# chickens living with pigeons



## 21michb (Oct 21, 2013)

I have 3 happy, young chickens and I love them but I have always dreamed of having pigeons. My question is can you keep pigeons and chickens together?
If so what modifications would I need to make to their little shed to make it compatible for pigeons?? Supposing the two birds are compatible together and I can make the necessary modifications what breed would you recommend?




thanks,
~21michb


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

hmmm. Knowing that I have experience with both. I have tried keeping them together temporarily but, only the young hens (chicken) who where severely injured by hawks. Other than that, not really. 

I have Asil and Shamo type of chickens... so they are aggressive when full grown. Meaning they will harm my pigeons. 

During last fall 2013 when I let my pigeons loft fly and some flew to the ground to wonder. 5 week old chicks were chasing my pigeons. 

I have not experienced other types of chickens but, I think I would not place them together permanently. Also these two birds have different feeding needs.

Chickens need higher protein levels than do pigeons. And giving too much protein to pigeons who cannot burn enough away may create problems with them. Vise Versa with chickens, chicken may not get enough Protein and be malnourished meaning they may not lay eggs and all that other delightful things. 

Chickens may also be more aggressive when eating. Most pigeon breeders feed pigeons via a long rectangular or cylindrical plate-like bowl and IME chickens tend to peck aggressively away others near them when eating. 

OH! and my loft is about 3 meters long x 2 meters wide x 3.5 meters high.

I hope that helped a bit 21michb.

- Doig


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Not a good idea. I have tried it and chickens will kill pigeons. They will also kill pigeon babies in the nest and eat pigeon eggs.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Housing pigeons and chickens together is a no no for me.
If one let's his chicken out to forage then its all the way risky as pigeons will get parasites,worms and harmful bacteria from communal drinking,feeding,dust and shared space.
Competition for food and bulling has been stated above. Members here on PT say themselves that the chicken ate their pigeons babies.
Chicken and pigeons may be kept on the same property but in different lofts away from eachother.

I would not recommend pigeons being kept with other mammals or birds like parrots,budgies etc. Chlamydia is more common in parrots are pigeons can become sick.


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## Jr Brown (May 22, 2012)

conditionfreak said:


> Not a good idea. I have tried it and chickens will kill pigeons. They will also kill pigeon babies in the nest and eat pigeon eggs.


I had the same experience. The chickens smash the pigeons eggs and eat them. And I saw a chicken attack and injure a young pigeon on the floor. I put up a partition wall and cut in a second door


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

I don't deliberately house my chickens with my pigeons. I do on occasions allow my chickens into their outdoor aviary section late in the evening when my pigeons are settling in for the night , but I have a screen door which I am able to close and my chickens clean up any left over grains that are laying around. I do this so rodents are not ttracted to the aviary section . They certainly will eat eggs and baby pigeons would certainly be on their menu . Some of my chickens are experts at catching mice , murdering them and then gobbling them up .

4 of my chickens have lived in my shed and a dozen or so pigeons moved in there with them and I haven't had an incident in the 3 or so years they've been housed together , but I would rather they be separated just to be on the safe side.....but until my loft extensions and new chicken house is complete.... I allow it .

My chickens roam the yard everyday and my pigeons wander the yard and mingle with them and try and steal my chickens food...they are naturally wary of my chickens and will move away from their feeder when they approach . My chickens are all large breeds with the exception of a Malay Game... It is the Malay Game that is ferocious at the feeder and I have seen her take a swipe at my pigeons and it's the freeloaders ( wild birds ) that tempt fate and usually get pecked and loose quite a lot of feathers when she goes for them .

Personally I find it is the wild birds that deliver lice & mite & other parasites to my both breeds of birds .

My chickens are looked after just as my pigeons are , they are wormed quarterly and droppings cleaned daily.


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## MuhammadMubarak (Feb 26, 2014)

Well I have about 19 pigeons and 11 chickens living together the chickens eat the pigeons eggs if I leave the cage of the pigeons opens so I open the cage of pigeons only under my watch. So If you want to house both the chickens and your pigeons you must be extremly careful not to let the chickens inside the pigeon loft


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

Some chickens will eat baby pigeons, literally.. Bad idea.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

I've seen cocci to be more frequent in chicken than in pigeons.

Chicken are born fighters and cocks do forceful mating and stuff. Their mood may swing and pigeons shouldn't be standing in the way.


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## avian (Sep 6, 2010)

thats a really bad idea.


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## jarragum (Jan 24, 2018)

I have 3 Isa Brown chickens and they kill and eat pigeons that enter my back yard. We have Crested pigeons and Spotted Doves. I wondered if they need more protein. They've eaten all the slugs and snails in the garden. They are pecking the feathers out of each other at the moment, as well.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That sounds pretty much like normal chicken behavior to me. Why do you not go to a chicken forum for your questions? They should know more of their needs.


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