# can i put a dove in with my pigeons



## adamant (Apr 16, 2009)

i need to consolidate my birds. can i put the dove in with my pigeons?


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

adamant said:


> i need to consolidate my birds. can i put the dove in with my pigeons?


I don't know for sure, but I remember reading that pigeons can be a little to aggressive for doves, and shouldn't be housed together.
Wait to see what others say.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

no I would not do it, the only time it may be fine is if you have one dove and one house pigeon and they are introduced slowly, to see if they get along, sometimes they do sometime they do not...one small dove is no match with multiple pigeons and they can get bullied esp around the feeder.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

What sort of dove is it? Is it physically fit?

We have two collared doves (Poppet and Jack) in the aviary with 103 feral pigeons. The ferals soon learnt that the doves can fly rings around them and leave them alone. However, when I added a slightly disabled dove the ferals pecked her raw.

This is a video of one of our PMV survivor pigeons clumsily trying to bully a dove:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chy5UB92Gd4


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

I wouldn't put them together unless you have a _very_ large aviary with hiding places for the doves such as small trees. The only way I've seen it work is in huge aviaries. The last one I saw with doves and pigeons living together was probably 20 feet square. 

I have tried putting doves in my aviary (approx. 14' x 5') and the pigeons immediately went after them so I had to remove them. It's generally not recommended.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Bottom line, no. It HAS been done and CAN be done but probably just shouldn't be done, at least as far as I've seen from personal experience. Try making the dove his own area near the pigeons or inside their aviary but in his own enclosure. Doves and pigeons in general do not mix and it can lead to injuries and death for the doves. Good luck arranging everyone!


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## pidge-girl (Jun 10, 2009)

I have had it work, but it was because I introduced a disabled pigeon into my dove inclosure. She was a wing amputee and my other pigeons were pecking at her so I added her with my two doves (Tim and Faith) and since it was their home first, and she couldn't fly there was no bullying. but thats a special case. I wouldn't advise it for your little dove. careful with doves around chickens too if you have any. I had free flying doves outdoors and they flew into the chicken coop and two were killed by my hens. 
Good luck though  hope something works out.


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## prophecy (Jul 10, 2008)

yes, it CAN be done,but as others here have stated...its really dependant on the birds themselves and the situation. My handraised feral georgia, is currently in with my 2 tame ringneck doves.The enclosure is very large,and the two doves don't pick on georgia,and georgia pretty much stays out of the doves way.They arent best friends but they arent mortal enemies either.They just 'coexsist' and cohabitate rather than being buddies/enemies.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Recently I had a dove rescue that got out of his cage. The cage was inthe same room as the Pigeons. I had kept him separate because I was worried they would harm him. There are high places in the room, it's a big room, fun for Pigeons but it make it difficult to catch them until dark. One pigeon did peck the Dove badly, in sight and out of reach, leaving a large open wound. The Dove survived but was awful and something I don't wish to see repeated.
That's my experience and I hope it helps.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

This makes me think of an old saying my great-grandma had: "When in doubt, _don't_."


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