Pigeon Sexing

[Chuck08]

This has been my first year of pigeons and I am just curious how do ya tell apart the gender? Anything would help

 

[what was i thinking]

i was told by someone that you have to see how they react to a sexed one.

 

[HeelerDawg]

There are many different ways to sex pigeons. Some sex them by the width of their pelvic bones (hens wider than the cock birds) but i haven't had much luck that way. I keep rollers and rollers only so i'm not sure if this is true with all fancy pigeon breeds but, my males have shorter, broader beaks whereas, the females have finer, longer ones. The males will also bow and make cooing (or in my opinion, quacking) noises towards a female. In general, the best way to sex a pigeon is by just watching their behavior. Hope this helps!

 

[destiny_56085]

LOL...best way is just to sit out there and watch. The bowing and cooing is the sign of a male usually. I have had females do it too so always exceptions.

Some of the old timers can vent sex very well. On my pomeranian pouters that was easy...if you could fit more than a pinky finger between the vent bones, you had a female. On our other breeds it doesn't seem to help at all.

Some of the old guys will kind of flip a bird in their hands.... if the bird lands with their tail down its a female and tail up its a male.

You can try a nail on a string... Hold it above the birds chest and if the nail swings in a circle you have a female. If the nail swings back and forth you have a male.

Even after just watching them, you'll get a feel for them. If on eggs, the males take the day shift and females sit all night.

Sometimes you will get gay couples... 2 males or 2 females pairing up. I've seen that happen in my modenas more than a couple times. A bossy old hen will act cocklike at times. On the other side you can get some shy young cocks too.

Some breeds, you will have dimorphic characteristics. The males will be broader across the head and neck and thicker through the body. My brother's show racers are a good example of this. Doesn't work on my modenas though.

Then of course you have some sex linked traits where certain pairings have to produce such offspring. For example.... If I put an almond cockbird on a regular blue hen, any almonds that come out of there have to be hens.

Alot of those methods work sometimes! Sometimes not.... The only guaranteed method is DNA sexing like with parrots.

 

[seismic wonder2]

Internet search finds.....

(1)I will take a questionable (sex) bird and put it in a pigeon crate with a known cock or hen and watch the reaction.
(2)Cradling the bird in both hands, run a forefinger along the keel bone (runs down the mid-linefrom the breast. At the end of the keel bone there's a space, then, toward the vent, 2 small thin bones will come together in a "V". If you can fit a small finger between where they come together, you have a hen(this is where the egg passes). If they are only 1cm-2cm apart, you have a cock. Older hens and cocks are easier to sex this way-it doesn't work well with babies.
(3)MOST hens look more feminine or fine around the head/necks & bodies are generally more compact. Cocks are thicker in the neck and are more masculine looking & generally a little bigger bodied.
(4)1 to 3 days after hatching: look at the sqeeker's ventwhile holding the little guy in your hand: a smile is a boy, straight or frown is a girl (don't ask me why, ask God!)
(5)Behavior: cocks are more aggressive, hens are usually more passive.
(6)Nesting: Cocks set from 9-10 a.m. to sunset (male is more aggressive, better to drive intruders away), Hens set through the night.

 

[Chuck08]

Thank you very much. That helps me out a lot cause I need all the help I can get and I really appreciate all of it and thank you very much. I will have to do some experimenting. Thanks

 

[Towman72gmc]

The only sure way to tell, beside one laying an egg, is by checking the reproductive organs. Get an infant nasal spectulem (spelling?) from a medical supply company. Place in vent and look inside. I've never done it but I'm told that that's the only way to be certain about sex. Not sure what your looking for. There was an artical in the old APJ back in the 90s.

 

[Layira]

this is my first time with pigeons and i have three modena pigeons two being a darker brown one being an almond color. does anyone know how to sex the modena pigeons or is there a universal way to tell for any breed? any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lofty Dreams]

I have a ressisive yellow hen/cock it has never laid an egg

Supposobly you can tell with a meatal screwand rope

 

[birdmandan]

Males sit on the eggs from 10am to 4pm. Females for the rest of the day. Males coo the loudest. In some breeds, males have larger heads and coarse neck and chest feathers and females have smaller heads and smoother feathers. The string and nail trick, I would like to see some scientific proof before I start believing in such witchcraft!!!