# why dont my doves go to bed in the dovecote?



## Doves in the city (May 20, 2009)

Hello
I have three doves that have been in their new home for a week. 
They prefer to sleep on the perch underneath the dovecote. I place them everynight in the holes, but they never want to go back in the next night. 
Can someone please tell me what to do?

Many thanks 

Andy


----------



## tuxedobaby (Sep 9, 2008)

is the dovecote new? pigeons and doves take a bit time to adjust to new objects,surroundings etc,just give it time,they will soon suss it out,some of my flock took over 1 week to use a feeding station and also the wall rest we built,it was just because it was unfamiliar


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

andyO said:


> Hello
> I have three doves that have been in their new home for a week.
> They prefer to sleep on the perch underneath the dovecote. I place them everynight in the holes, but they never want to go back in the next night.
> Can someone please tell me what to do?
> ...


Well, when I add pigeons to the loft, even if I were to place them in a nestbox, they wouldn't stay in there. They would be spending the night out on one of the perches. They usually prefer to perch out on a perch, unless mated, and building a nest. Once they mate and start a nest, they of course, want a box. Even then, most of the cocks will still go to the perches at night, while the hen stays in the box. I have had a couple of cocks who took over a nestbox, and stay there to guard it, until he finds a mate to keep in there. Then he normally will go to the perches at night. When you place them in the dove cote at night, do they stay in there all night? I don't know, but I think this is normal. They just don't want to stay in the cote. Are any of them a pair?


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

tuxedobaby said:


> is the dovecote new? pigeons and doves take a bit time to adjust to new objects,surroundings etc,just give it time,they will soon suss it out,some of my flock took over 1 week to use a feeding station and also the wall rest we built,it was just because it was unfamiliar


It's not that the dovecote is new. The birds are new. So it isn't familiar to them. And they may just prefer to be outside on a perch.


----------



## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Maybe they don't like the dovecote? They might not feel safe so they choose the perches. That way they can escape fast if they want to. Give it time. Once they start breeding, they will look for box holes to go in. Your dovecote boxes might get a chance after that.

Funny thing happened to my loft long ago when I was trying to resettle a hen. That hen went to my neighbor's roof and went down to those small bird houses. It stayed there for 1 hour trying to get in. Obviously it was too small because it was a bird house for smaller birds like sparrows, wren, etc. After that incident I built a nest box and sure enough that hen took it.


----------



## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

After they choose mates they will likely move right in.


----------



## canfordpigeons (May 25, 2009)

yeah just give them time


----------

