Well so much for that. Tried putting two pairs in one aviary lasted a day

[appps]

Yesterday all was fine but this morning I put a bath in there and it all went pair shaped. The older male whose name funnily enough is grumpy Bob started attacking the other female who was in it first. She's disabled and can't get away easily and he got quite vicious. I took her and the bath out but when I put her back in her nest after a while he started chasing the other younger male relentlessly. If he does that to my disabled one he's just as likely to kill it since it can't get away quickly enough.

There is plenty of room for more than one pair I would have thought?. I've had to take them out again which is a pain and into a temporary cage.

Would it just be a spring nesting thing? I've seen more than one pair in aviaries before?

The older pairs nest box that I put in their from their old cage

The other younger pair have another box down lower where the disabled one can get to it. Before I put them in there I cleaned out the older pairs nest box. They pushed a lot of bedding and their egg out the door when they went back in.

Yesterday they ignored the other pair. The middle one is their disabled offspring from last year.

I'm wondering if because I changed the nest bedding they are thinking the other pairs nest looks more welcoming (it's the nest box they used last year)

Oh and before anyone asks I have no intention of letting either pair hatch eggs due to the leg problems of my little grey.

 

[jak2002003]

Lovely looking birds and aviary!

I think because its all new and change to them, putting in the other pair and nest box etc, the dominant male is just trying to establish he is the boss.

I would try putting them all back together... perhaps even adding another nest box or 2 for the boss to inspect.

Its normal for pigeons to fight like that sometimes, but usually they can't do any real harm to each other as they lack the strong sharp beaks of parrots.

The worst I got was some eye pecking and missing feathers from the back of the head.

I would just introduce them when you are there to watch. Let them have some fighting and wait till it calms down. Just keep an eye on your disabled one, that it has somewhere to hide.

Introduce them a few times over the week and watch. If they still keep constantly fighting you may have to house you other pair on their own.

When I worked in a zoo we often clipped one wing of aggressive male parrots to slow them down and give their mates a chance to fly out of their way.

Perhaps you could clip some feathers from you aggressive males wing if he keeps being a very bad bully so they other birds can fly away from him?

 

[appps]

I think you might be onto something with the nest boxes. The more I think about it the more I wish I hadn't cleaned it out before moving it in there in case that made them think of moving house. I might give them a good week to get settled back in it again before trying again.

I hope it works the second try. I'm babysitting this pair indefinatly at the moment and one bird house is much easier than two!

 

[laughingdog]

Should have two nests per female as prevents a lot of probs from fighting over nests by them n especially males. Some birds just get mean though.

 

[appps]

Should have two nests per female as prevents a lot of probs from fighting over nests by them n especially males. Some birds just get mean though.

Interesting. Hadn't thought of that, will give him some more choices before I put them back in and try again. Although I've got box type nests at the moment because it just worked out that way, just a dog bowl on a shelf is actually okay isn't it? Doesn't need to be enclosed?

 

[loftkeeper]

most people put males in first let them pick nest sites then hens

 

[laughingdog]

Yes as loftkeeper said, also helps males establish confidence in territory to dominate angry females herding them better, unless have aggressive males then add female first possibly.
Open nest bowl ok, unless cold/blowing wind or sun there, then put bowl in lil box on side or small plastic bins on side, or upside down with hole in if rains and shady. Most pigeon will build own nests if given materials like pine needles moss twigs sticks flight wing n tail feathers dry leaves n dry grass clay poop..

 

[appps]

most people put males in first  let them pick nest sites then hens

These are existing pairs, the pair in there is mine and the two I'm introducing are my sisters (and parents to one of mine). Because they aren't coming from a loft with other birds I think the female would get quite distressed if I took her male away to put in first leaving her on her own. She was quite distressed after her previous mate died till my sister got this male.

 

[appps]

Yes as loftkeeper said, also helps males establish confidence in territory to dominate angry females herding them better, unless have aggressive males then add female first possibly.
Open nest bowl ok, unless cold/blowing wind or sun there, then put bowl in lil box on side or small plastic bins on side, or upside down with hole in if rains and shady. Most pigeon will build own nests if given materials like pine needles moss twigs sticks flight wing n tail feathers dry leaves n dry grass clay poop..

Yes cranky Bob loves collecting nest materials.