What is this strange behavior?

[dorion]

I am at a loss and hope someone has an answer. I have a mated pair of pigeons who live in a loft with 2 of their babies who are now 7 1/2 weeks old. They also have new babies who are 2 weeks old and are being wonderful parents. Last night, the mom and dad and 2 youngsters settled in on a ledge at the back of my house, and were still there after dark. I got up on a ladder, picked them up and put them in the loft. I thought that maybe something scared them and they were afraid to fly. Tonight, just the mom and dad did the same thing. (the other 2 went into the loft before dark). I again got them and brought them inside. I would think they would want to be with the babies. The mother pigeon has been sleeping in the nest with them, and went into the nest when I brought them in last night. Has anyone ever heard of this kind of behavior?

[Jay3]

How big is your loft? Maybe they are going to start a new nest and are trying to get away from the babies.

[dorion]

Hi Jay, the loft is huge. They started the second nest while the first babies were still being fed. They had both nests going at once. There's plenty of room. The dad hasn't been collecting sticks like he usually does, although he has been doing that circling behavior in the same spot where they had the first nest, and lots of cooing.

[Jay3]

They are probably getting ready to start a new nest. If you don't buy some wooden eggs and switch them out with the eggs they lay, you are going to be crowded with pigeons before too long.

[dorion]

I had lost a couple to a hawk, so I let them have babies. I was planning to replace the eggs with fake ones the next time around. Thanks.

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by dorion

I am at a loss and hope someone has an answer. I have a mated pair of pigeons who live in a loft with 2 of their babies who are now 7 1/2 weeks old. They also have new babies who are 2 weeks old and are being wonderful parents. Last night, the mom and dad and 2 youngsters settled in on a ledge at the back of my house, and were still there after dark. I got up on a ladder, picked them up and put them in the loft. I thought that maybe something scared them and they were afraid to fly. Tonight, just the mom and dad did the same thing. (the other 2 went into the loft before dark). I again got them and brought them inside. I would think they would want to be with the babies. The mother pigeon has been sleeping in the nest with them, and went into the nest when I brought them in last night. Has anyone ever heard of this kind of behavior?

ah, I have had this happen, there is a old farmhouse armoire on my coverd porch and the top of it was too good a nesting spot for a pair of my homers so they camped out there..we put a block on top and then they went back to normal and using the nest box in the loft.