FINCHforum

I have a pair of 8 year old ringneck doves by the name of Lady and Tramp. We had gotten them about a month ago and the previous owner said that she had them since they were about a year old. They have laid pairs of eggs in the past but before we got them, Lady had only had a single egg. Shortly after she came into our family, she had laid a single egg herself and I was expecting a second egg but it never came. According to the previous owner, about a year and a half ago, Lady and Tramp had successfully fertilized and hatched an egg but it didn't make it past a week old.

The current egg she and him our trying to "hatch" is unfertilized unfortunately and I was just wondering...Is there anything I can be doing to ensure she has successful fertilizations and successfully hatches an egg? We really would like for them to raise a clutch but just don't know if they are capable of doing so...Any ideas to increase fertility rates?

stephenswife2012

I don't know anything about doves, so I will move this into the All Things Dove forum--perhaps some of our dove owners will see it and be able to offer advice.

Hi there, I have diamond doves, so I can give you some ideas based on what's worked for me

I find that the doves mate better when they can walk around on the ground. Do they have space to walk around and mate? Mine don't like to use branches as much to mate i've found. As well, my doves really like big nests. I give them open top cardboard boxes or rectangular plastic nest boxes with the tops off and they enjoy sitting in these. I have also found that they like it when the nests are close to the ground, instead of way up high in their cages. For nesting material, I give them cocoa fibre and dried grasses. Also, are they being kept in a noisy area of the house? My doves do better when they have a quiet place to sit on their eggs Then they can relax and get down to parenting.

These are just a few ideas... I hope that they help! If I think of any more I will post them for you too