Is my pigeon a cock or a hen: the sequel

[degunuts]

Hmm, if she was hand tame I’d say pet em- if she’s a girl she’ll bend over and spread her shoulders, if it’s a boy he’ll hump your hand... As for the growling, that’s a common nesting pigeon noise and both cocks and hens make it.

Well, he/she has also made that cooing noise males make when they're trying to impress a lady- puffin out his/her chest, going around in circles, etc. It wasn't directed at a particular bird, he/she was just doing it in a spare nest box, but it's a bit confusing haha

 

[Peskypigeon]

Well, he/she has also made that cooing noise males make when they're trying to impress a lady- puffin out his/her chest, going around in circles, etc. It wasn't directed at a particular bird, he/she was just doing it in a spare nest box, but it's a bit confusing haha

That’s certainly what my Adelaide does! That’s what threw me for a loop as well in the end. Females will be territorial of nest space, and even Adelaide jumps on me and dances for me as flirting outside of the nest. So don’t rule out that isn’t in fact a hen! I’d say give her a bit before jumping the gun and buying another hen.

 

[backyard pigeons]

You have some interesting birds @Peskypigeon !

My hens do not coo. They grunt a lot when reached for, more than males. They do not claim nesting boxes till their male does. Mine never will call their male to the nest, only the males call the hens. But, I only raise racers and Portuguese tumblers, so I know what to look for at this point. I can accurately predict gender before 4 months of age in my birds, when i can hold them. Hens fly better on loft flys, not always tosses though. But for someone else's birds, I guess I am not good at guessing yet... Haha.

@degunuts Have you felt between the pelvic bones? Hens may or may not be wider apart, for egg laying. They may for may not, since she or he hasn't laid yet. But, once a little older, hens will be wider apart, and males will have a smaller gap.

 

[degunuts]

You have some interesting birds @Peskypigeon !

My hens do not coo. They grunt a lot when reached for, more than males. They do not claim nesting boxes till their male does. Mine never will call their male to the nest, only the males call the hens. But, I only raise racers and Portuguese tumblers, so I know what to look for at this point. I can accurately predict gender before 4 months of age in my birds, when i can hold them. Hens fly better on loft flys, not always tosses though. But for someone else's birds, I guess I am not good at guessing yet... Haha.

@degunuts Have you felt between the pelvic bones? Hens may or may not be wider apart, for egg laying. They may for may not, since she or he hasn't laid yet. But, once a little older, hens will be wider apart, and males will have a smaller gap.

I'm not going to lie Backyard Pigeons, I just started keeping pigeons a couple weeks ago, and I've got no clue how to do that properly. I've tried feeling them on both the cock and the hen/cock, but they felt about the same, then I compared them to a known hen, and I still couldn't tell the difference. I've gotta read up on it more I suppose!

 

[degunuts]

Well, I just gave it my best shot at checking the vent, and the vent bones were just a bit more tight than the one I KNOW is a cock, and the bones at the top feel like they protrude even more than that one as well!

 

[Hokum Coco]

It's a racing pigeon, "She" also has been mussing about in one of the nest boxes, did that coo that you normally hear with a cock Any help would be appreciated!

I have been a pigeon fancier for decades one thing I learned to be "FACT".
If it lays an egg it is a "HEN...!"

 

[backyard pigeons]

Well, I just gave it my best shot at checking the vent, and the vent bones were just a bit more tight than the one I KNOW is a cock, and the bones at the top feel like they protrude even more than that one as well!

Im still gonna guess a cock. But either way, keep us updated!

 

[degunuts]

Alright! I went ahead and bought two more hens, and they're proven to be so! Though, whenever my cocks try to get near the new girls, the hens peck at the cocks! About how long will this last before they're receptive to breeding? A couple weeks?

 

[backyard pigeons]

Yeah. They likely had mates at their old loft, so once they do not see their mates for a week or two, they will show interest. I'm guessing 3 1\2 weeks before eggs!

 

[degunuts]

Yeah. They likely had mates at their old loft, so once they do not see their mates for a week or two, they will show interest. I'm guessing 3 1\2 weeks before eggs!

Alright, thanks! Will they pair naturally if I don't isolate them, or do I have to seperate the pair-to-be from the rest of the flock to make it happen? Thanks!