My pigeons won't breed!!!

[jak2002003]

I have 11 pigeons... 6 females and 5 males.

All the females have paired up together and lay 4 eggs in each nest.

One pair of males has paired up together.. with no eggs.

The other 3 males spend most of the time fighting each other and trying to get the attention of the females.

I thought if I left them to it they will sort themselves out eventually, but now is been 6 months.

I tried to put a male and female in a large dog crate... but they just fight like mad and I am worried they will injure themselves. One pair seemed to get along.. but when I let them out after one month in the dog crate.. they just went back to their old mates.

What can I do?

I want my birds to actually reproduce!!!!!

 

[Khephuza]

how old are your birds? make 5 nest boxes. each cock bird should have his own box. once they have made claim of the boxes it will be home to them. should be spacious boxes those and must have doors to lock the birds in. it's best to have a mash wire in the front of each box to easily monitor what's happening. after a few days start introducing the hens into each box. they will fight at first but if they are male and female they will quickly stop because the big guy will have asserted his dominance and if the other bird is a hen she will obey. by now he will now try to win the lady's heart. lock them in for at least 2 weeks with feed and fresh water everyday till they get used to each other. oh and once the hen accepts the big guy's advances don't hesitate to toss in a nest bowl with nedting material in it. good luck!

 

[Twistedfeather]

What many breeders do is separate their females from their males and their young birds. Then when breeding comes along they often put the pair they want together for quality.

 

[jak2002003]

OK.. I am going to put them into pairs, each in their own cage... for 2 weeks.. with a nest bowl in each.

I hope they don't fight too much. Last a female attacked the male and injured his eye and pulled out lots of his feathers!!! I have some very moody females.. they are utility kings.. so they are big and strong.. and often the males are scared of them.

Will keep you posted.

 

[Twistedfeather]

I don't raise kings myself but a couple of my friends raised show kings and it was really hard to keep any squabs alive. (I'll have to ask how each of them got along when they bred) Kings are definitly a challenge

 

[abluechipstock]

Some breeds are just hard to breed, my giant homers are lazy breeders but my homers and capuchines breed like crazy, I have to use pigeon birth control, i put bantam eggs under them, good luck, I think once they get it right you'll have babies out the wazoo

 

[jak2002003]

I spent a few hours cleaning out the coop.. and old nest boxes. Caught some pigeons and put them into cages in pairs. Not too much fighting.. but some females were trying to get out to be with their old mates. and they were pecking hard at the males if they go close to them..... sad to see. So I let the females back out.. but leaving the males in the cages to get used to them and the nests in there.. then they should not be so timid around the females when I put them back in..

 

[laughingdog]

Once trouble like that starts, your wanted pairs need be made to not be able to especially see n even better if cannot hear old mate, then after alone for month, they let go of old mate, and a new one added (waiting that long only if as OP has incinuated, that hens are territorially taking up cock positiin, n cocks confused by not fighting them like another male). dont add nest bowls etc till after new pair paired up, better to just keep on wire floor with single perches, two for each, as well as two nests per female, as then when breed have no territorial harming of others or own young when females ready to lay again/males wanting second nest so can mate n female lay again.

 

[jak2002003]

Have some success now...

2 pairs have paired up and actually have eggs and are brooding them!!!!!

The other pair... not fighting.. but no affection or mating going on... and that is my pure white pair.. the ones I want to breed the most.... really hoping they will get down to it soon.

It was amazing how quickly the other 2 pairs produced eggs.. and I was surprised they would brood them... as they has only been together a few days.

The other pigeons are all mixed together in the coop.. Some new pairs forming... not sure of the sexes of them... will keep close watch to see if they have 4 eggs (so females) or no eggs.. (males).. Then I can get the true pairs into the cages after this first lot raise their own squabs.

 

[Khephuza]

haha they can be stressful these birds. good we could be of help.