wondering

[eman]

is it true that doves always have 1 male egg and 1 female egg?

[doveone52]

I haven't actually researched it but from what I've read here and my own experience, it is usually the case.

[MaryOfExeter]

Not always the case.
As a general rule of thumb, it's 50% cock/hen, 25% two hens, 25% two cocks.

Being able to tell which will be male or female depending on which was laid first, which is rounder, etc is more myth/coincidence than truth. You can say that usually the bigger baby in the nest will be the male, but that's not always right either. If the hen hatches first and there's a considerable amount of time between hatchings, then she can get a good head start. Or if she just happens to be better at hogging food, she will grow and he will be stunted. Genetics also have a play in it. And of course, your healthy, equally fed birds are typically the same size in the nest...perhaps not right off the bat, but by the time of weaning.

[Jaye]

Wow...that's interesting !

[doveone52]

Good to know! I had oops babies of a rollerxtumbler and the smallest baby, second to hatch always did everything first, smart as a whip! It did turn out to be a hen and then SHE had oops babies and the second to hatch is JUST like her, first to do everything. Interesting to see if it's also a hen. Gotta be more vigilant with those eggs! Somehow, when swithching out, 2 pairs ended up w/ a plastic and a real one? This old lady is losing it!