# You think I should hybrid a white ring-neck dove and white homing pigeon



## andrew2004gto (Mar 9, 2011)

Ok I have 5 male ring-neck doves,(yea I know only had 2 males and a female, and two mated and left me with 4 more males, but the female passed away.) So now when you have all males they just keep trying to mate with each other all the time. I have like 12 pigeons in a chicken coop with my chickens, and 1 female white homing pigeon. 

So question is you think they would mate with her, she already has a male pigeon as a mate but every-time they hatch their eggs they some reason quit taking care of them and they die. I know hybrids will be sterile. You think they would look cool otherwise.

Otherwise does anyone want any male ringneck doves or trade for a female or maybe buy a female from anyone.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I think they would pair up if they were alone together after they got used to each other.. being the pigeon is the hen and the dove is the cock...the otherway around I think a cock pigeon is too agressive for a female ring neck dove. The thing is what would be the point except of just wondering...the offspring if there were any would be sterile most likely and need a forever home as it may be hard to find homes for them.

The problem with them not taking care of their babies could be the chickens are disrupting things..and I would not breed pigeons in a coop with chickens..they would just peck them as they(chickens) are bug eaters and even will go after small animals and reptiles if given the chance.. pigeons are grain eaters and can get hurt by a chicken..plus chickens can harbor diseases that can be transferd to pigeons and affect them and make them ill. But with this said there will be some who keep them together and say they have no problems.. but I have heard of more problems than nonproblems when keeping pigeons with chickens.


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## andrew2004gto (Mar 9, 2011)

My coop goes 9 feet up and have areas where the chickens can't get to, and I seen them all to be nice to each other, I have had other pigeons have babies 2 feet from the ground and they grew up, also problem is I'm from Nebraska and its like 15 right now so that proudly the problem, I wish they wouldn't lay eggs in winter but they do I got currently one 3 week old pigeon and 2 about a week old and another with eggs.

Anyway about the dove/pigeon I'm going try to see if they would breed but probably do one set of them, Where I keep my doves are 3 in the house and 3 in that garage with a heat lamp.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

Hey, Yea it will work, I would love to see the hybrids when you get some, Like spirit wings has said they will be sterile, but you know that by the looks of things.

I see the point, It sounds like fun. I tried crossing a pigeon with a bronzewing dove, As I only had a hen dove and male pigeon it did not work so I gave up but I have heard of lots of people putting the hen pigeon to the cock dove and it works well as Spirit wings has said already.


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## andrew2004gto (Mar 9, 2011)

Yea I'm just curious what they hybrids will look like , It might take a couple months, plus them growing up could take a while but if I'm successful I'll put up pics.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

andrew2004gto said:


> My coop goes 9 feet up and have areas where the chickens can't get to, and I seen them all to be nice to each other, I have had other pigeons have babies 2 feet from the ground and they grew up, also problem is I'm from Nebraska and its like 15 right now so that proudly the problem, I wish they wouldn't lay eggs in winter but they do I got currently one 3 week old pigeon and 2 about a week old and another with eggs.
> 
> Anyway about the dove/pigeon I'm going try to see if they would breed but probably do one set of them, Where I keep my doves are 3 in the house and 3 in that garage with a heat lamp.


You really should use fake eggs.


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## andrew2004gto (Mar 9, 2011)

Yea I know I but OK I put the pigeon with an aggressive male, and the dove and the pigeon are like beating the **** out of each other, and basically the pigeon is winning, but the dove will not give up just keeps going after her, and then she starts cooling Idk, take the aggressive one out, cause i'm afraid she would kill him.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

andrew2004gto said:


> Yea I know I but OK I put the pigeon with an aggressive male, and the dove and the pigeon are like beating the **** out of each other, and basically the pigeon is winning, but the dove will not give up just keeps going after her, and then she starts cooling Idk, take the aggressive one out, cause i'm afraid she would kill him.


yes take him out.. they have to be introduced slowley.. like each in their own cage next to each other..if you want to let them out together do it in a neutral place with room so they don't have a need to fight.


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## andrew2004gto (Mar 9, 2011)

I used a different male not as aggressive, but she just don't seem interested, if he comes by her, she pecks at him, I put a nice nest in there the males going in it and cooing.

I'll give it some time.

But question how would each of them know they can mate when they make different coos? Like how is the male to attract the female when she doesn't understands his mating gestures.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

andrew2004gto said:


> I used a different male not as aggressive, but she just don't seem interested, if he comes by her, she pecks at him, I put a nice nest in there the males going in it and cooing.
> 
> I'll give it some time.
> 
> But question how would each of them know they can mate when they make different coos? Like how is the male to attract the female when she doesn't understands his mating gestures.


Take it slower. Put them in cages next to eachother so they get some time to get to know eachother. 

Pigeons and doves are pretty mating-driven birds. I think if the two end up getting along they'll figure it out from there.

I second that you need to use fake eggs in your loft. You will be overrun otherwise.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Foster the eggs under someone else if you can since they aren't doing a good job at raising themselves.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

andrew2004gto said:


> My coop goes 9 feet up and have areas where the chickens can't get to, and I seen them all to be nice to each other, I have had other pigeons have babies 2 feet from the ground and they grew up, also problem is I'm from Nebraska and its like 15 right now so that proudly the problem, I wish they wouldn't lay eggs in winter but they do I got currently one 3 week old pigeon and 2 about a week old and another with eggs.
> 
> Anyway about the dove/pigeon I'm going try to see if they would breed but probably do one set of them, Where I keep my doves are 3 in the house and 3 in that garage with a heat lamp.


