# A comparison between Pigeon and Chicken pets



## LondonPigeon (May 10, 2005)

Today I asked the question, what is the difference (generally) between having a pigeon as a pet and having a chicken

I'd love to hug a chicken more than a pigeon, I think its becuase their bigger and fatter and look cuter, so its easier to do? 

Chickens can give you eggs everyday, which you can eat, and if you don't , theres always a good chance they;ll turn into cute baby chicks, so you dont need to worry about them mating with male chickens

on the issue of babies, to be honest with you, I don't like how squabs look  only when they devlope many feathers I find them cute, but chicks are so adorable  

However, here';s the big question

Are chickens as individual as Pigeons? I read here many stories of how the pigeons all have their unique personalities, and I even see pigeons on the street (both feral and wood) that have their own looks and actions

however Im not sure if Chickens are the same? 

another important question, can chickens develope strong bonds to people? or are they alwys scared? becuase I know pigeons can develope very strong bonds with people, as is evident with the nice stories and pictures on this forum


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Hi LondonPigeon - good question. I have had both chickens and pigeons as "pets". Both are really great birds. You mention chicks being so cute - well, they are, but so are baby pigeons. The chicks are self sufficient, have fuzz on them from the git-go and you don't have to feed them formula. But, give me a little squab and I am a happy woman.  They are so cute, no feathers, can't fend for themselves - maybe that is what endears them to me.

A chicken can bond with you, recognize you and respond to you. They don't seem to be quite as dependent upon you as a pigeon even as an adult. They also don't particularly like to be held. Chickens also don't have the individual personalities like pigeons. Intelligence wise, I personally think pigeons are a lot smarter than chickens. They seem to learn more.

I had a blind and crippled little hen when I was a young girl whose name was Trudy. She was a wonderful little chicken and even though she couldn't see me she recognized my voice and would come to me. I had her for quite awhile and loved her dearly. 

They are both wonderful birds. 

Maggie


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## LondonPigeon (May 10, 2005)

Lady Tarheel said:


> Hi LondonPigeon - good question. I have had both chickens and pigeons as "pets". Both are really great birds. You mention chicks being so cute - well, they are, but so are baby pigeons. The chicks are self sufficient, have fuzz on them from the git-go and you don't have to feed them formula. But, give me a little squab and I am a happy woman.  They are so cute, no feathers, can't fend for themselves - maybe that is what endears them to me.
> 
> A chicken can bond with you, recognize you and respond to you. They don't seem to be quite as dependent upon you as a pigeon even as an adult. They also don't particularly like to be held. Chickens also don't have the individual personalities like pigeons. Intelligence wise, I personally think pigeons are a lot smarter than chickens. They seem to learn more.
> 
> ...



thanks Maggie

I kind of guessed pigeons would have more personality / uniqeuness and were more intelligent

i live quite high up, if I had chickens, I hope they wont fly, otherwise they'd probably fall to their death 

although beucase chickens are noisy, it would disturb my neighbours (as the birds would be on the balcony in a shed) and i wouldn't be able to have them


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Hi LondonPigeon - you know what? If you can't take care of pigeons and chickens where you live, you can just come to Pigeon-Talk and share all of our adventures.  

Maggie


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

Ahh, yes, baby chicks...that brings back some memories. When I was a little Victor, Mom would, for Easter, buy me a couple of fuzzy yellow chicks for me. They were so adorable. I remember they were for sale at the neighborhood Woolworth Department store. Anyone remember that?


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*About a chicken...*

When I first went out to Small Bird Rescue, there was a Silky chicken. This chicken looked different than the ones I saw on the web - it was MUCH cuter. The back end reminded me of a Corgi. The color was brown. I was told the chicken had belonged to an elderly lady who had died but she had potty trained this chicken to a litter box!

I REALLY wanted to bring that chicken home. However, I do not dare disturb the status quo that I have with my 4 cats and Squeaks. *sigh* I STILL would like to have that chicken!


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Victor, LondonPigeon, all...


Yup, when I was a little pdpbison ( Lol ) the Woolworths had such things also, as well as that they sometimes had those Baby Turtles also.

I bought a hatched right then and there Chick at some little Fair, around what, 1959 or something, and my parents let me have it as a Pet.

