# Will pigeons pair female + female?



## Avalona Birdy

Of the three pigeons that I had in one enclosure, I only knew that one was female. Now, the other two seem to have paired up......and they laid an egg. I have no idea which one laid it, but that means that one has to be female. I was under the impression that all of the pigeons in that section were female, however. Will they Pair female-and-female, nest, and lay eggs, or does there have to be a male? I hope I have an honest-to-goodness pair, not just a couple of broody females.


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## Lovebirds

Avalona Birdy said:


> Of the three pigeons that I had in one enclosure, I only knew that one was female. Now, the other two seem to have paired up......and they laid an egg. I have no idea which one laid it, but that means that one has to be female. I was under the impression that all of the pigeons in that section were female, however. Will they Pair female-and-female, nest, and lay eggs, or does there have to be a male? I hope I have an honest-to-goodness pair, not just a couple of broody females.



If you are not sure about thier sex, give it a few days. If there is really two females, you'll wind up with 4 eggs. My hens do it all the time.......year round when they are not with thier cock bird mate. They will build a nest, take turns sitting on the eggs just like a "regular" couple would.  So, you don't have to have a male to get eggs, but abviously you must have one to get babies...........


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## Avalona Birdy

Lovebirds said:


> If you are not sure about thier sex, give it a few days. If there is really two females, you'll wind up with 4 eggs. My hens do it all the time.......year round when they are not with thier cock bird mate. They will build a nest, take turns sitting on the eggs just like a "regular" couple would.  So, you don't have to have a male to get eggs, but abviously you must have one to get babies...........


 Okay......Then in four days, I ought to know. I knew that chickens didn't have to have a mate, but I didn't know how picky pigeons were. Do you have any idea why they do that, anyway? Don't they know that it is a waste of time and calcium? o.o


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## mr squeaks

Lovebirds said:


> If you are not sure about thier sex, give it a few days. If there is really two females, you'll wind up with 4 eggs. My hens do it all the time.......year round when they are not with thier cock bird mate. They will build a nest, take turns sitting on the eggs just like a "regular" couple would.  *So, you don't have to have a male to get eggs, but abviously you must have one to get babies*...........


UNLESS you have the FIRST PIGEON "VIRGIN" BIRTH!  

In which case, we inquiring minds SURE want to know!!


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## Avalona Birdy

mr squeaks said:


> UNLESS you have the FIRST PIGEON "VIRGIN" BIRTH!
> 
> In which case, we inquiring minds SURE want to know!!


 OMG that would be......like.......THE JESUS CHRIST OF PIGEONS! O.O You would have to bring him presents and stuff!


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## Lovebirds

Avalona Birdy said:


> Okay......Then in four days, I ought to know. I knew that chickens didn't have to have a mate, but I didn't know how picky pigeons were. Do you have any idea why they do that, anyway? Don't they know that it is a waste of time and calcium? o.o



Unfortunately, no, they don't know it's a waste of time. Sure wish they did. And I'll tell you this, once they start, they don't stop. Just let them sit if that's what they want to do, as long as they will sit.


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## mr squeaks

Avalona Birdy said:


> OMG that would be......like.......THE JESUS CHRIST OF PIGEONS! O.O *You would have to bring him presents and stuff!*


Actually, only special seeds like Safflower, Sunflower, Hemp...maybe some raw unsalted peanuts!  

Sure beats EXPENSIVE Frankincense and Myrrh! Give 'em seeds any day! 

BTW, just to let you know, Mr. Squeaks, a MALE (all the way!), sits on his wooden dummy egg every time he goes back in his home. He would sit 24/7, or so it seems, IF I didn't pry him out to eat and exercise. He WILL sit and eat from his "nest" when I give him his snack of Song Bird Seeds.


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## mr squeaks

little bird said:


> Yeah!! Gold...diamonds...silver....fancy computers with all the accessories, you know, simple stuff like that!!!!


Uh - Nona - we're talking about PIGEONS! THOSE goodies would be for OWNER!  

However, AV, IF you did have THE birth, I bet you WOULD be getting gold and silver!!


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## Avalona Birdy

little bird said:


> Yeah!! Gold...diamonds...silver....fancy computers with all the accessories, you know, simple stuff like that!!!!


 Oh, yeah....the Jesus Christ of pigeons should love that........


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## Avalona Birdy

Lovebirds said:


> Unfortunately, no, they don't know it's a waste of time. Sure wish they did. And I'll tell you this, once they start, they don't stop. Just let them sit if that's what they want to do, as long as they will sit.


