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I bought a pair of white fantail doves to keep in a garden dovecote (pigeon coop on a 3m pole). I kept them in a homing net (so they could access the ground and all of the holes) for 7 weeks, when I released them they just few away and didn't come back. I read a lot of information before I bought them and surely 7 weeks homing should be enough?? They had plenty of food and water throughout the homing and after I let them out. I have given up on them coming back but I have just bought two pairs of white pigeons, they are now in the homing net around the dovecote. Can anyone give me any tips on how and when to release them and how to make sure they come back.

Thanks, Lisa

Doves are not good homers, this was the main issue.
Now you have 2 white Pigeons, this is much better, however the white pigeons are Hawk/Eagle/Falcon bait, yes they are very beautiful birds, but the color white fall prey faster than any other color, this is just something to think about.
The Doves you hear and or see being released at special occassions are not Doves, they are pure white homing Pigeons.
Hope this answers your question.
BrokenWing.

I know it's a daft question but why would you have a dovecote if doves won't live in it? The ones I have now are pigeon sized but not homing pigeon sized as I've heard they're quite a bit bigger. I am never going to take them away from the garden like the ones they release, I just want to encorage them to stay in my dovecote and use it as their home. I have heard that if the breed before I let them out of the homing net then they will probably return but I don't know what conditions they need to breed, do they have to be happy and comfortable, will they need nesting material and is it the right time of year even? I'm in Portugal and it's really warm here. Thanks for the help

First let me explain the word Dove, All pigeons/Doves we see today came from one Breed, The Rock Dove, all breeds of Pigeons are from the Dove Family hence the name Dove Cote, the Dove Cote was invented as a answer to encourage the Dove/Pigeon to home elsewhere other than in the farmers barns/sheds, they were place along fence rows out in the field, also the farmer could remove eggs as to keep there population under control without having to kill the birds.
Breeding, breeding happens when the Pigeon/Dove decide the conditions are right, first, Location, next, Ample food supply to support there offspring, next, weather conditions, Pigeons will not mate during the cold months unless there is a heat source, they will lay only 2 eggs per clutch, if the weather is warm enough the hen will lay 2 more eggs before the previous babies are weined, The cock will assume all the duties of fledging the 2 babies while the hen sits on the new eggs.
The Dove (a breed of the rock dove) is not a good Homing Pigeon.
The Pigeon (a breed of the rock dove) is by all means a great Homing Pigeon if trained properly.
You have netted your doves to allow then to learn there surroundings, (good job) however you done this with DOVES.
Fantail Doves at that, these are show Pigeons, best to keep them caged and enter them in Show Exhibits.
If you trully want to free fly Pigeons, find and buy some Homing Pigeons and train them as you have done with the Fantail Doves, you will get a much better results, matters not if they are sitting on eggs, yes it does matter if they are happy, Happy is ample room to nest,Plenty of food and fresh water, Ample Room this means the cubicals in the dove cote must be 1 ft square in size, 12 inches high, 12 inches deep, 12 inches wide, per each cubical.
I admire your desire to keep such beauty within your world, the Pigeon is trully a wonderful bird and very intelegent, you are on the right track, however you need to get the right breed of Pigeon to have success.
I have been the keeper of Pigeons for 17 years now, I am a wildlife/Pigeon rescue & rehab person here in the USA, I am Moderator & In field rescuer for 911pigeonalert, if you want to learn more about the Pigeon please go to Yahoo, click on Groups, type in Brokenwingpigeonrescue and join my group of pigeon fanciers.
Take Care.
Arty/BrokenWing

Nest material, Doves/Pigeons make very clumsy nests, they are the worst nest builders, They will collect small twigs/sticks and build there nests, I offer my birds straw, if you want to place a good handful of straw into each cubicle and or small sticks, about 5 inches long, thin stcks, completely dry, find an old tree that has fallen and had time to dry completely and gather twigs/sticks, this will be very inportant so the babies are not with splay legs, sticks offer the little ones something to grab onto and keep there little legs directly under there body where they belong, without this sticks/twigs the legs will slide out from under them and the bird will end up with splay legs, or legs that stick out to the sides.
Your on the right track, good luck.
Arty/BrokenWing