Baby Diamond Doves!

[Colt]

I've had my pair for several months and they finally went to nest shortly after moving them into a large double flight. The pair dutifully incubated (often together as the male would sit on the hen) the two eggs and they hatched out two chicks that are between 10-14 days old.

I noticed the largest (oldest) chick wasn't in the nest yesterday and he'd fledged a whole eight inches from the nest and was sitting on a platform. Very cute. He still has that baby dove beak vs the adult beak and his tail is short and stubby. But he seemed perfectly capable.

Is that a bit early for them to leave the nest? The youngest still looks like a fuzzy Dodo bird.

[Sally]

I love Diamond doves, the babies are so cute! I can't remember how long it takes for them to fledge, 14 days does seem a little early. When I had them, I would hang an Easter-egg type basket from the top, large enough for the two adults to sit side-by-side. They would both incubate the eggs. I may have to get some at the next mart.

[Colt]

Mine nested in a really deep canary cup. I partially filled it with pine shavings so she didn't look like she was nesting in a cornucopia, and the male added a few long strands of coconut fiber and bermuda grass to form a "bowl". I think the started incubating the first day she layed because I never saw an egg alone in the nest. Just stuff being added and then, boom, the hen in the nest. Finally caught a peek of an egg several days later. He'd sit with her, slightly off to one side, but still on top of her. He'd usually have one foot at an awkward angle across her back. Once the chicks hatched I haven't seen him near the nest.

I agree, the babies are super cute. Very dark and patterned differently. Guess it's so they can blend in in the wild.

I'm really enjoying the doves. Kind of sad I missed out on the Red Diamonds, so if I see any of those at the Mart they will be coming home with me, but the Blues (Normals) I have now are delightful. I was so upset when the female injured her leg with the stupid split band that came on her and was so glad to see her recover even though her foot healed at a terrible angle and is practically useless now. She's proved to be a great mom.

And the male just makes me laugh. His "coo-ing" is so sad... If you've ever heard a very young rooster trying to crow and a puppy's cry it's like a combination of that. If you were strangling the rooster and the puppy. The Mourning and White-winged doves that feed in the driveway and breed in the neighborhood compete with him so he's learned how to sound more like a dove and less like he's being strangled. But its much, much higher and still off-key...lol

And Sally, if these two are ready by the 23rd they'll be at the Mart. Obviously they'll be related, but hopefully there are some other breeders so people can purchase unrelated pairs.

[Hilary]

Congrats! They fledge at about 10-11 days, so that sounds about right. I let mine have one clutch and was shocked at how much faster they feather out and fledge than finches (guess it's part of the doves' World Domination plan)! Great little birds.

[Rox]

Yay! Congrats! Glad you finally have some dove babies I think they are super cute and ugly at the same time, lol

[Colt]

Well these babies are very cute. I think the female has already started on another clutch. The two babies are growing well. The oldest one will be a normal blue I think but the younger one is a much different color. The adults don't show any signs of being pied, but this baby is a creamy fawn color with creamy white splotches. The older chick is just dark with freckles. The little one chases Dad around trying to get him to feed it. I've seen him pecking at seeds on the cage floor so I'm hoping he's learning how to eat on his own.

Has anyone ever successfully fostered another species of doves under Diamonds? Like Cape Doves?