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yanyak5 Regular user Delaware 186 Posts |
I own 1 dove at the moment. I'm thinking of getting my second dove. The only problem is, I can't leave them in the garage anymore as there is no room. Is it possible to leave them outside? I hear its ok if its mainly in the spring/summer? If I do leave them outside, what kind of cage/house to I need for them? anyone have plans if I need to build one? How big should it be? What about when winter rolls around? Leaving them in the house is not an option. Should I hold off on the second dove?
-Thad |
Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
1st doves live better and longer with a mate. Just like us humans. They live over 20 years if cared for properly.
As for the outside aviary, get a pigeon book and build the walk in kind. You will need to keep them from loose animals and remember the dangerous killing insects we have had the last few years. They kill birds also. For winter they need an insulated housing area with a heater. One suggestion was a light bulb covered by a tin can. The can get hot and heats the room. If you contact Klamm's Magic he has plans for an outside aviary for a couple of dollars. If you decide to keep them in the garage, I guess you mean you left the bird loose in the garage. You can build a cage 2'x2' for 2 birds. This is just a frame with 1/2" wire mesh from a tractor supply store. They need a wire mesh on the bottom of the cage, so their dropping go thru and keep their feet dry. If the garage is not heated, use the can idea. I could go on and on, but it is better for you to ask questions. By the way, this process has been covered extensively on the Café, you could try a search and read up on alot of this. Here is the Klamm plans internet site page, they are $8 Now. http://www.klamm-magic.com/cgi-bin/web_s......match=on Good luck! |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Thad, here's a link to this subject to same you some search time. I have gordon's plans and they are very good for contructing your own outdoor aviary.
HERE
Where the magic begins
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zaubern Veteran user Seattle, Wa 335 Posts |
Tony Clark talks a little about this on his first Unmasks video as well as other things you need to care for doves.
Zaubern
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yanyak5 Regular user Delaware 186 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-04-29 12:45, wmhegbli wrote: No the bird is in a cage. I just need to know what is a good plan to use for a cage to keep birds outside so they don't get drafts, etc.. so that they can stay outside all year Round.. -Thad |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Thad, the links provided by wmhegbli and myself are excellent sources for the type of outdoor aviary you are looking for.
Where the magic begins
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Bob Sanders Grammar Supervisor Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama 20504 Posts |
It does get cold in Delaware. However, if you have wild doves there, your doves will make it fine in the winter outside too. The natural daylight/dark cycles are important to doves. I keep about a hundred adult white doves and they live outdoors year round. That was just as true when I lived in northwest Arkansas as it does in Alabama. They should have some protection from the wind and rain. The greatest wintertime hazard to doves is frozen water. Make sure they get plenty of chances to drink several times a day. In mountains of Arkansas, that was a problem. They will need shade in the summer.
As far as cages go, I only have two sizes. Small breeding cages are 18" X 24" X 18" high. The cages are eighteen in a row and rest on pipe racks. They have a fibreglass top. In the worst of the winter, I do hang transparent plastic on two sides of the cages to kill the wind. (It takes longer for the water to freeze this way.) Most cages only have one breeding pair in them but some have six doves that work shows together. The others are 8' X 8' X 8' walk-in aviaries. The top and one side are solid. The rest is open. These will easily accommodate twenty breeding pairs with young. Most people say build them "mail boxes" on a wall to nest in. And I have some that way. However, the happiest doves seem to be nesting in hanging floral containers. It makes feeding and clean up much easier too. The doors are only 4' high on purpose. Escaping doves only fly up. That way they don't escape through an open door. (Eventually, you will have some pets that will want to ride you out of the cage. Don't let those get away. Doves have no homing instincts.) Remember that the purpose of the cages is as much to keep other things out as to keep doves in. Cats, dogs, mice, snakes and hawks have all been problems for me over the years. Using good welded wire that is made in half inch squares will solve most of those problems. I have only had rat and mouse problems indoors backstage and in warehouses at theme parks. I've never had that particular problem outdoors. Outdoors, I do have squirrels that eat the dropped food. I frankly enjoy watching them do that. They will run up the side of a cage and make noise at times but the doves don't seem to notice. Yes, get more doves. I hate to see any animal have to live alone. Doves are very peaceful and usually get along fine. This is even true when they are all the same gender. Even a cage of all males seldom fight when there is plenty of food, water, and room. Enjoy your doves. Bob DoveMagician@magicbysander.com |
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