# Ringneck doves & eggs help?



## Crim (Apr 1, 2013)

My ringneck dove pair just laid her first eggs yesterday, The first was damaged as I didn't have a nesting box or materials in the cage because I thought they both may have been males, obviously not. I put a box and some nesting material into the cage and set the egg gently into it and went out with my family for the day. When i came home the egg was destroyed and squished all over the cage, the female laid the second egg last night and it has no damage, but the male continues to peck the egg fairly aggressively, I removed him from the cage and the female went to sit on the egg which she hadn't been before. I've tried to find anything about this but most sites say that both parents help with the incubation of the eggs and the raising of the chicks, so basically i'm wondering if anyone has experience with this and if the male is going to destroy this egg as well, or maybe it just happened because the other egg was already damaged, I'm just not sure whether to return him to the cage or keep him separated. Thanks in advance for any advice anyone can offer.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

It is hard to say why ,seperation is very stressfull for a pair, esp the cock. you would want to put him with his mate and use fake eggs for the hen to sit if he lets her..or for him to get used to and perhaps something will click oneday if you provide fake eggs for them to incubate. you would need the fake eggs anyway for hatch control if he was helping like he should. unless he is a she too and that is why "he" is not acting like he should.


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