# Can ring neck doves foster a pigeon?



## Crazybirdladie (Sep 1, 2015)

I wanted to know if anyone has used her ring that doves to foster a baby Pigeon. I wasn't sure if it would work. I have a pigeon laying eggs but not sitting on her eggs. I also have a very attentive ring neck constantly laying. Just curious if the mommy and daddy doves could feed the pigeon baby when it harched?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

They could for a while but the doves are too small to keep a big squab fed, doves fledge earlier than pigeons as well. So it's not a good idea. But I would use a pair IF there was an emergency orphan situation and help with supplementing .


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Is your pigeon pair young? So they are abandoning the eggs? Have they raised babies before?


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## RamseyRingnecks (Jun 18, 2013)

Yes. They can definitely hatch it, but not only are pigeons much bigger, they have a much higher metabolism than a dove and demand more food, so don't make the doves put in more than a week of rearing it. 

You have to be ready to pull it for hand feeding at that point, because the devoted little doves will literally work themselves to death keeping up with its needs.


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