How to Raise White Doves

White doves, also known as homing pigeons, are popular at celebrations. They are particularly popular at weddings because they mate for life and serve as a visual symbol for marriage. Perhaps you've seen this at a wedding, and it's intrigued you to want to raise doves and start a release business.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Purchase an aviary. An aviary is a large house, or it could be a cage for the doves. The doves will also need a couple of perches for each bird and 2 nest boxes for every pair of doves. Make sure the nesting areas are well above the floor of the aviary, 4 to 5 feet.

2. Decide on the number of birds you want to purchase. Five pairs of breeding white doves will need about a 6-by-6-by-6 foot loft. As their babies grow, so must the space.

3. Keep the aviary clean, dry and protected from inclement weather.

4. Ventilate the doves' aviary with screened windows or doors.

5. Position the doves' housing high enough so it's easy access for the one caring for the birds.

6. Provide water for baths. Doves like their living quarters to be dry, but they do like taking baths. Providing them with water once per week helps to wash away any parasites.

7. Provide hay and straw for doves.

8. Clean and sanitize often. You can avoid most diseases and infections by cleaning aviaries often and changing the water. Cleaning and sanitizing often is important because doves can transmit some of these diseases to humans. This rarely happens, but it is possible.

[cpoorboy1937]

on 8/8/2008 how do you tell the difference in sex of white doves