# proper pigeon introductions



## gingerpoo (Jul 31, 2008)

So my hen is about 9 now and think she may be done laying eggs as she didnt lay any this last year.
I have a male the same age but he's always been very aggressive to her, so I previously kept them seperate and it was a pain to always give them turns out. I purchased a female capuchine to be her buddy, she's beautiful but shy. Ginger was more dominant at first but that waned.

I thought the male was beating her up because she wouldnt pair because she was paired to me instead- but I have since left and my mother has continued their care for the past two years- but still Ginger seems different, and on my visits home twice a year she is happy as a clam sitting on the back of the couch and giving kisses and begs to have her head scratched
Before I left for Southern California I finally made the connection for why my male was so aggressive- a squeaky toy he was infatuated and paired with, I took it away and he stopped attacking Ginger, and I could let them all out, and the three lived somewhat peacefully with some mild aggression from the male and then the capuchine hen. The cap was in love with the male, who followed Ginger around although she was uninterested. Male then paired with the female Cap instead. 
My question is that it seems like Ginger isn't interested and/or she's getting beat up- I was thinking about trying to introduce a different male to her- side by side in a cage for a little while. She's been the odd one out for a long time- and even when I move them south I will not have the same time I did as a kid, and I'd like for her to have some companionship- but i am worried that it will not take.

Any suggestions on introducing a male to pair? or should I just get another female? I wish I could get rid of the feral male but he is such a jerk, and feel like having only females would upset the balance? are all male pigeons jerks?
I hand raised my male as a baby brought to me by a man who found him hanging from a piece of string in a warehouse- maybe he had trauma from the experience that has stuck with him?


----------



## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

Well, something I read about that might help is to separate the hen for 3 days in solitary confinement. She shouldn't see/hear another pigeon for those 3 days but should have enough room that is required per pigeon. On the 4th day, if you could somehow cage the hen and cock separately but also make sure they can see each other will help them both. (A lot of people use breeding cages that can be separated in two, one side for the male, and the other for the female). Do this for a day or two, and on the 5th or 6th day, take out whatever is separating them and that should be a more gradual and peaceful introduction. 

I've tried it before and it worked! Only thing is, I haven't had a hen that was so stubborn to not pair up with a cock that I had to put her into solitary confinement before introducing her to the cock. That is just something I read about on PT not too long ago and it seemed to work.


Good luck!


----------

