How Do I Care for a Baby Dove That Is Living on the Ground Under a Bush at My House?

During nesting season, usually during the spring and early summer, a dove hatchling may sometimes be found on the ground. It may have been abandoned by its parents or fallen out of the nest. Doves nest in trees, to avoid predators, and so if a dove chick is on the ground, there is a good chance it is not being cared for. The best thing to do in this situation is to take it to a veterinarian or animal sanctuary, but it can also be hand-raised.

Things You'll Need

  • Nesting materials
  • Pet bird milk formula
  • Heat lamp
  • Thermometer
  • Pipette
  • Seeds
  • Water
  • Fruit
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Instructions

    • 1

      Observe the bird for several hours to ensure it has been abandoned and not just left temporarily by the parent. During this time, prepare by setting up a warm nesting area indoors and readying some food for the chick.

    • 2

      Make a nest for the bird using paper towels, newspaper or pieces of material. If the dove chick has no feathers, it needs to be kept very warm, so a lamp may be required. For new hatchlings, the temperature needs to be at around 35 degrees C or 95 degrees F.

    • 3

      Feed the dove hatchling with pet bird milk formula via a pipette. The formula can be bought from pet stores. The chick will start chirping for food, and the milk can be administered in drops straight from the pipette into the bird's crop. Keep feeding until it wants no more food. This will need to be done every few hours when the bird is unfeathered; the feedings will be reduced periodically as it gets older.

    • 4

      Sterilize your hands and the pipette before and after every feeding. Like human babies, bird chicks are very susceptible to infections.

    • 5

      Reduce the temperature to 25 degrees C (77 degrees F) once pin feathers have started to develop, and move the chick onto a seed-and-water mixture, which is still fed from the pipette two or three times a day. The seeds are mixed with water, so they are a runny texture.

    • 6

      Remove the lamp once full feathers have been developed, and keep the chicks at room temperature. Start leaving them dry seeds, fruit and water in the nesting area so they can feed by themselves.

    • 7

      Look out for signs of illness and injury at all times. Constant chirping, failure to eat, peculiar head, wing and leg positions are all indications of an unhealthy bird. If symptoms are noticed, take to a veterinarian straight away.