Chickens can fly higher than that if they feel like it.

I've seen some pretty terrible wounds on doves/pigeons from chickens. I've seen awful wounds from chickens on other chickens. If possible it would be safest for you to find a way to keep the two types of birds separated. There's no way a dove or pigeon can win that fight.


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## UssChicago1 (Mar 7, 2011)

I have a Female Tangerine Ringneck dove, for $15 plus shipping, if your interested PM me for pictures.


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## andrew2004gto (Mar 9, 2011)

Well I looking for a white one, just trying to keep the same color, I have 6 males going to to give 2 to my mother in law and 1 to another person, I would try to give them away through newspaper but I'm afraid someones just going to buy them for weddings. How do you guys give your doves away knowing they get a good home? I bought my 2 of my doves from earl-may the two that mated and I bought one from hoobly.com, was told to be a female but that didn't turn out to be the case.

I bought some fake eggs on eBay for my pigeons, and the chickens I still don't see them having problems with my pigeons there are just 5 laying hens so yea.

As for pigeon and dove they are doing fine together but I still don't think they seem interested in each other. They just sit on the perch together about 8in apart. The male dove I put in there is not as aggressive and 9 months old and the aggressive one is about year and half old.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

andrew2004gto said:


> Well I looking for a white one, just trying to keep the same color, I have 6 males going to to give 2 to my mother in law and 1 to another person, I would try to give them away through newspaper but I'm afraid someones just going to buy them for weddings. How do you guys give your doves away knowing they get a good home? I bought my 2 of my doves from earl-may the two that mated and I bought one from hoobly.com, was told to be a female but that didn't turn out to be the case.
> 
> I bought some fake eggs on eBay for my pigeons, and the chickens I still don't see them having problems with my pigeons there are just 5 laying hens so yea.
> 
> As for pigeon and dove they are doing fine together but I still don't think they seem interested in each other. They just sit on the perch together about 8in apart. The male dove I put in there is not as aggressive and 9 months old and the aggressive one is about year and half old.


Give them some time and just see how it works out. Maybe provide a nest and nesting material. It can take up to 3 months for a new pair of the same species, so be patient.

I hope nothing happens to your birds because of the pigeons. I've seen some horrible wounds occur this way.


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## andrew2004gto (Mar 9, 2011)

I left a nest, and I know pigeons are tough, they been together for 4 days, I once in a while she her peck at him if he gets to close then he backs off, not like my other dove that would go after and try to attack her with his wings, but no problem with the dove with her so far.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

andrew2004gto said:


> I left a nest, and I know pigeons are tough, they been together for 4 days, I once in a while she her peck at him if he gets to close then he backs off, not like my other dove that would go after and try to attack her with his wings, but no problem with the dove with her so far.


jeez--I meant I hope nothing happens because of the pigeons. I've got the flu today--sorry for any confusion as to my meaning. (can't believe I flipped the words.)

Yeah, just give them lots of time and see what happens.


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## andrew2004gto (Mar 9, 2011)

They are doing good, the male cooing and she is less pecking now. I have seen her in the nest but usually jumps out when I go into the garage.

Also can two male ring neck doves make out, you know like beak in the other beaks mouth, haven't seen this since my female and male couple.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

andrew2004gto said:


> They are doing good, the male cooing and she is less pecking now. I have seen her in the nest but usually jumps out when I go into the garage.
> 
> Also can two male ring neck doves make out, you know like beak in the other beaks mouth, haven't seen this since my female and male couple.


Rarely you'll see "gay" male ringneck doves, but normally they just fight. A lot of times even the "gay" couples end up fighting.

So can they? Sometimes... rarely. Will they? Probably not.


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## andrew2004gto (Mar 9, 2011)

Not 100% sure if one is a male, just assumed because it does the bow coo all the time.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

andrew2004gto said:


> Not 100% sure if one is a male, just assumed because it does the bow coo all the time.


usually the bow coo is an indicator that a bird is male. however, i have heard of rare instances where hens did it.


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## andrew2004gto (Mar 9, 2011)

Yea Idk, just seems weird they do that, anyway seen your from Nebraska, so am I.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

andrew2004gto said:


> Yea Idk, just seems weird they do that, anyway seen your from Nebraska, so am I.


Cool! 

yeah, just keep on watching that the smaller ringneck doesn't get itself hurt. People have hybridized them before and I'm sure it just takes the right birds and some patience. 

(I'm also still worried about those chickens being in the same space.)


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## andrew2004gto (Mar 9, 2011)

Well an update for anyone that's interested. They been getting along quite fine, seen the male try to mate with her don't know if they have. I don't watch them very often. 

But tonight she just laid her first egg, guess I'll wait about a week and candle the eggs and see if anything is growing.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

andrew2004gto said:


> Well an update for anyone that's interested. They been getting along quite fine, seen the male try to mate with her don't know if they have. I don't watch them very often.
> 
> But tonight she just laid her first egg, guess I'll wait about a week and candle the eggs and see if anything is growing.


that is good news for sure.. I think it is good you are not hovering.. lol.. let us know what comes of it..


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## andrew2004gto (Mar 9, 2011)

Well they are not fertile, but they would make good foster parents lol, they both switch off on sitting thew eggs.


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