Help! Another mated pair trying to takeover nest?

[biophiliac]

I don’t currently have a separate cage but clearly I need one!!! I have a cat carrier! Is that too mean/small? He’s really not letting anyone near all 9 of them!!! His original mate died like a month ago but he is pretty much mated up now with a new bird. So she follows him and they will both kick anyone out.

A cat carrier should be fine overnight. Simple to make a cage with a roll of wire fencing from the hardware store. Zip ties or wire to fasten it together. Fencing comes with 1" by 1" or 2" by 4" openings, both okay for containing a pigeon. Or a pigeon and his mate .. Or possibly you could chose a nest box for him and his mate and just lock them in for a few days. Then let them out under supervision to see if he backs off the other boxes.

 

[NewPigeonOwner]

A cat carrier should be fine overnight. Simple to make a cage with a roll of wire fencing from the hardware store. Zip ties or wire to fasten it together. Fencing comes with 1" by 1" or 2" by 4" openings, both okay for containing a pigeon. Or a pigeon and his mate .. Or possibly you could chose a nest box for him and his mate and just lock them in for a few days. Then let them out under supervision to see if he backs off the other boxes.

Thank you for all the tips!

 

[biophiliac]

I find extra cages come in very handy! For quarantine, for nursing ill or injured birds, hand raising babies, temporary jail for bullies, haha!

And you are welcome. Just tossing out some possibilities, you will be the best judge of what works for you. You have to be on your toes to manage pigeons. LOL

 

[backyard pigeons]

Get that bird on eggs! Haha. It think he will calm down with a time out that allows other pairs to claim bixes, and defend them. also, put 'blinders' in the boxes. bassicly, they stick out between boxes so it avoids them being able to jump across from box to box, and so they can't see if birds are there or not. They don't look good, but you can take them off later once things settle down. If the blinders don't make sense, remind me, and I will get a picture.

 

[biophiliac]

Get that bird on eggs! Haha. It think he will calm down with a time out that allows other pairs to claim bixes, and defend them. also, put 'blinders' in the boxes. bassicly, they stick out between boxes so it avoids them being able to jump across from box to box, and so they can't see if birds are there or not. They don't look good, but you can take them off later once things settle down. If the blinders don't make sense, remind me, and I will get a picture.

X 2! Excellent advice. Things will settle down a lot when the bully has eggs to sit on. Also the blinders are very smart.

 

[backyard pigeons]

Also the blinders are very smart.

thanks. I thought of them myself.

 

[NewPigeonOwner]

X 2! Excellent advice. Things will settle down a lot when the bully has eggs to sit on. Also the blinders are very smart.

Get that bird on eggs! Haha. It think he will calm down with a time out that allows other pairs to claim bixes, and defend them. also, put 'blinders' in the boxes. bassicly, they stick out between boxes so it avoids them being able to jump across from box to box, and so they can't see if birds are there or not. They don't look good, but you can take them off later once things settle down. If the blinders don't make sense, remind me, and I will get a picture.

Funny you should mention getting him on eggs! Another newly mated pair just laid an egg in a bare nest box and they haven’t sat on it at all. So I put straw under the egg but they still have not sat on it. They just laid it this morning, is it too late to stick it under the bully? Will he start taking care of it? Just when I thought I was figuring pigeons out...more questions! LOL!

Update on the bully...the other birds finally stood their ground and they fought it out. The bully has left them alone since! Fingers crossed that’s the end of that!

 

[NewPigeonOwner]

thanks. I thought of them myself.

I’d love to see a pic of the blinders if you get a chance!

 

[backyard pigeons]

Funny you should mention getting him on eggs! Another newly mated pair just laid an egg in a bare nest box and they haven’t sat on it at all. So I put straw under the egg but they still have not sat on it. They just laid it this morning, is it too late to stick it under the bully? Will he start taking care of it? Just when I thought I was figuring pigeons out...more questions! LOL!

Update on the bully...the other birds finally stood their ground and they fought it out. The bully has left them alone since! Fingers crossed that’s the end of that!

pigeons lay one egg, wait about 24 hours, and lay the next. Then they will start sitting. so just leave the egg. If they don't lay another in 2 days, see if the bully will sit on it!I

I'm glad the bully didn't win the one pairs box, haha.

I’d love to see a pic of the blinders if you get a chance!

Yeah, I will tommorrow. it is just about dark now, so you wouldn't be able to see them.