Female pigeon attacking male after egg hatches

[biophiliac]

Nothing has changed, I hand raised them both and they have always been good together I'm not sure why shes acting so crazy

I have never seen this either but I have heard that handraising can affect their future parenting behavior and I have wondered if it is true.

 

[HersheyandTaffy]

I wonder if maybe she is trying to hog the hatching duty? I didn’t observe mine much between eggs, so just a random guess. I’m new to pigeons, these other guys have much more experience than I do, so it’s odd that they’ve never seen the behavior. Very interesting!

How are things today?

And congrats on the new squab(s)!!

This is also her first time laying eggs AND having babies, they seem to be better only one fight today and that was right after the second baby hatched she has very slowly been letting him come closer and closer and she has been more comfortable walking out of the nest to eat and drink without freaking out.

 

[backyard pigeons]

Well how's she doing? And the babys? Pictures!?

 

[HersheyandTaffy]

Well how's she doing? And the babys? Pictures!?

Shes is still not letting him touch the baby but he can come close and sit by it, sadly the youngest one died at 3 days old but the oldest one is now 6 days old and is doing great. Here's a picture of the baby and of Hershey and Taffy

 

[backyard pigeons]

Aww sorry about the first baby. You've got some pretty pigeons!

 

[LamarshFish]

I've had squabs murdered. Couldn't find the culprit, but had my assumptions. But I have a loft full of several pairs. My first thought for the OP was to wonder whether perhaps the hen had these babies out of wedlock (fooled around with another cock bird), in which case the husband cock might try to kill the squabs, but it sounds like you just have this pair, so I am as perplexed as others.

Were these her first found of youngsters? While it should be genetically wired into her to know that her cock bird should share the duties of caring for squabs, it appears maybe it is not, or maybe he did something she did not like. I would closely watch them. If this continues, I would not let this pair breed again. If it happens more if and when you try to breed her to other cocks, I would not breed her at all anymore.

Whether pigeons are bred for speed, looks, temperament, etc, IMO good parenting genes and skills should always be a factor in deciding which birds to breed.

 

[HersheyandTaffy]

I've had squabs murdered. Couldn't find the culprit, but had my assumptions. But I have a loft full of several pairs. My first thought for the OP was to wonder whether perhaps the hen had these babies out of wedlock (fooled around with another cock bird), in which case the husband cock might try to kill the squabs, but it sounds like you just have this pair, so I am as perplexed as others.

Were these her first found of youngsters? While it should be genetically wired into her to know that her cock bird should share the duties of caring for squabs, it appears maybe it is not, or maybe he did something she did not like. I would closely watch them. If this continues, I would not let this pair breed again. If it happens more if and when you try to breed her to other cocks, I would not breed her at all anymore.

Whether pigeons are bred for speed, looks, temperament, etc, IMO good parenting genes and skills should always be a factor in deciding which birds to breed.

Yes this is my only pair and this is her first round of babies

 

[Hokum Coco]

Yes this is my only pair and this is her first round of babies

It is my experience that a lot of things can go wrong with the first round of squabs. Although that being said your situation was a "FIRST" I have to admit. On a brighter note things usually go better on the second round.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Yes this is my only pair and this is her first round of babies

The first round of babies is pretty much the test run for all birds. More things will usually go wrong then. I wonder if she is just being protective of her little babies?