# Will Pigeons Have Two Mates?



## ixitellyixi (May 2, 2009)

*Will Pigeons Have Two Mates? *VID PG 2**

I have 1 pigeon that is not mated up with another pigeon. Long story short but (s)he is the offspring of a pair I had. The female got caught by a dog and the male flew off when I had 4 feral pigeons show up at my place. So now I have the one offspring of that pair (plus 2 other pairs that are mated).

After watching the offspring (Little ******), I was pretty confident it was a male. The way he would peck at the other males, always flew with the other males, etc. There would be times when I was almost positive that he was strutting around and cooing and doing that whole "guy" thing that they do.

Well like a week ago, when I went in to feed them, I saw Little ****** standing near an egg. I felt it and it was cool to the touch. Now I posted a couple weeks ago about how our other 2 nesting pairs never actually hatch their eggs and after like 2 weeks push them out. So I figured this is what had happened and that was why (s)he was standing near the egg.

Anyways, tonight, going out to feed, and Little ****** is like laying DOWN in a nesting box. He usually is always on a perch. So I go over and (s)he makes that "eeeeeh" pigeon noise that I notice the females make more than the males. Doesnt get up, just stands up slightly, enough for me to see TWO eggs that (s)he is sitting! 

Now Im confused. Heres why...

When I had 3 nesting pairs, the males are always WAY nicer about looking at the eggs or what have you. They rarely peck or wing slap you. The females are always like super possessive over the nests and fluff up their feathers and wing slap you and peck at you. Little ****** didnt do anything other than make that noise (Im sure you guys know what noise it is when they seemed concerned about something).

And like when I mentioned above how I was pretty sure he was a, well, HE. Even that hard white stuff on the nose looks bigger and like the other males. 



SO kudos to whoever read that.

Heres my question:

Will a female pigeon mate with 2 males and lay eggs in 2 seperate nests? Will she let the male of one nest care for the eggs while she is taking care of the other nest and her other male? 

If not, I know it is possible Little ****** is a SHE not a he. If this is the case, will she lay false eggs? (S)he is about 10-11 months old now. Or would she mate with one of the other males in the coop, even though they are already mated? 

Is there any 100% positive way to sex the birds? We are going to be getting a mate for Little ****** here very soon and I was about to get a female for him... but obviously if he is a she.. well yes, we need to get this straightened out.

Thanks for the help


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

100% positive way... DNA test. If you live in the US, it won't be expensive. 25 bucks or something like that I think. You have to pluck some feathers or cut a toenail too short and collect the blood.
I'm guessing it's a she, though. From what I've read, females are the ones that sit at night.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

yes they can have two mates.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

They sure can

We have, or have had, a hen who was back and forth between two males, a male who had two mates (and when one died, found another to keep up the numbers), and even now a hen with two ardently wooing males who both
trot along 'driving' her on occasion, with either keeping guard on the nest. We have some quite mixed up birds 

John


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## Guest (Jan 27, 2010)

yes its true they can have two mates be it they are male or female


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

I have a bird by the name of speckles that had two mates (wives)-one a black and white mookee (sally) and another 1/2 roller and mookee by the name of (beauty). Speckles built the most beautiful nest for his 1st wife and never laid not one twig for beauty when Sally got to feeling that she needed a change she moved to the second nest in the nest box and Speckles once again made her a beautiful nest and beauty got the left over one which was still in itself a beautiful nest. I have seen Sally biting Speckles head in love making and at the same time Beauty was playing with his tail feathers---One day Sally got pissed and flew off with Race 1/2 White Owl and 1/2 Racer and they lived ever so happy and Beauty became Speckles one and only prime wife..c.hert


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Sounds like Peyton Place!


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

There can be multiple mates and also a female not paired up can still mate and lay eggs with other mated cocks, but a hen laying 2 sets of eggs in two nest boxes, I haven't seen that.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

me either unless was a lot of time between from the first batch..c.hert


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## ixitellyixi (May 2, 2009)

Ok so tonight I was watching them and Mr Boo and Roxanna were in their nest box, hanging out (yet again did not hatch their eggs and pushed them out... btw they feel hollow). LW was in the nest box next to them. 

Suddenly, LW (it?) started doing that struting and cooing and prancing around. Then s/he would stop and lean over towards Roxanna and start pecking at her (and she would peck back a few times).

LW's cooing was high pitched sounding. But s/he was doing the same prancing around I see the other males do.

Will females do this? I am so confused! 

