# Can Kings live with other breeds?



## kippermom (Jan 11, 2006)

As I (and perhaps others) consider the possibility of adopting birds, I need to understand how they can be grouped. I have a large flight pen with homers and racers and some handicapoed birds, including one king. I also have a large outdoor flight with ringneck doves. Can Kings be in a flight with doves? How about with homers/racers? (I do not fly them.)...or are these three groups best kept apart for some reason? I do not put doves with the homers, but folks say the kings are gentle giants and not great flyers so I thought maybe they could share the flight with some doves....just a thought.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I had a male King who was very aggressive, but got along well with my homers, because they are aggressive and outnumbered him. I would not, however, put them together with doves, or handicapped birds, unless the king is handicapped. You can temporarily put him in there and observe his behavior with them for a few weeks, it might work. But don't leave him/her alone in there. A king hen might work out, if she is not aggressive, but I still wouldn't keep her with doves.

Kings do not fly well, but they manage in the loft.


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

I have given my doves and pigeons some supervised fly time together, but I would never leave for a second. Pigeons are too territorial and doves don't know when to quit sometimes.


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## bluebirdsnfur (Jan 20, 2009)

what about chickens? I hope to eventually get one Silkie and one Cochin (bantams) and would like to house them all together. Does anyone use sand in their outside pens. A lot of chicken keepers use sand in their pens. They say it's easier to keep clean and has better drainage. Would sand be safe for the Kings?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

bluebirdsnfur said:


> what about chickens? I hope to eventually get one Silkie and one Cochin (bantams) and would like to house them all together. Does anyone use sand in their outside pens. A lot of chicken keepers use sand in their pens. They say it's easier to keep clean and has better drainage. Would sand be safe for the Kings?


chickens and pigeons should not be housed together. chickens can be carriers of diseases that can kill pigeons. as far as the chicken coop goes I use the deep litter method and put down 5 or seven inches of pine shavings on bare earth, then turn with a pitch fork every so often, like a compost pile and add more as it decomposes, I clean it all out a few times a year and start over, the natural microbs keep everthing in order. now for the pigeons I have a wood floor off the ground and scrape it everyday. I don't want to mess with sand as it is heavy and you would have to shovel it in and out when you wanted to change the whole loft over to new sand, and fleas and tick like sand, at least here in va they do. but it sounds like you will need a chicken house and a pigeon loft, so get your graph paper out!


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

For the most part, Chickens and Pigeons don't mix well. For years my Hens slept in the garage with my Pigeons although they were separated. The chickens were always sick, it was one thing after the other, until I had their own coop built.
Last spring, a feral Pigeon couple made a nest in the chicken coop. The chickens were very aggressive toward them and probably would have hurt them if they could have caught them. 
They got along well with the foster duck though.


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## bluebirdsnfur (Jan 20, 2009)

Well I can see the chickens will have to wait. I plan on accomadating the pigeons first. As Flurry our little white stray pigeon showed up first, it'll be first come first serve. 
Thanks for the advice everyone.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

My kings all get along with the other birds. I would not hesitate if I were you, to put them in with the racers/homers. I would be wary of putting them with the doves as generally the doves don't do so well with the pigeons. Of course each one is individual, and will have its own temperament, but in general I've always found them to be exactly that, "gentle giants".


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I wouldn't try putting the Kings with the doves .. the size difference is just too great. Just one aggressive King and you've got dead or injured doves. I have had Kings with homers/racers/ferals, and that works OK, but even then you have to be sure you don't have an aggressive King because he or she will totally kick butt on the other pigeons. Generally, the Kings are very gentle birds, so it probably won't be a problem, but if it happens, you've got a bird that weighs enough more and is enough stronger to put some real hurt on a smaller bird. On the other hand, I've had gentle Kings who got their butts kicked by aggressive homers and ferals .. you've just got to watch them. I am constantly playing "ring around the rosie" here with moving birds from one group to another until I get a good match.

Terry


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