My baby dove is weak and cold. Did first-time parents reject it?

Thanks for reaching out about Sky. Mother birds sometime can reject babies due to stress or illness. Mother birds can sense the baby is ill or not worth the energy expenditure to raise. The baby might need to be removed or assisted in feeding, for it to survive. Providing heat support might give support but is not a cure. Good luck.

If this is a wild bird the best option would be to get it to a wildlife rehabilitator asap. If a pet species you need to know what species in order to feed approriately. You need a hand rearing formula suited to that species. Keep in a "nest" with supplemental heat and humidity as it cannot regulate body temperature yet. Relative humidity greater than 50% is required initially. Hatchlings (no feathers) should be maintained at 95° - 97°F (35° - 36°C). An incubator is usually recommended for hatchlings. The yolk sac should provide nutrition the first 12 or so hours but but it will then need to be fed every 2 hours around the clock Here is some basic info https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/hand-feeding-baby-birds

As long as the parents are taking care of the hatchling themselves, you shouldn't need to do anything as they will keep it warm by laying with it in the nest, and feed it as needed. It also seems like you are feeding lots of nutrition-filled items to your birds as well! It is a good idea to have some baby bird food and a syringe on hand that you can mix up if you need to help with feeding, or if the parents aren't caring for it. Most pet stores carry this and will have feeding instructions on the side of the bag. Congrats on the baby bird! It sounds like it and its parents are in good hands.

18 days old is still a bit too young for a pigeon to be on its own, so the parents should be still caring for it. It's possible that the other baby is ill, or the parents ARE still caring for it and you just aren't catching them in the action. If you feel the baby is truly sick, injured, or not being cared for by its parents, then seeking help from a local wildlife rehab center is best. Do not attempt to move the baby or care for it yourself as it could still very well be cared for by the parents.

Nature can be very cruel. And unfortunately, especially in the bird world, survival of the fittest is the rule. Sometimes chicks who are not thriving are sick or otherwise underdeveloped. The parents often instinctively know this. Also, the parents are less likely to care for their chicks when they have been touched by human hands. While I am certain you have the best of intentions, feeding the chicks and taking them in could possibly make matters worse.

His best chances will be to stay with his parents. If you can see where the nest is, you may briefly pick him up to place him back in the nest. Most birds do not actually have a very good sense of smell, so your scent won't cause a problem - however, your presence will frighten the parents away. If you cannot return him to the nest, the best course of action depends on how old he is. If he's got feathers and can hop, he's probably a fledgeling who is learning to leave the nest and you should leave him alone. If he's just starting to get his feathers and seems bright (can lift his head and look around), make sure he's in a safe spot (you can make a little nest on the ground with a clean towel in a small box - but don't move him far from where you found him, so his parents can find him there too) and see if the parents come to feed him. If you're convinced he's on his own, or if he's too little to have any hope of surviving on the ground (even if the parents stop by to feed him), then I recommend finding your closest wildlife rehab location and calling to see if they'll take him. Hope this helps!

Thanks for reaching out about Birdie. The possibility of aspiration pneumonia is high, or another respiratory infection. A veterinary visit or relinquishment to a wildlife rehabilitation facility is recommended. Good luck.