# Pigeons hatching Chickens



## turkey (May 19, 2002)

I have heard that it is possible for a pigeon to hatch a chicken egg, although the incubation period for chickens are a couple of days longer. I have not tried it yet, but we are hoping to try it. 

My question is - can they also feed the baby chickens or is their method of feeding different?

Julie


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## bigbird (Aug 19, 2000)

I have not heard of this sort of thing, but I think it might be possible, if the pigeons can keep the egg warm enough.
As to feeding, my normal pigeons can feed other short beak squabs, without any difficulty. This tells me that they can probably feed a young chick. But wait, I think that youn chickens can eat for themselves, right out of the egg.
On real unfamiliar ground here. Hope someone comes along with more knowledge.
Regards,
Carl


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## natrlhorse (Sep 21, 2002)

Chicks (as in chickens) are completely on their own after hatching. The hen does not feed her chicks, she does guide and protect them but they eat on their own. Sounds like you would have one confused pigeon on your hands though









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Tori
Fantails, Komorner Tumblers and Hungarian Giant House Pigeons


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Julie,

As far as I remember Velvet was only one day old when she was handed into Hercules' care, and she thrived; but I think Hercules was a bit baffled about her inability to feed from his crop. Hilary is just about the expert on this now!

Cynthia


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

yes pigeons can set and hatch chicks then you take them away and they will feed there self. be sure to keep them warm. use a light for heat.


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## Donald Perusse (Jan 7, 2003)

Why would you want to? If you want to raise chickens, get chickens. If you want to raise pigeons, get pigeons. Don't understand why you would want to mix.


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## turkey (May 19, 2002)

Thanks everyone!

My kids will be studying embryology. They will be receiving chicken eggs and an incubator. As part of the experiment we would like to see if it's possible for our pigeons to hatch chicken eggs. It sounds like fun science to me. 

Someone told me that baby chickens would not survive without their milk. I now think they thought I was talking about baby pigeons hatched by chickens, but I wasn't. 

Julie


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## hilary (Jun 20, 2002)

Hercules hatched out a chicken egg (I gave it to him because he had built a nest on my bed and was sitting on a white lighter).

I saved a day old chicken hatchling who had been rejected by her mother and Hercules accepted her immediately. He was perturbed by the fact that she would not feed from him, as chickens immediately start to eat on their own. However, I do believe that the fact that Hercules sat on her and cared for her, saved her life. She came to me very traumatised, weak and cold and I think the constant care that Hercules showered on her gave her the will to live.

Hilary


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## critrman (Aug 8, 2002)

I used my Pigeons to hatch my Cockatoo eggs many tims as the Cockatoo were unrliable at times...however the pigeons not once tried to feed the baby even though it was the same size as a squab at hatching...I was just grateful they did that part of the job for me..I then took the baby Cockatoo and raised it by hand...If it wern't for the Pigeons incubating the eggs, I would of lost many baby Cockatoos.....They were the best incubaters going.


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## milo (Jan 24, 2003)

turkey,
oddly enough, i tried this once when I was young. I had six rhode island red hens and one rooster. also, I had two coups of pigeons. one was rollers and one was homers and we had about 30 or so. I took one of the brown eggs from one of the hens and put it under a homer and what do you know it hatched. I don't remember how long it took. The whole group of pigeons were pretty confused by this oddball loud chick running around making noise. The surrogate parents had nothing to do with it. Unfortunately, I didn't understand at the time that they had no way to feed it and it died after a few days.


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