keeping pigeons in at least a pair, same sex or not, is always best, unless ages way off and one or both not socialized, then you simply socialized when out together, and then when theyr buddied put in seperate or the sub's cage. never keep doves and "pigeons" together, as pigeons can kill and at least seriously injure tinier doves, in most confined situations, though mine did fine when left out to free fly together, but never stayed in same areas really and stuck to own kind and breed flocks. course i only had ringnecks with many types of pigeons, though my flights were never really aggressive and theyd intermingle at times and even eat and perch together with the doves and not bully like rest tend to. i like hands on birds, and doves just werent that touchy feely and nervous and fragile, were most of my pigeon breeds proved pretty durable. though keeping free outside toughend them all up. my homer mixes were by far the most durable and easy going of all my birds. just gave cheap seed, greens, apple cider vinager in water, and tried some fresh crushed garlic occassionally, with caged bird gravel and grit, and fresh air and sunshine shade and they liked the exposure more than had heard and loved to bath and the rain just otherwise cage kept dry. mine ate a lot of bugs and dirt also.
to stop breeding just put on inch spaced grating and keep them from nesting in their containers for food and water, and making feather nests in corners on grate. they get wise to dummy eggs and test by rolling and tapping light, and if doesnt sound good theyd just toss out of nest and get ready to lay more.
