# ?'s Concerning the Maturity of Pigeons



## Maddiekisses (Sep 17, 2003)

Hello again!

Some more questions from the Question Lady!







At what age are pigeons considered mature? Is this when they start to coo and so forth? Do only the males make the cooing sounds? Just curious as I'm trying to figure out what age my pigeon is. Owl still only squawks, he doesn't peep anymore, but there are no cooing sounds forthcoming. At what age do females being to lay eggs? They do not need a male in order to do this, correct? Growing up we had cockatiels and I know the females laid eggs without ever being around males. I am assuming, hopefully correctly, that female pigeons are the same? 

Once again thanks for all your help!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi there,
Here's what I've seen with my babies this year:
They actually lose the squeek and become vocal at about 2 months, mine had mates at about 4 months, but their bodies are not actually mature until they are 6 months when their bodies can handle medications. I've already had a few eggs in my hens under 6 months. I haven't seen any eggs in my pigeons without partners, but my friend has females who are apart from the males who are laying eggs. It can vary somewhat, because of their general health, climate ...and I'm sure someone else is going to come along and say something different...?? Let's hear from more pigeon people....

Treesa


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## bigbird (Aug 19, 2000)

"At what age are pigeons considered mature?" First sign of fertil eggs can be at 4 months, but 6 months would be a safer answer. This would be when I would call them mature. 
The development stages of pigeons will vary.
As an example, I have a young bird that is 3 months old and still learning to fly. This is very slow. Other birds will be starting to fly at 6 weeks.
"Is this when they start to coo and so forth? Do only the males make the cooing sounds?"
Young birds start acting out variour behaviors as early as two months, but they are often just showing they can copy the behavior of older birds. This acting out can be confusing, you can never be sure of a birds sex until an egg is dropped. Up to then, you might see both male and female behavior in one bird. Just when you think for sure you have a male, the egg drops.

Female pigeons will lay eggs that are not fertil.

Regards,
Carl


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## Maddiekisses (Sep 17, 2003)

When you say vocal are you referring to the cooing? If so, Owl is not yet two months old because there are no cooing sounds forthcoming. However, he is very vocal. He does a lot of what I call squawking, but maybe I should call it squeaking? Hmmm. My husband likes to make cooing noises to Owl and Owl always perks up and pays attention. So that is interesting. 

So females can lay eggs as early as 6 months? I will be interested in seeing if Owl produces any eggs. There will be no mate for Owl. At least not for some time. If/When that time comes I will have lots more questions! 

Thanks again!



> Originally posted by Trees Gray:
> *Hi there,
> Here's what I've seen with my babies this year:
> They actually lose the squeek and become vocal at about 2 months, mine had mates at about 4 months, but their bodies are not actually mature until they are 6 months when their bodies can handle medications. I've already had a few eggs in my hens under 6 months. I haven't seen any eggs in my pigeons without partners, but my friend has females who are apart from the males who are laying eggs. It can vary somewhat, because of their general health, climate ...and I'm sure someone else is going to come along and say something different...?? Let's hear from more pigeon people....
> ...


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## Maddiekisses (Sep 17, 2003)

One concern is that Owl does not and will not have a mate for quite sometime. He is a single pet pigeon for now. It will be hard for me to classify his sex in regards to how he behaves around other pigeons. I guess I will have to continue to be patient. 



> Originally posted by bigbird:
> * "At what age are pigeons considered mature?" First sign of fertil eggs can be at 4 months, but 6 months would be a safer answer. This would be when I would call them mature.
> The development stages of pigeons will vary.
> As an example, I have a young bird that is 3 months old and still learning to fly. This is very slow. Other birds will be starting to fly at 6 weeks.
> ...


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Patience is the key. Owl will eventually tell you. I've had two different singles that lived in the house as pets. With the first pigeon, I called it "he" until the day "he" laid an egg, at which point I realized I'd been wrong. My second house pigeon, a fantail, was only six weeks old when I got him. At the tender age of two months he started puffing out his chest, cooing and attempting to mate my feet! So I knew he was a boy. 

I've noticed quite a range in our young pigeons in the loft. Some of the boys act like boys as young as two months. With other, calmer males, I haven't been sure of their sex until they were about five months old. And some of my young hens have been feisty enough that I thought they were males until they paired off and laid eggs.


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## Maddiekisses (Sep 17, 2003)

Yes, I realize that patience is the key. The problem is patience has never been one of my strong points. I enjoyed your stories. Thanks for sharing them! I also call Owl a 'he' even though I really don't have any idea for sure. At first my husband thoght Owl was a 'he', but now he has decided that 'only a girl would have that attitude!'.









