Diamond Doves

readingfc · Post by **readingfc** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:11 pm

Just when I thought I had 2 males we've noticed one of the doves sitting tight in a boston fern! Moved her or him out of the way today and there are 4 eggs sitting there! Has anyone bred Diamond Doves because I just read that I have to remove the babies once they are independent because the parents will attack and maybe kill them!

Post by **Sally** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 5:11 pm

I have bred Diamond Doves before. Normally, they lay 2 eggs, which if both hatch out, will be 1 male and 1 female. If they have laid 2 infertile eggs, they will often lay 2 more eggs in the same nest, hence the 4 eggs. Is it possible yours had 2 eggs there for a little while before adding 2 more?

Anyway, only 2 of those eggs should hatch, or sometimes they only hatch out 1. You will know when they have hatched out, as you will find parts of eggs (like halves) hidden in some corner of the cage. They don't eat the eggshell, like many finches do, so they hide the eggshell so predators don't know they have new babies in the nest. They hatch in about 2 weeks, and fledge in about 2 weeks, or sometimes even sooner. They can stay with their parents till they are weaned (about another 2 weeks), and after that you will have to watch them. As soon as the parents start another nest, they will want to drive the babies away. I have left babies with parents for quite some time by removing the nest, and they have gotten along fine, but this was usually after they have had 1 or 2 clutches already.

When they fledge, they will look like miniatures of Mama. If you keep them with the parents for any time, you will want to band those babies, as you won't be able to tell babies and parents apart once they are the same size, which happens very quickly.

Boothcreek · Post by **Boothcreek** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:41 pm

If they layed 4 eggs that means you got 2 hens, cause pigeons and doves only lay 2 eggs per clutch. If those 2 eggs are not fertile they will abandone the nest and make a new one(since they don't want to brood their new clutch on stink bombs).

That 1 chick is male and the second is female is more or less a myth, it happens occasionally but not all the time.

readingfc · Post by **readingfc** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 4:52 pm

Well, the doves are still sitting tight on their eggs in the boston fern. But now my new baby zeb's have decided that they want to sleep in there at night! The thing is one of the doves keeps pecking at the babies. I'm worried that the babies will get hurt because they just sit there and let the dove peck at them. Thinking of taking the doves and the fern out and into a breeding cage so they can be left alone, but would they really hurt or kill the baby zeb's? If I do move the fern and they abandon the eggs I'm not too worried - I'd rather have my babies alive (I get so protective over the babies!). Any thoughts?

Post by **Sally** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 10:47 pm

I never had other birds in with my Diamond Doves, so don't have any experience with this, but even though the doves are normally very peaceful, when they are sitting on eggs, they are going to drive away anything that gets near. Your baby zebs just don't know enough yet that they need to stay away from the doves. I'd be tempted to relocate the doves for now. They may abandon the nest, but my Diamond Doves were always very good about returning to the nest when they were scared off for one reason or another--they are usually quite devoted parents.

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 9:02 am

I would move either the doves or the Zebs to another cage.