# Male viciously attacked the female



## auroraborealis (May 30, 2006)

Hello to all !

We have a pair of soon to be one year old pigeons. The female has been laying eggs since she was 6 months old and we have been replacing the eggs with dummy eggs. I noticed this month that the female was not responsive to the male's courtship ritual. Today I had this weird feeling that something was just not right and when I checked in on them this afternoon as usual, I noticed the female was wounded around the eye and on her head. We cleaned the wounds and separated the pair. We have now installed in their cage a piece of plywood that divides the cage in two sections and separates Mikko from Nascha. 

Is this a common situation ? Does this mean it is the end of them ever mating in the future ? We were planning to let the eggs hatch in August but after this terrible incident I just do not know what to think of all this and I am very worried that this could happen again.

Thank you

Susan


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Susan, 


Are you sure he did it? - and not some accident or injury caused from her getting hurt by something else?


They can fight of course, but it would be unusual I think for a mated pair to do so.


One of my 'house birds' got his upper Eye lid injured awhile back, and I sort of assumed it was from fighting with someone or other, but I do not know.

Anyway, a few days of antibiotic Eye Ointment and all was well and it healed up fine.

Do you have this kind of Ointment?


Phil
Las Vegas


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## auroraborealis (May 30, 2006)

Hello Phil !

Thank you for your reply. I noticed last month that the male was pecking the female's head but he did not draw blood and I thought it was part of a normal mating ritual. Today he did draw blood (not deep enough for a severe flow of blood). We cleaned the wound with sterile gauze and warm water. One of the wounds is very close to the eye. She can keep her eye open and as of now is resting alone and far from the bully. She ate and drank. Do you think I should use antibiotic eye treatment ?

Thank you


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, I have seen a sick female get pecked for not doing what the male thinks it should be doing. The one I had got egg-laying paralysis on the first egg and I expect she couldn't maneuver into the nest box upon return so she got pecked up pretty bad, clean to the skull. I sewed that up and gave her sanctuary in the house until the second egg passed and the paralysis finished up. She's been fine ever since.

Pidgey


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Pigeons don't usually get skin infections and so you can probably hold off on the topical ointment. 

Pidgey


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## auroraborealis (May 30, 2006)

Hello Pidgey !

Are they back together or was this the end of any future mating ?

Thank you


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Howdy!

They're back together. He's fine with her as long as she pigeon-toes the line.

Pidgey


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

auroraborealis said:


> Hello Phil !
> 
> Thank you for your reply. I noticed last month that the male was pecking the female's head but he did not draw blood and I thought it was part of a normal mating ritual. Today he did draw blood (not deep enough for a severe flow of blood). We cleaned the wound with sterile gauze and warm water. One of the wounds is very close to the eye. She can keep her eye open and as of now is resting alone and far from the bully. She ate and drank. Do you think I should use antibiotic eye treatment ?
> 
> Thank you



...a little Neosporin would be fine then, if the injury does not actually involve the Eye itself...or, just cleaning as you did is likely quite fine in itself, since, as Pidgey mentions, they do not tend to get infecitons from small injurys such as that.


Good luck...

Is she ill maybe? Or feeling 'off'?


How are her appetitie and poops and so on?



Phil
Las Vegas


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## auroraborealis (May 30, 2006)

*Update on male attack*

Hello to all and thank you for your replies

Nashcha the female is doing fine. Poops are normal and she is eating well at last without the male constantly pushing her to the nest. The area around her eye is still slightly swollen and the head wound is superficial even if he did draw blood. It was a terrible experience for me (and for her also) to find her in such a bad condition. 

They are now in separate sections of the same cage since yesterday evening and a piece of plywood was installed in between both sections. 

Is this a "normal" male aggressive behavior ? What are the possibilities this will occur again and could the male attack the eggs and or the new young if the female does not respond to him ? Until now, they were sitting on dummy eggs and we were planning to let the eggs hatch in August when both pigeons will be one year old (they started at 6 months old) but I am very worried.

Thank you all !


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

You know, I've been thinking about this..........I know that some, if not most of the folks here keep their mated birds together all the time. I wonder what size cage you have these birds in? I don't care how "in love" you are, sometimes you just get tired and need a break. My mated pairs are only together for about 3 months out of a year, so I don't have this problem. I would suspect that the hen just needed a break and the cock didn't want to give her one. If you are going to keep your bird together all the time, they should have plenty of space and the hen should have access to a small perch of some sort so that she can get away from her mate if she wants to. Also, when the cock is driving his hen, he won't let her out of his sight. They can hardly get a drink of water, and food......forget about it. I've got 4 or 5 pairs of young birds sitting on eggs. As soon as I see the cock actively pursueing the hen, I put a bowl of food right by the nest bowl, in their box. The cock wants his hen in her box where no other birds can get to her and they are pretty adamant about this. As soon as the hen goes to her box, everything is fine. I love my pigeons and I know they are doing what is natural for them. I feel sorry for the hens sometimes. If my husband acted like these cock birds, I'd kill him!!