One problem is that I don't really know what age Owl is. From my figuring I would guess he is close to 2 months. He can fly, but does not coo yet. He has only a very few tiny baby feathers left and I don't think he is going to get much bigger. He had a big growth spurt, but that seems to be over now. Of course, I could be wrong. I'll be sure to let everyone know when I find out though!



> Originally posted by Birdmom4ever:
> *Patience is the key. Owl will eventually tell you. I've had two different singles that lived in the house as pets. With the first pigeon, I called it "he" until the day "he" laid an egg, at which point I realized I'd been wrong. My second house pigeon, a fantail, was only six weeks old when I got him. At the tender age of two months he started puffing out his chest, cooing and attempting to mate my feet! So I knew he was a boy.
> 
> I've noticed quite a range in our young pigeons in the loft. Some of the boys act like boys as young as two months. With other, calmer males, I haven't been sure of their sex until they were about five months old. And some of my young hens have been feisty enough that I thought they were males until they paired off and laid eggs. *


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi again,

Yes, by "vocal" I mean cooing. That squeeking ends up sounding "hoarse" and then they get their cooing sound. I've been able to see my males early on as they are aggressive, however I do have a female named "Anthony", A male I named "Haley" that I had to change to "Hamilton", he was the runt of a liter and grew up much slower than the nest mate. LOL...

I have females that laid eggs before 6 months
but I live in a very climate!

Relax and really enjoy Owls youth, they are so cute and cuddly at that age. I'd say Owl is about 6 weeks? perhaps? Treesa


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

I'm with you, Treesa. If he's still using his baby voice, he must be under two months.


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## Maddiekisses (Sep 17, 2003)

Owl doesn't coo at all. I did notice the other day that his squawking sounded a little hoarse, but it only lasted for a second. Since then it has sounded the same. So I am still waiting. 

When you say aggressive what behavior are you describing? Owl squawks and likes to chew on my fingers. He gets excited and he lifts his wings up and down real fast. The wings are not open so it looks kind of like he's shrugging. Did that make sense? The only thing I would call aggressive, and it's not really, is that if one of the dogs gets too close he'll peck and sort of hiss at them. He can fly very well too! We did end up clipping his wings because if we didn't he was going to cause himself some harm. He had flown into the sliding glass doors a few times and always headed right for the stove. Clipping his wings was done out of necessity. He is an indoor bird now. I do take him outside, but he is ALWAYS with me. There's no way anyone/thing can get him. You figure he's around 6 weeks? I had figured maybe he was closer to 2 months. 6 weeks and 2 months are pretty close though!

Ahh, you live in FL. I am from FL, but live in California now. 

I am good on Owl's name. I figure the name 'Owl' can suit a male or a female. I do have some other names picked out already for future pigeons!









Thanks again!



> Originally posted by Trees Gray:
> *Hi again,
> 
> Yes, by "vocal" I mean cooing. That squeeking ends up sounding "hoarse" and then they get their cooing sound. I've been able to see my males early on as they are aggressive, however I do have a female named "Anthony", A male I named "Haley" that I had to change to "Hamilton", he was the runt of a liter and grew up much slower than the nest mate. LOL...
> ...


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## Maddiekisses (Sep 17, 2003)

Okay, so both you and Treesa figure he's about 6 weeks. I had thought he might be closer to 2 months, but that's not a very big discrepancy. 



> Originally posted by Birdmom4ever:
> *I'm with you, Treesa. If he's still using his baby voice, he must be under two months.*


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

By aggressive, I mean chasing away other pigeons when he is eating, or pecking at the other birds, trying to be bossy.
When Owl lifts his wings up and down real fast that is a stretching exercise. Have you seen him stretch one wing and one leg, out, llike a ballarina? That is also an excercise of some sort to keep them fit.
He does sound aggressive around the dog.
Treesa


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## Maddiekisses (Sep 17, 2003)

Since Owl isn't around other pigeons, or birds of any kind, I couldn't say if he acts aggressive or not. He is only around me, my husband, the dogs, and whoever else happens to be here. Oh, yes, he does all sorts of stretching. I've seen the 'ballerina' move many times. I never thought of his hissing at the dogs as aggressive. It mainly seems like he is telling them to just not get too close. He never goes out of his way to hiss at them. He only does it if they get too close.

As always, thanks!



> Originally posted by Trees Gray:
> *By aggressive, I mean chasing away other pigeons when he is eating, or pecking at the other birds, trying to be bossy.
> When Owl lifts his wings up and down real fast that is a stretching exercise. Have you seen him stretch one wing and one leg, out, llike a ballarina? That is also an excercise of some sort to keep them fit.
> He does sound aggressive around the dog.
> ...


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