# Hip bone sexing.....did I do it right?



## Kimberly_CA (Jan 5, 2008)

I felt near my pigeons and doves vents. My ringneck dove coos a ton and puffs his chest (and apparently only male ringnecks do that a lot, or so I have read) so I was pretty sure he was a boy and when I checked the hip bones, yep, they meet.

Now my pigeon I wasn't sure about. She is "slighter" in her features but she still coos. My instincts say she is a she. I felt her hip bones, and they are about a half inch apart....does that mean female?

I have their cages next to eachother like yall said and he has been up against the side cooing at her all day. I decided to put them together in the huge cage with the door open for a little while (and had an eye on them constantly). The pigeon just sits there and the dove keeps going up to her and stepping back, getting close, stepping back, getting close, stepping back. For like 10 min now. (Is this anything like courting behavior?) Then he pauses and keeps cooing at her. I think he likes her. And she has not pecked him since they were in the small cage together (I really just think it was too small). I read they can interbreed (don't worry I am not going to leave them together unless they seriously court eachother) and will usually produce sterile babies (which is fine with me b/c I don't plan to get into serious breeding). Anyone do pigeon/dove hybrids? I would keep the first babie(s) and from then on I would replace the eggs with dummy ones. If the dove and pigeon court and fall in love, is it ok then to keep them together? And is there any problem in possibly letting them breed?

(sorry, I really like parenthesis  )

Sky & Fox


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Well, you could be right in your sexing of the birds, Kimberly! I'm not real good at telling by feeling the pelvic area but some experienced people are almost never wrong with this method.

There are dove/pigeon hybrids. Our very own Maryjane has some!

Dr. Wilmer Miller also documented such hybrids years ago.

Terry


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Huh...


Well, I tried it on a few of them, and, one really wants to be chummy now...


What are we looking for exactly?


Phil
l v


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## Kimberly_CA (Jan 5, 2008)

I'm confused, what that last question for me? I don't really understand? Do you mean what is hip sexing? Well the females should have separated hips so they can lay the eggs and the male should have fused hips (or at least thats what they are suppost to feel like). Turn the birds over and feel for the bones near the vents.

If thats not what ya meant, then I am still confused.

Thanks TAW  I will look for some pics...


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Kimberly, 


The quesiton was merely to anyone who felt like replying...


I was honestly not sure what I was feeling for, since far as I knew, their 'Hips' are on top of, and, on the top sides, of their Backs...or, that is where their hip sockets are anyway...so...


I will see if I can figure it out...

Possibly we are intersted in the gender respective openings of their pelvic girdles...where, the female would be equipped to pass Eggs, and, the male of course, would not be...but I am just guessing...I do not have the best mental image of their skelatons or pelvic regions...


Best wishes,


Phil
l v


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## Kimberly_CA (Jan 5, 2008)

Yeah thats what I mean, hips/pelvic area opening for the eggs. Just like we women we "graced" with wider hips


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

What you feeling of is their vent bones. That's the correct term and will clear it up for Phil.  
And yes, some people do sex a bird this way and it CAN be correct, BUT.....you have hens with what fanciers term "tight vents" and you'll have cocks with vents that are not tight, so again, a sure fire way to sex a pigeon isn't "for sure", that's for sure.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Thanks Lovebirds, 



Makes sense...


Just ended up working till bed last night, so, I will try some today and see what I can tell...


Phil
l v


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Did someone say. . .hybrids?? : p *Warms up to favorite topic* Yes, I have had some good luck in hybrids, the first pair was almost an accident, as at that time I didn't know how tough they are to produce. My first pigeon was (still is lol) Gonzo, a big black male pigeon. I knew next to nothing about pigeons at that point, and found him a female ringneck dove, Beakers, for a buddy. They mated and had a pair of hybrids, who were a beautiful pigeon/dove combo with gray feathers:










That is them with their "Aunt Pierre". Unfortunately I lost both of them to a very fast illness along with Pierre a few years after they were born. It was really sad, they were such special birds. They made the funniest sound, kind of a honking followed by "Wah wah wah" when they inhaled for the next honking coo. I had to separate Gonzo and Beakers after that, since Gonzo was a bossy big guy and was too rough to be a dove's mate. He now has a big pigeon wife. 

After that, I purposely raised what I hoped was a female pigeon and a male dove together in the same room, right after they were weaned. They are still a pair and it works out great for them. They have had one set of babies:




























Asadj is another member who has been breeding hybrids for quite some time. I don't think he is on that often, though. A female pigeon and male dove are the perfect combo rather than the other way around, as male pigeons are often just too rough on the smaller female doves. If you search for keyword "Hybrid" on this site, you should be able to find other threads about them too. Keep us posted!


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## Kimberly_CA (Jan 5, 2008)

Maryjane thank you so much for sharing! Those are all so beautiful! Especially that first set of babies! Just gorgeous, shame about the illness, so sad  I will let everyone know any progress they make. Your hybrids babies have not mated have they? It's true they are sterile, right?


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Well, I thought so too, but it turns out that they are not always 100% sterile! There is a slight chance they can breed, if I am correct I think I remember it being about a 10% chance of being fertile. Both of the first hybrids (The Monkeys, we called them) were male. Usually (not always) pigeons and doves have one female and one male. They never laid eggs and had a lot of male behaviors, they bowed up and down when they "cooed" like doves doo, but also strutted and "darth-vadered" like male pigeons. The new pair is still pretty young and haven't really exhibited signs of being male or female yet. Hopefully yours will enjoy their new nest and fall in love.


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