We had a wonderful Dog then, who was born in 1946 and was half Great Dane, half Large Collie, and he was very tender to the little Chick, and in fact, showed it to follow his habits, and layed around with it in t he yard and looked after it kindly...so, soon, and I am not kidding, the Chick who was gorwing up into a Rooster, would peck at the back door to go out, or, to come back in, and actually almost never pooped in the house, but pooped outside there in the backyard just like our Dog did.

Everyone was amazed, as there were several neighbors who had been raised on farms and so on, and no one had ever heard of a Chicken being 'House Broken' but somehow our Dog had communicated that to the Young Rooster I suppose, and it was true. There was almost never a poop indoors.

Golly, now if I could get my Pigeons to learn that!

Lol...


Anyway, he was a wondergul Rooster and a sweetie-pie and I was very fond of him.

Once he started flying up the the house roof ridge and crowing as dawn would near, my parents got worried that people would complain, since we were in the suburbs, so they gave him to some people who had a farm somewhere, and after that, all the neighbors asked what happenned to him since it turned out they liked hearing him crow like that, and it made them happy to experience that again...so, they all missed him and so did I...


Phil
Las Vegas


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## LondonPigeon (May 10, 2005)

pdpbison said:


> Hi Victor, LondonPigeon, all...
> 
> 
> Yup, when I was a little pdpbison ( Lol ) the Woolworths had such things also, as well as that they sometimes had those Baby Turtles also.
> ...



nice story Phil 

I think becuase chickens make noise, im worried the neighbours would be disturbed and complain 

are chickens also easier to look after? less dieaseses, etc


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi LondonPigeon,

Every bird or animal is susceptible to diseases specific to its kind. The best thing to do when acquiring any pet bird, is to have it checked out at a local avian vet and make sure you get all the preventive innoculations available for poultry. A good variety of diet and preventive nutrition is also important.

My dad raised chickens from little chicks, and I remember them being bought from a local seed and grain store. They grew quickly in the Florida sun and did well, and gave us many years of enjoyment and eggs! They have their natural enemies too, like raccoons and hawks. My father had to build a raccoon proof coop and hawk proof aviary. The racoons were more of a threat then disease at that time. He had to dig deep around all sides of the coop and put in a solid block wall the racoons couldn't dig under.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Londonpigeon, 

Yes, you're right...you wouldn't be wise to have chickens living on your balcony. 1) they are very noisy and 2) they need to be able to dig around in the grass and dirt to be healthy and happy.

Chickens, are actually a lot smarter than people give them credit for. I've read and heard some surprising facts about their intelligence. I have no idea how they compare to pigeons in that regard but I think all animals possess intelligence or they wouldn't have survived the millenia.

The thing with buying those cute chicks, like was mentioned in some of the posts is that this is what contributes to neglect and abandonment of these birds. Sure, chicken and duck babies are adorable but many times they have been used as pawns in our society to lure people to purchasing them when they are so small, young and dependant. It's important for us all to remember that they do grow up, get large and then have very specific needs and space requirements that need to be tended to by somone capable and willing to do so.

Londonpigeon, it would seem that you're searching for an ideal pet for yourself in your living conditions. Have you thought about a pair of doves ? These birds can be very trusting, loving and easy to maintain birds in an apartment situation. You mentioned noise levels, so I'm assuming you would like a bird that is relatively quiet...so forget members of the parrot family

Doves would be a good choice and they will give you many, many years of enjoyment if you put the time and effort into them that they deserve


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## Pijigurl (Nov 25, 2005)

I have had chickens and pigeons all my life. The I would go with a chicken more thn a pigeon just because They are fat and cute and they cannot fly.


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## LondonPigeon (May 10, 2005)

Pigeonpal2002 said:


> Londonpigeon,
> 
> Yes, you're right...you wouldn't be wise to have chickens living on your balcony. 1) they are very noisy and 2) they need to be able to dig around in the grass and dirt to be healthy and happy.
> 
> ...



hi pigeonpal

Hmm I thought it would be the case, that its dangerous if they try to fly off (I live very high), I dont have grass, and i have neighbours above and below me

Interesting you mention doves, I thought doves are smaller white pigeons? but i dont know the differences between them and pigeons, in how they behave, socialize with humans, etc

but i wouldnt want them in the house, becuase of the waste, my parents def. wouldnt let me


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