 I have that problem CONSTANTLY with my ringneck doves. >.< They just won't stop, and that ruins EVERYTHING. Eggs in clutches of more than three normally won't hatch. (That's because they can't cover that many, though)


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## Avalona Birdy

mr squeaks said:


> Actually, only special seeds like Safflower, Sunflower, Hemp...maybe some raw unsalted peanuts!
> 
> Sure beats EXPENSIVE Frankincense and Myrrh! Give 'em seeds any day!
> 
> BTW, just to let you know, Mr. Squeaks, a MALE (all the way!), sits on his wooden dummy egg every time he goes back in his home. He would sit 24/7, or so it seems, IF I didn't pry him out to eat and exercise. He WILL sit and eat from his "nest" when I give him his snack of Song Bird Seeds.


 Yes indeed! I used to make things on holidays for my birds, like pick out the specials and give them to them.......or extra bread, or getting to walk around in the house.........


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## Avalona Birdy

Really, I doubt that they will hatch anything even if they are fertile........my pigeons have a habit of just sitting BY the eggs, instead of ON them. I reaaaaally want to hatch some little pijjies, but I just don't have any luck.


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## mr squeaks

Avalona Birdy said:


> Really, I doubt that they will hatch anything even if they are fertile........my pigeons have a habit of just sitting BY the eggs, instead of ON them. I reaaaaally want to hatch some little pijjies, but I just don't have any luck.



Sometimes, I have heard, that "inexperienced" or young parents don't do well (or get it right) at first. 

Of course, you might wish to take a "turn."  The member who would be the expert in that area is Phil (pdpbison), a.k.a. Dr. Doolittle. This site has all kinds of talented members!


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## pdpbison

Hi ab, 

Sometimes two females will pair up, but the only times I have seen this was where they were quite young still and a little confused with the newness of these feelings and urges.

Sometimes I'd have two females make-a-nest and lay four Eggs and sit them, and of course the Eggs were all infertile.

Anyway, in the occasions I have seen, after a while they realize they had been a little percipitous or confused and they find male-mates and lay fertile Eggs and raise Babys and so on...

Best wishes!

Phil
Las Vegas


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## pdpbison

mr squeaks said:


> UNLESS you have the FIRST PIGEON "VIRGIN" BIRTH!
> 
> In which case, we inquiring minds SURE want to know!!


Can I be one of the 'Three Wise Men' who come 'from the East'?

I can always deteur if it is East of here you know...and I have Myrh and Frankincense and other cool stuff I could bring...!


Phil
lasvegas


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## Skyeking

Avalona Birdy said:


> Okay......Then in four days, I ought to know. I knew that chickens didn't have to have a mate, but I didn't know how picky pigeons were. * Do you have any idea why they do that, anyway? Don't they know that it is a waste of time and calcium? o.o*




It is just a natural insiinct/desire for them to hatch babies, and raise them, I had young hens that also became confused, until themale pigeons were introduced to them.

They really don't know the eggs are not fertile, but keeping them laying on these eggs as long as possible, and switching them with dummy eggs, will help them maintain their calcium reserves. Don't forget to give them plenty of calcium grit too.


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## Avalona Birdy

Well, my doves have tons of eggs under them all the time...but that's just because the male doves has QUITE a harem, and they like sharing a nest. 

I can't tell yet whether I have two females yet, because it hasn't been four days....should i leave the eggs there even if they are all female?


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## Lovebirds

Avalona Birdy said:


> Well, my doves have tons of eggs under them all the time...but that's just because the male doves has QUITE a harem, and they like sharing a nest.
> 
> I can't tell yet whether I have two females yet, because it hasn't been four days....should i leave the eggs there even if they are all female?


I would replace them with dummy eggs and yes, let them sit as long as they want to. If not, they will just lay again and again.


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## Avalona Birdy

Lovebirds said:


> I would replace them with dummy eggs and yes, let them sit as long as they want to. If not, they will just lay again and again.


 Oh, yeah, that wouldn't be good. Too much calcium output.


Sure! You could be one of the Wise Men! You can bring all that great stuff and We'll make him smell good for the ladies when he gets older!


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## Avalona Birdy

Phoo. There are more than two eggs. I suppose I ought to go to the shop and find a nice male in the spring, then....


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## Lovebirds

So, you've got a male and two females??


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## mr squeaks

pdpbison said:


> Can I be one of the 'Three Wise Men' who come 'from the East'?
> 
> I can always deteur if it is East of here you know...and I have Myrh and Frankincense and other cool stuff I could bring...!
> 
> 
> Phil
> lasvegas


Oh, I'm SURE, then, that you would be MOST welcomed - ESPECIALLY if you are bringing "other" goodies!  

Wear a robe so all will know you!


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## alaska

I have a pair of hens that have mated together, this was due to the fact that every other pigeon had already mated up evenly and they were two extra hens that were of the same approximate age.
Indeed they do get all clucking and preen each other and behave like a 'normal' pair of pigeons, then go about laying their four eggs, which they then go about sitting on and defending (quite vigorously).
The funny thing was after these two paired up I had two further babies, one of them being a male and neither of them were interested in him or had any change in behaviour. To them, they are mated and love each other, which keeps them happy and they get twice as many eggs to sit on and be happy, so I say why not 
Regards
Alaska


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