Pigeon I thought was male now sitting on an egg?

[Kleonaptra]

Mike is on the nest full time. I saw her ? come out today, I thought for food, but no, she scurried to the floor, gathered up some of her fallen nesting material and hustled it back to the box.

I am quite good at judging sex by behaviours - I used to breed budgies and lovebirds and hand rear them, lovebirds can be very difficult - but I have seen everybody doing both 'male' and 'female' stuff. Someone laid an egg from the perch, it smashed on the floor, I dont know who it was.

My feeling is its 3 girls in with one boy. Poor mr Pige doesnt even want to talk to me anymore, he's all womaned out! He gets very anxious when he sees Mike - Myka. I think he feels compelled to join up with her because of the nesting but Isha is very good at keeping his attention.

With any luck Myka may raise a male squab for Donna to love, then Isha and Pige can stay together, Donna and Myka's offspring have a good chance of viable pairing despite the first generation line breed and I can find another mate for Myka, so long as she doesnt have her heart set on mr Pige, of course.

 

[kswaterfowl]

Male pigeons and female pigeons share nest duties! Our males usually sat from 9am-4pm and then the females took over. If you look it up, there are references everywhere to nesting behavior.

 

[JackDias]

Hello, some breeds are more difficult to know which is male or female. I purchased a pair of chicks, about 4 months ago, the female does that dancing and voice ritual more than all the males in the house, even more than her Male. My brother spent the last 3 months asking me, everyday, about the BOYS. She laid the first egg about 20 days ago, but not fertile, I changed it with a racer egg, and the chick was born 4 days ago.

 

[Kleonaptra]

Hi everyone. I appreciate the chiming in but its really not making my head any clearer...I knew mr pige was male and Isha female. They raised a squab I assumed was male, so I bought a bird that looked female.


After a few weeks in the new coop the 'male' offspring of my original pair started sitting on eggs. Thats just a little update for those that didnt seem clear on the details. I KNOW males and females share duties, thats why Im so concerned for poor Myka, who has no mate. I think Myka has mated with her father on the side, and that mr Pige is the only male in the coop. However, Myka may still be a Mike, sitting on Donna's eggs, and Donna could be a crap mate/mother.

Every now and then one of Myka's eggs rolls out and I tuck it back in. I dont have high hopes for the eggs, even if they hatch, I dont think she/he can raise the squabs alone.

Poor Mr Pige just sits fluffed up sleeping away from everyone. He's so stressed out. Im tempted to take him and Isha out for some alone time, but Isha really loves the new coop...Sigh. I feel bad for everyone, Myka alone in the nest with no help, Donna the giant that everyone is scared of, and Mr Pige and Isha who are just trying to stick together.

 

[loftkeeper]

looking at the pics of the pouters i would be careful and watch for sour crop if mine ever looked like those pic it made me concerned did you ever look in on the birds at night to see who was sitting on the nest

 

[Kleonaptra]

Mike the one I thought was male is on the nest full time. The most recent pics in this thread were not posted by me.

These are my birds. Mr Pige in the foreground, Male. Next Donna the bird I bought from the meat factory, presumed female. Next is Mike, the offspring of Isha and Mr Pige who I thought was male but is now on the nest and last is Isha the indian fantail.

Today Mike came out, did a very male mating dance, but not at anybody in particular, then disappeared back into the box. Isha is giving up her efforts in keeping Mr Piges attention and Donna is trying very hard to get it.

 

[kaestark]

male pigeons will also lay on eggs. pigeons are not like some fowl they take turns sitting so the other can get food and water. males usually do not sit for a super long time but will as long as they need to. they may even become a one parent if one leaves or dies.

 

[Kleonaptra]

male pigeons will also lay on eggs. pigeons are not like some fowl they take turns sitting so the other can get food and water. males usually do not sit for a super long time but will as long as they need to. they may even become a one parent if one leaves or dies.

Hello, I do thankyou for this input but the point of this thread was trying to work out the sex of each of my 4 birds. It is absolutely certain now that I have 1 male in with 3 females. I got a new girl pigeon when I should have bought a boy...Now I need 2 boys! Trying to get ahold of my local pigeon club to help me.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Male pigeons and female pigeons share nest duties!

That happens in a perfect world but there are always exceptions. I have experienced a couple exceptions over the course of raising pigeons in my loft just for the record.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I dont think she/he can raise the squabs alone.

If it is any consolation I had a female pigeon incubate (in the later days of incubation 2 eggs) and raise a single squab to adulthood. The male had abandoned his mate and took up with another female. He return to the nest and scalped one squab that did not survive. I witnessed the attack and isolated the female with food and water to the confines of the nest box. Just for the record.