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Lovebirds said:


> You know, I've been thinking about this..........I know that some, if not most of the folks here keep their mated birds together all the time. I wonder what size cage you have these birds in? *I don't care how "in love" you are, sometimes you just get tired and need a break.* My mated pairs are only together for about 3 months out of a year, so I don't have this problem. I would suspect that the hen just needed a break and the cock didn't want to give her one. If you are going to keep your bird together all the time, they should have plenty of space and the hen should have access to a small perch of some sort so that she can get away from her mate if she wants to. Also, when the cock is driving his hen, he won't let her out of his sight. They can hardly get a drink of water, and food......forget about it. I've got 4 or 5 pairs of young birds sitting on eggs. As soon as I see the cock actively pursueing the hen, I put a bowl of food right by the nest bowl, in their box. The cock wants his hen in her box where no other birds can get to her and they are pretty adamant about this. As soon as the hen goes to her box, everything is fine. I love my pigeons and I know they are doing what is natural for them. I feel sorry for the hens sometimes.* If my husband acted like these cock birds, I'd kill him!!*



Renee, your post made me laugh.....you said a mouthful! LOL

Linda


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## auroraborealis (May 30, 2006)

Hello again !

The cage measures 2 feet high X 20 inches deep X almost 4 feet long. 

Thank you all for your replies.

Susan


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Lol...


I think ideally, mated pairs should be free-range and not caged. Indoor free-range is fine of course for one's 'House Birds' or as may be.


This way, they happily elect their Nest location, and elect their nesting materials from whatever is available or casually provided ( you know, you Car Keys, Ear Rings whatever ) , and they can fly and get excercise indoors and so on, bathe, goof around...

The feed-and-water close TO the Nest of course is a nice thing to provide, and will eliminate or reduce those 'driving' episodes during early incubation or pre-laying times when the male is all wound up with the spirit of the endevor, and the hen is lable to have her calm practical interests interfered with by his enthusiasms.


When I see the male driving the hen, in the wild/feral flock, or in here, I usually scold him and say, "Why don't YOU go sit on the Nest bub! If it is THAT important to you!"


Lol...


Phil
Las Vegas


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Lin Hansen said:


> Renee, your post made me laugh.....you said a mouthful! LOL
> 
> Linda


Women have come a LONG way over the years!

Maybe it's time for the HENS to PROTEST! RALLY! Don't take the abuse any more! Let 'em have it right back! Stay out late! Let the MALE sit on the eggs ALL the time! Take a BREAK! Visit other hens! REVOLUTION!! Start a HEN SPP CHAPTER! Talk to UNIE (what Pidgey doesn't know won't hurt him!)

Tell those abusive males that you won't take it any more!! PECK PECK...TAKE THAT!  

Shi
Pijie Hen Human Rep


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Lovebirds said:


> ...If you are going to keep your bird together all the time, they should have plenty of space and the hen should have access to a small perch of some sort so that she can get away from her mate if she wants to.... As soon as I see the cock actively pursueing the hen, I put a bowl of food right by the nest bowl, in their box....


Renee, thanks for some very useful suggestions! When we designed our coop, we built 3 nextboxes, but no spare perches. When Grace wants some time away from Walter, she will fly up to a little work shelf. KD has also used that space. Still trying to figure out how to add a few perches for the hens. In the meantime, I'll add food and water inside the nest box.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Renee,

I totally agree with you, everyone needs space and time from each other. I so wish I had seperated mine when we first got our birds, but no one told us to. They have been together too long to seperate, however, giving the hens an area where they have some time away is the next best plan.

My hen, Timbelina, recently was not acting her usual active self, not unusually noticeable, but I could see she was off. I picked her up and noticed she had lost weight. I had to give her a break from the male "driving" her, I thought she was sick, but after a few days of rehab and lots to eat, she is fine. Its amazing what time away will do.


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## auroraborealis (May 30, 2006)

Hello to all !

Nascha is doing well and hopefully will gain some weight. I also noticed that she got quite thin this last month. The wounds are slowly healing. I am still worried by the thought that he could have blinded her because the wounds are close to her eye and also on the side and on the top of her head. Strangely enough she sometimes does some cooing ! Is this "I am free at last?" or does she miss Mr Nasty ?

The male and female can not see each other. How long should this separation last ? I know that she has to be in top shape before I put her back with Mikko the male. Also how often and when is it separate bed week, month ? 
This is their first "sleep on the couch" experience and they will be one year old in August.

Thank you all


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

auroraborealis said:


> Hello to all !
> 
> Nascha is doing well and hopefully will gain some weight. I also noticed that she got quite thin this last month. The wounds are slowly healing. I am still worried by the thought that he could have blinded her because the wounds are close to her eye and also on the side and on the top of her head. Strangely enough she sometimes does some cooing ! Is this "I am free at last?" or does she miss Mr Nasty ?
> 
> ...


Well, I know your situation is different than mine. I race my birds. And I BREED race birds. So, my racers are only together for the 8 weeks that we race and long enough before we start racing to raise one round of youngsters. So, out of a year, they are together for about 4 or 4 1/2 months. The rest of the time they are separated. The same for my breeders. They are together long enough to raise my young birds for the year, then separated. Again, maybe 5 months out of the year. 
I know your birds are pets, so you can basically do whatever you want to. I think the "being together" is not the problem. I think it's more of a space issue. 
Many times when my birds are together, the hen will be out in the aviary and the cock on a perch inside, or vice versa. They don't have to be constantly with each other, but in a 4ft space, the don't have much choice. 
If you need to or want to separate them, I'd put them on some sort of schedule. Maybe a month together and two separated or some version of that.


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