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Written by Layne Gardner
From time to time it has been the practice of successful pigeon fanciers to utilize a setup which ensures a greater number of young from a particularly valuable cock bird. Since learning of this system and variations upon it, I have sometimes used "polygamy" in my breeding with good success. I must state that I have felt the need to employ its use only infrequently and most of the young raised in my program are raised in a traditional setting without the use of foster parents or polygamous matings.
A polygamous mating is simply mating a cock bird to more than one hen. Sometimes these matings are done simultaneously, in other methods the cock bird is presented with a steady stream of mates. I choose to use the simultaneous method since the time spent with my birds is usually limited and this method requires the least amount of extra time.
In individual pens a pair is placed together. In the adjoining pen, and placed so that she can see the cock bird, another single hen is placed. Each day at feeding time, the cock is moved to the pen which contains the single hen. He will quickly pair up with both hens and both hens will prepare to lay eggs. In an ideal situation both hens will lay about the same time, however even if they lay at different times the program can still be effective.
Once the hens have laid the cock continues to be moved each day. He may or may not take his turn sitting on the eggs although my experience has been that he will. The hen who is left alone will continue to sit her eggs.
As I stated earlier sometimes the timing of the laying differs between the two hens but this is not a problem. Look at the photo and you will see in the middle two pens, a polygamous mating. The cock bird is currently in the right pen with a hen who has not yet laid. The hen in the left pen is already on eggs. The cock bird takes his turn sitting when moved into that pen. This process continues and in due time the hen in the right pen will lay her eggs as well. Sometimes in instances like this, the cock bird will begin to favor one hen over the other and although he will continue to mate with both hens, will refuse to sit the eggs. My hens have done very well in sitting the eggs by themselves and raising the babies. If necessary foster parents can be utilized or the babies can be fed by hand. The end result of all the variations on this theme is that a greater number of young are raised out the cock bird and the breeder is able to use the cock bird on more than one hen.
I have used polygamous matings primarily in my genetics projects. It is difficult to use an outstanding cock bird on only a genetics project without also raising some offspring which are show quality. The polygamous method is a compromise which, for me, has been a viable alternative which satisfies my requirements.
The middle birds pictured are: left, a red hen of mediocre show quality but possessing wide ornaments and tremendous width of body. Her mediocre color proves to be an advantage in this mating since the cock bird she is paired to is a cream bar of outstanding quality. The cream bar cock is also mated to a yellow young hen which was selected best young bird at the San Bernardino Grand National in January of 1998. She also has the requisite wide ornaments and excellent station. Although neither of these matings will yield show pigeons, the following generation offers hope of great increases in quality.