White doves and emus

[Chris Wilson]

Anyone want white doves? I can supply unrelated pairs, in small quantities to good homes. Also emus, hatching eggs, chicks or young birds. They are now off the dangerous wild animals act listing, so given decent security fencing and space they make fascinating pets without the expense and hassle of licensing and insurance.

[RobSheffield]

What sort of provision needs to be made for keeping a white dove Chris?

Id not like to say yes and then find out i cant!

[Chris Wilson]

A dove cote. A net to keep them in it for about 2 weeks, and some food. Soon you should have lots of white doves, they breed like rabbits :) You could cage them, but these are wild doves and I personally don't like to see them caged. We keep a trio in the big pheasant aviary. Flying free to and from a cote is nicest! You can buy a cote, they vary wildly in price, or make one.

[Thorin]

Would be nice to have some doves, but unfortunately it'll have to wait until we buy a house with a back garden larger than a tea tray.

[Animal]

I'm curious - just how much is an emu nowadays?

[RobSheffield]

Ok, ill talk it over with the parents, what sort of cost are we talking for a pair of Doves?

[neil tt]

I would have thought space would have been the biggest concern:)

[Chris Wilson]

Ok, ill talk it over with the parents, what sort of cost are we talking for a pair of Doves?

£15, obviously collect only :)

Emus are £350 for an adult juvenile cock, and £450 for a hen, and hatching eggs are £25 each, no guarantee of a chick, but if you are good with an incubator (or have a rather high fever and don't mind sitting for 60 days without moving, save to turn the egg umpteen times a day and night...) you can get a very cheap chick :)

[Chris Wilson]

Ok, ill talk it over with the parents, what sort of cost are we talking for a pair of Doves?

£15, obviously collect only :)

Emus are £350 for an adult juvenile cock, and £450 for a hen, and hatching eggs are £25 each, no guarantee of a chick, but if you are good with an incubator (or have a rather high fever and don't mind sitting for 60 days without moving, save to turn the egg umpteen times a day and night...) you can get a very cheap chick :)

Will have golden, lady amhurst and monal pheasant chicks for sale in the spring, maybe some white ring necks, too. Also Guinea fowl and peafowl, all as chicks or hatching eggs.

Looking for female Bennetts wallaby, male monal pheasant and Java green peafowl.

[Chris Wilson]

You don't need much space for a cote, but you should consider if neighbors will mind the cooing, and the possibility of several doves whatsitting on their roofs, and roosting on their property. Some people can get funny, some love them.

[dangerous brain]

We have a dove in our back garden most days. Very regal and pretty looking birds. I am considering a couple of chickens after seeing that Jamie Oliver program on battery hen eggs. My mate keeps Indian ducks and they are uber cool. How much work would keeping a couple of chickens be Chris?

[Andyhannah]

You don't need much space for a cote, but you should consider if neighbors will mind the cooing, and the possibility of several doves whatsitting on their roofs, and roosting on their property. Some people can get funny, some love them.

Could you suggest anywhere to buy a good dove cote chris, been promising my old mother some white doves for years:d

[Chris Wilson]

Not much. Hen house to close up each night and open each morning (early if you want lots of eggs, they need daylight). Clean it out weekly. Feed and water, and a run. Foxes and cats may be an issue, depends where you live. Hen houses, particularly very small ones, seem to bring silly money new, look for a used one and disinfect it properly. Make sure you have good access inside it for cleaning et cetera. Be aware cockerels, despite looking very pretty, will crow at dawn, whilst this is usually acceptable out in the sticks, the 28 stone brickie on nights next door may not relish it. If you just want a small number of birds get something that lays coloured eggs, we have some Araucanas that lay blue eggs, which is a bit of a novelty. Some breeds lay green eggs, or chocolate brown ones. You don't need, or probably want a cockerel for the hens to lay prolifically.
In fact cockerels can be a bit of a PITA.

[Chris Wilson]

http://search-desc.ebay.co.uk/dove-cote_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQcatrefZC5QQdfspZ1QQfbdZ1QQfclZ3QQflocZ1QQfposZSY132BTQQfromZR6QQfrppZ50QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQfssZ0QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQftsZ2QQga10244Z10425QQnojsprZyQQpfidZ0QQsaaffZafdefaultQQsabfmtsZ0QQsacatZQ2d1QQsacqyopZgeQQsacurZ0QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZexsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ0QQsaslopZ1QQsasltZ2QQsofocusZbs

[Andyhannah]

http://search-desc.ebay.co.uk/dove-cote_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQcatrefZC5QQdfspZ1QQfbdZ1QQfclZ3QQflocZ1QQfposZSY132BTQQfromZR6QQfrppZ50QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQfssZ0QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQftsZ2QQga10244Z10425QQnojsprZyQQpfidZ0QQsaaffZafdefaultQQsabfmtsZ0QQsacatZQ2d1QQsacqyopZgeQQsacurZ0QQsadisZ200QQsaobfmtsZexsifQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ0QQsaslopZ1QQsasltZ2QQsofocusZbs

Thanks chris:)

[Chris Wilson]

http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=109464&highlight=doves

[dangerous brain]

Not much. Hen house to close up each night and open each morning (early if you want lots of eggs, they need daylight). Clean it out weekly. Feed and water, and a run. Foxes and cats may be an issue, depends where you live. Hen houses, particularly very small ones, seem to bring silly money new, look for a used one and disinfect it properly. Make sure you have good access inside it for cleaning et cetera. Be aware cockerels, despite looking very pretty, will crow at dawn, whilst this is usually acceptable out in the sticks, the 28 stone brickie on nights next door may not relish it. If you just want a small number of birds get something that lays coloured eggs, we have some Araucanas that lay blue eggs, which is a bit of a novelty. Some breeds lay green eggs, or chocolate brown ones. You don't need, or probably want a cockerel for the hens to lay prolifically.
In fact cockerels can be a bit of a PITA.


OK cheers so a fair bit less grief than my mates ducks that he has to get in and out of a large pool of water daily. I only want a couple or so as anymore would probably be a hassle to catch etc. As for a cockerel they are definitely noisy sods that would not be appreciated by me :D

[Chris Wilson]

Hens don't need catching :) They will go in the hen house themselves at dusk, you just need to close the door, but even that can be automated. I have used these with perfect results in the past.

https://www.axt-electronic.de/index1.htm

[Glosphil]

£15, obviously collect only :)

Emus are £350 for an adult juvenile cock, and £450 for a hen, and hatching eggs are £25 each, no guarantee of a chick, but if you are good with an incubator (or have a rather high fever and don't mind sitting for 60 days without moving, save to turn the egg umpteen times a day and night...) you can get a very cheap chick :)

What temperature do they need to be incubated at? and how many times a day do they need to be turned? and a full turn? half? etc.

I rekon I could make an automatic egg turner and make out of this one :P

[Chris Wilson]

http://www.emusupply.com/incubation_chick_raising.htm

[Chris Wilson]

What temperature do they need to be incubated at? and how many times a day do they need to be turned? and a full turn? half? etc.

I rekon I could make an automatic egg turner and make out of this one :P

There's a fellow who makes the very best incubator, take him at this game at your peril, he's had thousands of years practice at it :)

http://www.chriswilson.tv/incubator.jpg