon (water balloon type), not inflated at all. Just the food that fits in it. Holding the balloon opening between my finger tips and the rest of the balloon resting in my hand. The bird will stick his beak into it and eat. Gently squeeze the balloon so he keeps eating. The birds have a crop which fills with food, you can clearly see it on baby birds. With a full crop, they are good for a few hours.

[@keshav5218]

@@dsflores thanks

[@chlebajatro]

❤️

[@marylynch2735]

I have a baby dove that we rescued from the dogs. I think she /he was 4-5 days old. I've been feeding her Katee Exact 4 x a day for 6 days and she did well but suddenly today she doesn't seem to want the food. Any ideas as to what might be going on and any solutions?

[@dsflores]

As long as she is eating, she should get stronger and they develop/grow quickly.

[@garyshrock4445]

Does anyone know how to make a twig mat? I saw where it’s not advisable to put a baby dove on a flat surface

[@dsflores]

Don't know about that... Doves are strange birds, nests are used for a very short time. The birds end up on the ground since very young. In a city setting, they end up on sidewalks. Other birds like to perch on branch, but my dove like the floor of his enclosure.

[@tgblaser]

What kind of seeds are thoes? I have one that was saved after the hurricane and both parents and 1 sibling were killed!

[@dsflores]

Quinoa, or any other small seeds work. But if the bird is very young, they need to eat bird baby food, like "Kaytee Exact Hand Feeding"

[@tgblaser]

It's about 10 to 12 days old. Looks like that one your feeding! And thank you for the info!

[@Thedovequeen]

❤🙏🏼

[@user-ls4rv2hg6l]

أبوؤي ماأحبه ياألله يارب ياربي كشن تقؤل الاكانه مثل بني أدم يحس ويشكي ويبكي لربه

[@kingazure1603]

When did the baby pigeon start or can eat seed

[@dsflores]

King Arisara Not sure how old he was, but he his feathers had filled in. They probably start when they start to fly. The parents typically feed them till they can fly and follow. The parents will then start encouraging them to peck at food but still feed them for a while.

[@dsflores]

The ones in the video are Millet or Quinoa Seeds. But any small seeds will work. Good Luck!

[@garyshrock4445]

You answered my question about what type of seed

[@garyshrock4445]

I have a 11 day old dove that I’ve been syringe feeding successfully just needed to know how to introduce seed. I notice on one post that it was advised to use a twig mat. Where can I get that

[@MohdYahya-oc8zp]

Which seed you was given to him

[@dsflores]

He was still too young to eat seeds, so it was more of a practice to peck at them. Very young doves need to eat baby food formula sold at pot stores.

[@justcoz377]

😚😚😙😙

[@madhubalasaini4150]

I have a dove around 2 months old but she is not able to eat seeds on her own ....she pecks at it but not able to ingest it.....Is it normal for this age??

[@dsflores]

MadhuBala Saini as you can see in this video, I need to show him what to peck at. And even as he got older, he only liked to eat small seeds. Don't remember his age here, but he was still mainly eating "bird baby food"

[@user-ls4rv2hg6l]

سبحان الله

[@sanjidaurmi4394]

how to know if a dove is male or female? help please .I have one dove and now I want to buy it's opposite gender

[@dsflores]

Sanjida Urmi, unfortunately I do not know how to distinguish the sex of doves... The one on this video is a male, and I later found an injured female. They did nest and had eggs several times. (No chicks though, they broke the eggs) But all of that time I could not identify the sex of each bird... Sorry.

[@gwenjenkins155]

Thanks- i was wondering the same.

[@AyushKumar-nk1qn]

I have a baby dove and her mother abandoned him. He is not eating and his health is getting severe. I visited a vet and she gave me some medicines but his health condition is still not good what should I do

[@dsflores]

Is he eating? If he is very young, they don't eat seeds. There is a bird baby food sold at pet stores.

[@AyushKumar-nk1qn]

@@dsflores I am giving bird food with syringe but he is no mood to eat. He denies food all the time. Earlier he was eating well

[@dsflores]

@@AyushKumar-nk1qn Should only eat like twice a day. Unless he wants more.

[@NitishaTheSpiritOfLove]

Today I found morning dove chicks which food is give to it ? Please help

[@dsflores]

If they were in no danger, the parents go feed them. Else, find some Kaytee exact Hand Feeding Formula at a pet shop.

[@stefanie_alex]

What kind of seeds are thesse

[@dsflores]

Millett or quinoa seeds. He was mainly eating bird baby food at this point.

[@ulfatnisa9396]

What is it eating

[@dsflores]

Might be quinoa seeds.

[@sarcasticat7114]

(just watch the seeds on the man's hand)

[@MohdYahya-oc8zp]

I have 20 days dove baby Which seed I have to do him

[@dsflores]

If they are very young, they don't eat seeds yet. There is baby food that you can feed them.

[@dsflores]

Search for: kaytee exact hand feeding formula

[@karimali9719]

Did you take her from the nest.... She just a child needs someone feed her in her mouth like a baby .. Her mother do this in the nest ... I always see this in my bolcony they come bilud their nest 7 times . 4 susccs and have childerns 3 not to complate .

[@dsflores]

Doves leave the nest before they can fly and live on the ground where the parents will feed them. This one was in an area with cats so I took him in and did have to feed him some bird baby food. In this video I am trying to get him to start eating small seeds.

[@karimali9719]

Thank you so much for helping this lovly bird thank you kind lady .

[@coldplay261021]

Can it eat rice??

[@jeanineferreira9921]

NO..rice kills birds

[@gwenjenkins155]

I was told to use powdered dry rice cereal and my bird has been eating it for a week and seems happy and healthy.

[@Dwaxxx]

Bro what happened to that bird, tell me please! I'm excited to know 😀

[@coldplay261021]

Mine is going blind and I have no idea why??

[@gwenjenkins155]

So sad. How do you know its going blind?

[@esthert999]

My baby dove is passing away 😢

[@haiderma9116]

Please they can't eat this well at this age, they need a good nutrition at this age, a mix of unsweetened soy milk with oats and one egg is a great mix, they need it 5 times a day. Seeds won't give them what they need at this age

[@dsflores]

He was eating bird baby food at this time. We were just trying to teach him to peck at seeds.

[@ladyst9337]

Que comida es

[@dsflores]

Semillas de quinoa...

[@ladyst9337]

Ok y se les puede dar agua

[@dsflores]

@@ladyst9337 de esta edad, se usa una comida especial. "Kaytee Exact Hand Feeding for Baby Birds"

[@dsflores]

@@ladyst9337 si toman agua...

[@leogircha9625]

He can't eat seeds yet , poor little baby 😢 delete this from you tube 😡

[@dsflores]

At this time he was eating bird baby food, and was learning to peck at seeds.

[@leogircha9625]

​@@dsflores eating seeds is not something to learn , his digestive system still differs from grown ups.where did you get that fledging chick 😑

[@eebydeeby69420]

nasty thing, we used to clean pigeons out. they make a glorious smack on the pavement 8 stories down and great end to the constant whining of the little rat spawns

[@sadiakhatoon4575]

❤️💛