Mr Boo did get up and go over to the edge of the nest box and started pecking at LW a few times. So I am none the wiser as to what is going.

I get the multiple mates thing but if no one has had a hen lay eggs in 2 seperate nests then that would lead me to believe LW is a female. But all the male actions like the struting and cooing makes me believe LW is a male.

I wish it was like a dog or horse, just look at the plumbing.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Don't think a bird would lay eggs in another nest. She would be too busy caring for the 2 eggs she had. I have a feeling that LW is a hen.
Some hens can be pretty aggressive.


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## Guest (Jan 28, 2010)

I think when a bird has more then one mate there is always more problems with the eggs hatching since there is always the chaos of whos doing what in the nest box ..if you can mate the odd hen out with another male it would probably be best for all in the long run .


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## ixitellyixi (May 2, 2009)

Well the issues of the eggs not hatching has been since we got the pigeons. The only eggs that hatched were the ones that LW came out of. The two white pigeons laid and hatched their first eggs (and unfortunately I no longer have LW's parents). The dark grey pigeons (2 pairs) have laid and never hatched any of their eggs.

I was in the process of getting LW a mate... but I was going to get a hen because I thought LW was a boy! Well guess I need to get a male not a female now....

Off topic but why do some of the eggs feel hollow and really light weight? The eggs LW was sitting on are heavier and feel more dense.


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## ixitellyixi (May 2, 2009)

So how about this question:

Will hens prance around doing the pigeon dance or is that strictly a male thing?


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## Gnuretiree (May 29, 2009)

I have seen hens doing a little strutting and showing off.


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## BPigeon (Jan 31, 2010)

Hello guys im new to this site. And i hope u cld tell me how to post a question.

Thnx


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Depends on why they're doing it. Females usually do it more as a warning to another bird. Not so much to show off.


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## ixitellyixi (May 2, 2009)

Here is a crappy video from my cell phone from the other day. LW is obviously the white one on the right. The grey one standing is Roxanna and if you look closely, Mr Boo is sitting on the nest.

If you turn up the volume loudly, you can here LW cooing and all. What do you think?



BTW that "humming" noise is Mr Boo on the nest. What does that mean anyways?

Also, when Mr Boo got up and stood where Roxanna was, LW started running back and forth across the nest box with his/her tail down and head down and then would start the foot prancing/circling/cooing deal.


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*hens*



Gnuretiree said:


> I have seen hens doing a little strutting and showing off.


 It may very well be that you have three hens, I have had two hens that acted like a pair but one day when there was four eggs in one nest, Well you know my ?'S where answered


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## ixitellyixi (May 2, 2009)

I know 100% positive that Mr Boo & Tito are males and that Roxanna and Madonna are females. LW is not even 1 year old yet and I am just not sure what s/he is.

Any comment on the video?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Hard to tell. I see how LW is acting, but it could be a male, or a female just giving a warning to the other bird. Have you tried to mirror test? Put up a mirror, and see if LW prances in front of it. A male will usually do this, while a female, usually pretty much ignores it. USUALLY! Let us know what happens.


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2010)

all I can tell you is this , I have had males that have paired up and have heard of many females that have paired up , I have many males with 2 females at one time and I myself have seen many of my females often act like males knowing they are females so you never can really be sure sometimes with pigeons cuz they will often surprise you know matter how much you think you know lol


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

This is quite the mystery. Now I want to know what he/she is. LOL.


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

Hi,
When I had this issue of trying to figure out the he/she thing I sent two feather off to DNAsolutions.com and had the results in less than a week! It only cost $17.50 but sure saved a lot of time and trouble of pairing up the wrong sex birds! I am getting ready to send away two feathers from the baby that hatched right after Christmas..I am betting Chickie is a girl!

But that is my suggestion...they are good and cost less than the others. Just need two breast feathers with the whole quill intact (has blood in the tip).

Good luck!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

With a name like Chickie, she'd better be a girl! LOL.


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## ixitellyixi (May 2, 2009)

A mirror eh?? This should be fun.

When I get home after work tomorrow, Ill take a mirror and see what happens. 

I am more inclided to think LW is a he just because s/he acts just like my other 2 males. Hes more laid back, doesnt spaz if I pick him up or just pet him. When the boys are sitting on their nests, I can pet them or even pick them up and they just hang out. The girls though... Lordy, they get all puffed up and give me the stink eye and slap me with their wings. LW isnt like that at all. 

Ill try the mirror and report back.. thanks for the help.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Be waiting for the results.


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