Missing White Doves

Hi all, I'm hoping someone can give me some good advice.

I've owned 4 white fantailed doves for 2 months now and everything has been great, up until today. We could only find 3 this morning so I've wandered around the neighbourhood just in case it's injured or if there's any sign of a struggle with s predator.

I opened the garage door this afternoon and there was one sitting in a box. I thought this was the missing dove, but it turns out it was one of the other 3 (I can tell by their coloured rings). It must have ventured in at some point today. Anyway, I took him outside and now I can only find 2. I really don't know what's going on. Theres plenty of food out for them. I never let this go empty. The temperature outside has dropped so I don't know if they could be somewhere trying to keep warm. I just hope they find their way back home. 

  • This is probably a daft question but how long of a homing period did you give them?

    Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos

    (One bush does not shelter two Robins)

    Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)

     

  • I was advised 2-3 weeks so I removed the net after 3 weeks. I've since learned that it should be 7-8 weeks.
    The net was removed 3 weeks ago and there have been no problems until yesterday. They've been returning just fine.
    Do you think this has something to do with it?
  • I think 8 weeks is the recommended period. They aren't bred to survive away from the dovecote as far as I'm aware. If there are any decent sized feral flocks nearby then they might have joined up with one of them. If they haven't travelled too far they might come back. Their homing distance is maybe 15 miles as opposed to hundreds of miles by homers or even ferals. Hopefully they will return before too long. Please let us know when they return.

    Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos

    (One bush does not shelter two Robins)

    Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)