lose birds

[eddieokie]

Ok, I am new to Pigeons i picked up a pair of Capuchine, had them about a week went out to feed and the cage door was open and they were gone. I was out by my barn yesterday and one, has came back . Should they be together or maybe the other one will show up later ?? And how do you tell the sexes apart?

 

[Hokum Coco]

My first instinct tells me a predator got one of them and the other one escaped.

Males are slightly larger as a rule and drive the female as shown in this link.

Oh and females lay eggs LOL.

 

[eddieokie]

That was my first thought, I think it is the female that made it back. Can I get her a new mate of do they mate for life ? Like i said this is all new for me,,,

 

[Hokum Coco]

Pigeons do mate for life; However once one dies they will remarry; Some after a mourning period; Others right away.

 

[eddieokie]

Thanks for your help.One more thing I am not sure if the male came back of the female, what can i do to find out???

 

[Hokum Coco]

Put the bird in or sometimes just in an adjoining cage with a known male and see if it tries to court your bird. If it does it is a female; if they fight it is a male. That some times works (not 100%).

Some people use this method it is not 100% either in my experience.

 

[laughingdog]

if it is a female that came back set her up a large dog bowl with pine needles or pine shavings ect in it, and see if she lays in a week or so, as she could have been fertilized, and may lay and raise another pair for you. id take her inside for now having that something or one got at and released ect them, till you find out what and how and stop it from happening again. put it on layer pellets just in case fertilized female (extra protein ect and calcium ive found helps chances of hen eggs and squabs through incubation and rearing time, and eggs are fertilized inside week to months before they are layed at times). this is just all if they were especially expensive or valuable or you couldnt get more. good luck and post some pics. i miss my capuchine i had to give away when moved. males may have slightly bigger crest than female, if it was remembered and was noticeable.