# keeping chickens with pigeons



## kingsley hannah (Jan 9, 2008)

has anyone got experiance keeping hens and pidgens together?

i was contenplating getting a couple of bantems (purely for the eggs)
not sure how ither birds would react?
sugestons


----------



## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I used to keep my chickens and pigeons in the same area at night. My chickens were always sick until I moved them into their own coop. Chickens can also be agressive toward pigeons.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

kingsley hannah said:


> has anyone got experiance keeping hens and pidgens together?


They don't do well together, because they are of different species and have different needs.


----------



## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Trees Gray said:


> They don't do well together, because they are of different species and have different needs.


Yeah, I know. The hens will eat all the wrong food, and cracked corn and some seeds will put them off the lay due to not enough calcium. The pigeons will eat the layer crumble and then everyone's diet will be ruined.


----------



## Rooster2312 (Mar 8, 2006)

I think MaryJane used to keep her hen Fussy Gussy with her pigeons.

Lindi


----------



## horsesgot6 (May 30, 2007)

I Had Some Of My Pigeons In With About 27 Laying Hens And A few Roosters And Never Had Any Problems. I Wouldn't get Any Of The Figthing Type Laying Hens Are Pretty Laid Back And friendly. I Think You will be Fine With Just 2 or 3 hens With Your Pigeons.


----------



## stuart (Jan 13, 2008)

hi i have had all types of chooks with my pigeons they are fine together no problems at all ,eating the same food is ok too, i feed my pigeons layer pelets sometimes any way.


----------



## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

I always wanted to keep some chickens woth the pigeons & now keep a quail. I have 2 but 1 died within a month of it coming.

I spoke to a person at a hatchery and this is what they said,

1) Chickens will attack pigeons
2) chickens will get sick easily because of the pigeons
3) the requirements are vast in sense of how they are housed.

In general it is not good for chickens to be with pigeons. Pigeons can be with chickens with min effect on them.


----------



## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

My chicken, Fussy Gussy, found her way into the pigeon aviary at two days old, where she stayed as a "pigeon" until this summer when she grew too aggressive to be with the pigeons. It was more of the fact that they would get too near to her, and end up with a warning peck to the head, which to a pigeon is a dangerous peck.  Now she lives in a 10' x 6' x 5' aviary with three doves and a pigeon, and there is plenty of room for her to have so she doesn't bother them at all. She has an entire "area" in there that no one enters but her.  The feed part is tricky as well, as the pigeons hog the chicken scratch and the chicken loves their pigeon seed, while they should each be eating their own food. Maybe you can set up a separate pen for the chickens? Good luck!


----------



## DaveD (Jul 9, 2001)

Don't get to browse the forums much anymore, got this one a bit late but had something to add. We have housed pigeons and chickens together off and on for the last several years, but this last summer had an incident which really broke our hearts. We had three silkie chickens living in the foster parent loft, and one day all of our babies vanished. Probably somewhere between 8-10, all at the same time. Tore the loft apart looking for a snake, never found one. Didn't realize what had happened until a month or so later, when we caught the youngest silkie in a box with babies. We were able to save one, didn't get to the other in time. I suppose maybe it's a rare thing, but chickens ARE meat eaters, and 5-10 day old pigeons are defenseless. After that the chickens were removed, and we're waiting for our new loft before we replace them. Don't mix the two.


----------



## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

DaveD said:


> Don't get to browse the forums much anymore, got this one a bit late but had something to add. We have housed pigeons and chickens together off and on for the last several years, but this last summer had an incident which really broke our hearts. We had three silkie chickens living in the foster parent loft, and one day all of our babies vanished. Probably somewhere between 8-10, all at the same time. Tore the loft apart looking for a snake, never found one. Didn't realize what had happened until a month or so later, when we caught the youngest silkie in a box with babies. We were able to save one, didn't get to the other in time. I suppose maybe it's a rare thing, but chickens ARE meat eaters, and 5-10 day old pigeons are defenseless. After that the chickens were removed, and we're waiting for our new loft before we replace them. Don't mix the two.


That's really a sad story, Dave. I know it's true because I have seen my chickens eat mice and small birds. They are so quick, that there has been nothing I could do. Now I have them screened away from the little sparrows and finches that come to my yard to eat.


----------



## DaveD (Jul 9, 2001)

Yep, never thought it could have been one of the chickens. I think a part of the problem was the same as mentioned above, our loft is set up with a large flight pen, but that has no greens (they pick it clean) and I don't think the chickens had much of a chance to have a more "natural" diet. Saved the little guys, but this wasn't the right place for them either. They ended up on a farm, but hopefully with the new loft we'll have a way for them to access outside but remain safe.


----------



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Gosh, Dave! It is so good to see you here .. have often wondered how you are doing. I hope you can be back more often!

Terry


----------



## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

That's too bad, Dave. At least you know now and that's a valuable tip to others. Chickens even eat chicken.... I used to throw it out for the feral cats and the chickens would gobble it up.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Dave,

Thank you so much for sharing that. I'm so sorry you had to find out the hard way, but sharing this on our forum is priceless, as it will save someone else from making the same mistake.

Please do visit again!


----------

