How to Feed White Doves

A dove is a beautiful bird often associated with peace. Doves are often used in weddings or at memorials as a symbol of peace. Actually small pigeons, there are different types of doves including tame doves, wild doves and fruit doves. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Various types of bird seed
• Popcorn kernels
• Grit
• Grain and wheat
• Soft food
• Grubs and Worms
• Water
• Computer
• Internet access

1. Buy a package of bird seed that contains many small seeds. You can buy already made packages of feed for pigeons, wild birds, canaries or finches. Most doves eat small seeds such as millet because they can't break the coating off of the larger seeds like other birds can. They can eat small sunflower seeds and small popcorn kernels.

2. Add grit to your bird's diet. Birds need this to grind up their food for digestion. You can grind up egg or oyster shells. This also adds calcium to their diet. Feed the grit separately from the seeds.

3. Combine grain or wheat with the seeds. Doves enjoy many types of grain and small seeds. Some tropical doves eat fruit but common doves eat mainly seeds.

4. Feed your doves soft food with the seed mix. Some people add cut up hard boiled eggs or cornbread. The eggs add protein to their diet. Or you can add grubs and worms to their diet. You can also add greens on occasion.

5. Check that the food dishes, water dishes and cages are clean. You don't want your birds eating contaminated food or living in dirty conditions.

6. Provide doves with plenty of fresh water. Make sure you change the water often so the water doesn't get dirty. You don't want them to get sick. Have a separate bird bath for bathing.

7. Ask a veterinarian or pet shop owner which foods are best for your particular dove. Check websites like dovepage.com or gamebird.com for more information about feeding specific types of doves.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep seeds in separate dishes if you want to see which seeds they like the best.
• There are some claims that it is best not to feed wild doves.
• Don't let your seed mix get moldy. Remove old seeds before adding new seeds.

Resources

• This is a website with information on doves.
• This website shows you how to grow your own dove seed crop.
• This site has information on various game birds including doves.
• This is a website about Diamond Doves.
• This is a website for the bird hobbyist.

[garycharles]

on 11/9/2009 I've just received two white doves, but I have no idea what variety they are. They are not just white pigeons, but the tail feathers are fairly long, and they can cover themselves with them pretty well with these tail feathers, to the point of hiding. I can't seem to find a picture of them either anywhere ... any ideas as to what kind of a white dove this could be, and how does one take care of them when it's below freezing, and sometimes well below

[garycharles]

on 11/9/2009 Hmmm ... I've just received two white doves, but I have no idea what variety they are. They are not just white pigeons, but the tail feathers are fairly long, and they can cover themselves with them pretty well with these tail feathers, to the point of hiding. I can't seem to find a picture of them either anywhere ... any ideas as to what kind of a white dove this could be, and how does one take care of them when it's below freezing, and sometimes well below