# New Dove owner



## ipbr21054 (Aug 27, 2012)

My neighbour has bought my partner 2 doves for her birthday.
We have a dove cote and i have built a run which adjoins the DC.
The person the doves were purchased from said they were about1 year old.
Can you advise how long i would need to keep them in the cote/run before i let open the door.
I was told 6 weeks but asking somebody in the know is best i think.
They can see the cote no problem from inside the run.
They have fresh food & water each day.
Any other advice in respect of letting them out for the first time when suitable would be good.
Thanks


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

Welcome to PT.


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## DeeDee's Mom (Dec 17, 2011)

From what I understand, you should NOT let them out. Ever. They don't have the same "homing" sense that homing pigeons do, and might simply fly away and not come back. Plus, they would be at risk from predators.

Someone else may have other opinions on that. I think one or two other people do let their doves out, but I may be wrong.


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## LuaMoon (Feb 22, 2012)

I agree, I would not let my ringneck doves outside. They don't have the same common sense and street smarts that pigeons do.


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## Lefty07 (Dec 30, 2009)

*Dove versus Pigeon - clarification*

I _think_ ipbr21054 means he/she has pigeons. In the UK, they frequently refer to pigeons as "doves". In the U.S., a "dove" (in pet circles) generally means a Ringneck or Diamond Dove. But technically, a pigeon is also known as a "Rock Dove" so it gets confusing!

White and Ringneck Doves should never be released because they have very poor homing and survival instincts. But if ipbr21054 means pigeons, many pigeon varieties do well at liberty. But unfortunately, I only know about Ringneck and Diamond Doves so I cannot offer any advice!


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

Doves do not have homing instincts.


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## ipbr21054 (Aug 27, 2012)

Hi
What i have are called Fantail Doves or so i have been told.
They are pure white.

I see others sat on roof tops near where a dove cote can be seen.
Yes i am in the uk.


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## ipbr21054 (Aug 27, 2012)

Here is a photo of them if you can identify them for me.
I have read that Fantail have no homing instinct so will not fly back.
I have read the Rock doves will fly back.

Do i have Rock Doves or Fantail ???


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## Lefty07 (Dec 30, 2009)

*Fantails*

Yes to both questions. You have Fantails, which _are_ a domesticated variety of Rock Dove (or what we in the US would call Fantail Pigeons). I was under the impression that Fantail Pigeons could be released and would stay near home. How that is done, I don't know. Maybe you should re-post the question on one of the other sub-forums where the people might be more knowledgable?


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## ipbr21054 (Aug 27, 2012)

Hi
I wrote the following,,
I have read that Fantail have no homing instinct so will not fly back.
You replied YES.

You then say,,
So they should be releaseable and they should know how to re-home

I am confused now as both contradict each other.


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## Lefty07 (Dec 30, 2009)

*Sorry!*

Sorry if I sounded contractory! I am 100% sure Fantails _are_ Rock Doves (also known as Domestic Pigeons) but _less sure _about their releasability. I _thought_, from what I'd heard, that they were releasable and would stay near home - but I am not a pigeon expert. You do, of course, run the risk of hawks attacking your birds if released, if even if they know to stay near home.

I would re-post your question, with the photo of the birds, in one of the sections under "Fancier Forums", like "Breeds Information & Indentification" or "Training and Behavior". You will get more replies from people who really know Fantails and know about free-flying pigeons. This section is read more by people, like myself, that have individual pigeons or doves as house pets and we tend not to know much about free-flying birds.

This link might be helpful: http://rupert-fish.co.uk/fantail-dove-pigeon/


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## ipbr21054 (Aug 27, 2012)

Ok
I will read the page in question.
I replied to your post as it did not add up.
I see an edit has been made,so that explains the later reply.

Thanks


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

garden fantails in the UK are for dovecotes... usually they put a net over the cote to keep the birds in for a month or more..feed and water under the net and then one day lift the net and they should call their cote home. and they do call them doves in the UK even though they are pigeons.


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

Your fantails are different than the type of dove I thought you were asking about.I have ringneck doves which I know do not have good homing instincts.By the way your fantails are beautiful.spirit wings knows more about your fantails than I do.


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## ipbr21054 (Aug 27, 2012)

What i am trying to find out first is,are my doves shown Fantails or not ?

In the uk Fantails will not return.


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## Lefty07 (Dec 30, 2009)

*???*

"_What i am trying to find out first is,are my doves shown Fantails or not ?_"

Can't you just ask the people you got them from?


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