Bully cock bird--what should I do?

[LamarshFish]

In my experience the Homers were easier to dissuade than the Birmingham Rollers. They had a longer spell between clutches and not as determined to breed as the rollers. Within 10 days of reuniting my rollers the first eggs would start appearing. I would take the first egg, identify it, place it in a shot glass on our bedroom dresser and return it to the nest 2 days later when the second egg was laid. If I didn't do that the first egg frequently got chilled and was not viable. Rollers were very likely to start a second clutch before the first was fully feathered, and most of my cocks would then brood the squabs in the evening. I loved my rollers, but the Coopers hawks did too.

Well, I hope it won't be too much trouble over the fall and winter. I don't mind the troubles of monitoring laying and replacing with fakes, but I'm more worried about the stress on the birds.

Next spring I will be switching to a 6x12' loft with 3 sections, and may even retain my current 4'x4' loft as a separate breeding loft.

I'll have to tough it out this winter. I also want to assess really how much time and money I want to spend on pigeons before getting such a larger loft. So far as time goes by my interest in them only increases, but you never know. My current loft is small, not intrusive, and very easy to care for. I want to give it some time before I really open up the can of worms.

 

[CCUK]

Well, I hope it won't be too much trouble over the fall and winter. I don't mind the troubles of monitoring laying and replacing with fakes, but I'm more worried about the stress on the birds.

Next spring I will be switching to a 6x12' loft with 3 sections, and may even retain my current 4'x4' loft as a separate breeding loft.

I'll have to tough it out this winter. I also want to assess really how much time and money I want to spend on pigeons before getting such a larger loft. So far as time goes by my interest in them only increases, but you never know. My current loft is small, not intrusive, and very easy to care for. I want to give it some time before I really open up the can of worms.

Seems like a case of pigeon math!

 

[LamarshFish]

Well, I've been tossing that bully cock bird with my YBs, and he did the first toss fine, but has not come home since yesterday's 2 mile toss. Must really enjoy terrorizing the ferals or looking for some feral hens lol. A bird that can't home well isn't worth having in my loft, but I hope he comes back! Aggressiveness aside, I really did like the fella. Plus, I'm told by some racers that although that aggressive behavior can be tough to deal with in the loft, it usually works well as far as racing traits go.

 

[biophiliac]

Frost back yet?

 

[jak2002003]

Well, I've been tossing that bully cock bird with my YBs, and he did the first toss fine, but has not come home since yesterday's 2 mile toss. Must really enjoy terrorizing the ferals or looking for some feral hens lol. A bird that can't home well isn't worth having in my loft, but I hope he comes back! Aggressiveness aside, I really did like the fella. Plus, I'm told by some racers that although that aggressive behavior can be tough to deal with in the loft, it usually works well as far as racing traits go.

I think this birds behaviour is simply because he is a fit and healthy male bird and ready to breed, but has no mate, so he is super pent up and frustrated!

As he has not come back, I think he has either gone to another loft when he spotted potential mates, or gone off with a feral flock and their females.

If he has his own nest box in you loft he would likely lead the female back to your loft (this is what happens with the thief pouter pigeons game), If not he will likely follow the female to her nest or roost.

Single cock birds often become very aggressive and will scalp and try to kill squabs in the coop in order to take over a nest box and get a mate.

His aggressive behaviour is likely not normal for him.. and if he has a mate and nest he would go back to normal pigeon behaviour.

I hope he comes back to your coop with a female and you can give him a nest box. He might just have a few days fun and freedom, before he gets hungry and comes back for food.

I recommend you stop your birds breeding in off season.. it will wear them out and they need the rest to replace their feathers and body condition, and also get good flying practice and proper fitness schedule.

Simply remove the nest boxes, or close them off.. and only provide perches for the birds to fit on one at a time. Give them a very basic food and reduced ration too. You can put perches on the outside of the closed nest boxes to save space.

In my opinion, allowing them to brood fake or infertile eggs does little to help them rest properly as they still go about the normal behaviours excepts raising young, including fighting, chasing hens, building nests, etc. Also it is making extra work for yourself for cleaning.

Keeping my fingers crossed he comes back soon. He is a nice looking pigeon!

 

[LamarshFish]

Frost back yet?

No .... but somebody did stop by yesterday to eat the peanuts off the landing board. Hopefully it was him and not one of the doves that buzz around my loft from time to time.

I think this birds behaviour is simply because he is a fit and healthy male bird and ready to breed, but has no mate, so he is super pent up and frustrated!

As he has not come back, I think he has either gone to another loft when he spotted potential mates, or gone off with a feral flock and their females.

This is likely why he is still out gallivanting at large (unless he got killed).

He does have his own nest box in my loft though. It is not overcrowded, there are several open nest boxes, and one he has claimed. Hopefully he comes back, and if he brings a mate I hope she is a nice one. I just want the best for him LOL.

One idea I had was getting him a mate and seeing if that calmed him down. In hindsight, I wish I had done that before flying him with my other YBs on several mile tosses.

One of my YBs went missing a week or so ago for 4 days, came back hungry with half his tail feathers missing.

 

[jak2002003]

One of my YBs went missing a week or so ago for 4 days, came back hungry with half his tail feathers missing.[/QUOTE]

Sometimes I wish the birds had real time camera attached to them whey they fly out.. so I can see what they are up to! Several years ago one of mine came back covered in green paint, some vanished for days like yours before returning, and one fly into a neighbours kitchen and refused to leave! Some have found other lost pigeons whey and invited them back to the coop... including tumblers, racing pigeons and a fantail pigeon!

Back in my old home, one would fly in the direction of the city and be gone all day and come back in the evening. A few times when I went into the city several mils away, I spotted her with the feral flock by the river, having a lovely time with her city friends. No idea why she did not like to stay with her real flock.

 

[CCUK]

Pigeon POV!

 

[LamarshFish]

One of my YBs went missing a week or so ago for 4 days, came back hungry with half his tail feathers missing.

Sometimes I wish the birds had real time camera attached to them whey they fly out.. so I can see what they are up to! Several years ago one of mine came back covered in green paint, some vanished for days like yours before returning, and one fly into a neighbours kitchen and refused to leave! Some have found other lost pigeons whey and invited them back to the coop... including tumblers, racing pigeons and a fantail pigeon!

Back in my old home, one would fly in the direction of the city and be gone all day and come back in the evening. A few times when I went into the city several mils away, I spotted her with the feral flock by the river, having a lovely time with her city friends. No idea why she did not like to stay with her real flock.[/QUOTE]

One guy I know around here had a hen come back from over 500 miles away after being with another loft for 6 years.

Pigeon POV!

LOL this is awesome.

 

[bluecheck]

Okay. I'd have said why do you have an unmated cock in with the breeding pairs, but it seems like you answered that. So let's look at your options since he's one you like. Yes, get him a mate no it doesn't have to be homer. There's probably a local feed store that sells pigeons. Just find a healthy hen, breed immaterial. You just want him mated and settled. Use him and his mate as a feeder, just make sure other eggs you slip under have been laid within 2 days of his hens. Toss his/hers and let them rear a good pair until your own hens grow old enough.and you.can bring the odd hen back to where you got her. And as others suggested consider building a second section at least for YB.