Fantails and Homers

[Big T]

Can both birds be kept in the same loft? I was given six White Indian Fantails, but I only have White Homers and one loft. If kept together would they cross breed? Also do fantails mate for life like homers?

[LokotaLoft]

I think they can be kept together with out any problems if given enuf room , if they are paired up together before they are in the same loft they should be ok but I have had fans and homers mate up that were in the same loft together

[mookeeman]

when i hade them in with my mookees i found that the mookees pooped on them alot (because they dont fly high) and there targets:P

[MaryOfExeter]

Yes they can be kept together. My three Indian Fantails are in with my homer breeders right now. If the birds are already paired up, they won't bother each other, but if you have an odd bird out or they just aren't paired up in general, they'll take whoever will accept them. Pigeons aren't racist (or in this case, wouldn't it be breedist? ) when it comes to picking a mate.
Also, all pigeon breeds mate for life, until something happens and they must choose a new mate

[mookeeman]

if all pigeons mate for life then how is it that my friend has a bunch of breeds(pairs) in one loft together but he still get's crossed birds?:S

[MaryOfExeter]

Because mating for life does not mean they only mate with their own breed. It simply means they pick a mate, and they stick with it. Pigeons don't know what breeds are, they just know the birds around them are pigeons, just like them.

Also, you can have cockbirds that are very full of themselves, and will mate with anything, even when they already have a mate. Same goes for hens. If they are ready to mate, sometimes they will accept whoever gets to them first.

[LokotaLoft]

its true some pairs will break up so not all pigeons mate for life and many others will cheat on their mates too ,thats why your friend has crossbreds in his loft .. but the truth is most will keep with their mate for life

[Big T]

Thanks for the help. Two fantails have picked out a empty nestbox after four days but the other four do not appear to have mated with one another. I'm also not sure of the sex, I was told three males and three females but time will tell. the pelvus bone test seems to be three and three but I'm not alway right with that test.

Think it might be a good idea to lock the four together to ensure they pick the right mates? I just want to keep my homers, homers because I road train them and would hate to loose some birds later do to cross breeding and loss of homing instinct.

Also, I use colored, numbered bands to tell my birds apart but can I band fantails with feathered feet?

Thanks again for the help,
Tony