Ringneck doves.

[Grim]

I added a nest to my cage of ringneck doves and there is a male and two females sitting in the nest. What gives does anyone know if they will have multiple mates?

[philodice]

You will need to put in two more nests. Females love nests and if the extra girl keeps pushing her way in there, any eggs will be crushed and no chicks will incubate. It happened to me, I put in several nest bowls but one was (in the dove's minds) better than the rest and they fought over it. I had to separate the birds in order to actually hatch young.

[Grim]

Ok got ya so even when not breeding they like to sit in them>?

[EgypSwiftLady]

Originally Posted by Grim

Ok got ya so even when not breeding they like to sit in them>?

Do they ever stop breeding???? My pair of Ringnecks would be on their 3rd. clutch, I pull the eggs and replace them with wooden ones. I only take the nest out if it needs cleaning.

[jbangelfish]

They will slow down and maybe even stop for the cold winter months but if it's warm they breed. If a hen lives long enough, it is possible for her to run out of eggs. Female birds (and mammals for that matter) are born with all of the eggs that they will ever have. This is why women go through menopause (no more eggs). Once the female reaches maturity, she will have eggs from a single cell to eggs that are ready to lay.

I also have two hens in the same nest. We just sold 14 doves to reduce the group down to 4 pair but I can't be positive that I have an even number of males and females yet. I've had Ringneck doves for the better part of 50 years and they are still hard to sex.

Anyway, right now, two pair are sharing the same nest and they have 4 eggs. I'm not sure what the outcome will be but I'm letting them sort it out. There are enough nest boxes that each pair has two and the little dummies are still sharing one.

Bill

[EgypSwiftLady]

jbangelfish,
I see you are in IL., do you keep you doves outside( in a loft of course) or in the house? I live in WI. and would like to keep mine in the loft with my pigeons, course in a seperate enclosure, but am worried they may not make it through the winter. I will be moving them outside once it warms up... at least for the summer.

[jbangelfish]

These are Ringneck doves and they are tough enough for European winters as they are native to Europe.

Diamond doves and Cape doves need to be kept inside, especially Capes as they are from Africa and even 60 degrees is too cold for them. Diamonds are from Australia and alittle tougher but I would not leave them out for the winter.

Where are you in WI? We have a cabin on Lake Namekagon, North of Hayward. If I had Ringneck doves up there, I might bring them in for the Winter. In reality though, they would probably be fine with some shelter and a place to get out of the wind.

Bill

[EgypSwiftLady]

These are Ringnecks, I keep my DD inside. I wouldn't think of putting the DD out for the winter.

Hayward is way up north, I live very close to the WI/IL. state line.

Thanks.

[jbangelfish]

I am 5 minutes from Beloit.

Bill