# My female ringneck dove won't lay eggs



## Miquiztli1 (May 28, 2017)

Good afternoon. I'm pretty new to this forum and new to owning birds. I own 2 pairs of ringneck doves and a couple of fantail pigeons that were given to me by a friend because they needed a home. My question is this : one of my pair of fantails have hit it off and are now on their second set of healthy babies. My second pair however mated repeatedly for a few weeks but now don't at all and there are no eggs to be seen. The male sits in the nest as if there are eggs and calls to the female but she refuses to get into the nest. Are some ringnecks just not meant for motherhood? They don't seem to be as affectionate as before either.


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## Miquiztli1 (May 28, 2017)

Oops! I meant one pair of my ringneck doves have hit it off. The fantails also but they're too young to mate.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Are you sure there is a male and a female? Maybe she doesn't like him. Maybe she doesn't like the nest site.


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## Miquiztli1 (May 28, 2017)

Yes I am sure they're male and female. I just switched their nest and she seems to like it a lot better! And she did seem to like him at first. They were very affectionate and were mating regularly and then it just stopped. Either way I'm okay because my other doves seem to be wonderful parents or just seems like this male is desperate for a family. He sits on the nest during his "shift" as if there were eggs. She's just not as interested. I might find him another female.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Can you post a picture of your set up?


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## Miquiztli1 (May 28, 2017)

It's in the bottom corner of their flight cage.


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## Miquiztli1 (May 28, 2017)

I had a wooden box at first. And the male made a beautiful nest. I decided to try this metal dish because it has a mesh bottom. I thought it might help keep everything dry in there. He loves it. He already rebuilt the nest.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The way you have it, they will poop into the nest bowl. And those bars are bad for their feet. Makes it easier for you to clean, then changing out the papers every day, but very uncomfortable to walk on for them. Also, you aren't showing me how large the cage is in that picture, but if you cover the end of the cage where the bowl is. The whole corner, that would give them more privacy which they do like. Would make the nest more welcoming.


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## Miquiztli1 (May 28, 2017)

The bottom of the cage has mats for them to walk on that I take out and wash. I'll cover the corner though, thanks for the input! I can move the perch.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

How do they act when on the perch together?


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## Miquiztli1 (May 28, 2017)

They used to be very affectionate, grooming each other, eating together, etc. They did the whole mating ritual where the female puts her beak in his throat, and then they would mate. She did sit in the nest a couple of times but then it randomly stopped. No more mating, no more affection, and he's the only one building and sitting in the nest. Now she pretty much ignores him except they still eat together.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Guess she just doesn't like him. Weird.


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