# All pigeons have Chlamydia?



## RockPigeon<3er (Aug 2, 2012)

So our parrot has been sick, and been on meds for quite a while.
Well today our vet told us that all pigeons have chlamydia, and that we can't have both pigeons and chickens. 


 can I cry a little??

I've always had chickens, and the 5 I have now... I couldn't part with. 
But pigeons have become such a big part, too. I love them. We have 15 & 8 ringneck doves. I couldn't sell 23 birds. If I sold those... I'd have 6 birds and 5 rabbits. I've never had so little animals. I love having lots of animals, they're my drive. They get me up in the morning. Not to mention that we've spent a lot of money on the pigeons, and even got some free ones from this awesome breeder. We even have one from the pound.
That, and we keep the pigeons for meat, too (sorry I know it's agaisnt the rules but its the truth). They provide meat for my family. I love them.

So.. Is it possible to keep pigeons & chickens together? We have up until we got the parrot, but the parrot got sick, and now I've been told I can't keep pigeons and chickens.
I suppose I could sell these chickens, but my bread & butter comes from laying hens. 


Somewhat a question, somewhat just a complaint  I'm gonna go snuggle a chicken now, in case I don't have any next week....


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Your vet talks CR*P

Pigeons get it from another sick pigeon, or other species that may possibly transmit it.


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## LisaNewTumbler (Jun 24, 2013)

I've heard several people who have both pigeons and chickens. The only reason I know they don;t keep them in the same lofts is the size difference. Chickens are much larger and can be pretty aggressive and would be a danger to the pigeons.

I didn't understand what this has to do with the parrot. Did you mean the vet said that pigeons and chickens are bad for parrots?? Or pigeons are bad for chickens?


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

If your parrot has been sick for a time i believe the pigeons did not make it sick. And pigeons and chickens should not be housed together BUT people do that.. But mixing them I believe you have a higher risk of sickness For the pigeons.. Far as all pigeons having a desease That is wrong for the vet to say that. BUT the vet might not like pigeons. MICE are a very big threat to pigeons and chickens they bring desease. And many many chicken have salomanila. Even the ones you buy in a store. BUT they say as long as you cook it good you kill the bacteria. You do not keep your parrot near your chickens and pigeons do you. That it self is a big NO NO .


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## LisaNewTumbler (Jun 24, 2013)

I don't see how keeping the pigeons next to the chickens is a higher risk of sickness.

As you said sickness comes from elsewhere such as mice, fungus in the soil, bacteria in the environment and feral animals. 

If the environment is secure from wild animals and kept clean it should be equally safe for both chickens and pigeons.

The danger in keeping them IN THE SAME LOFT would be one of injury from the chicken bullying the pigeons.


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## RockPigeon<3er (Aug 2, 2012)

Well, ill have to see if the disease is chlamydia (my mom said it was that, but she doesn't always pay attention when it comes to animals).
But he said that almost all pigeons have it, and chickens are really suceptible to it, so pigeons & chickens shouldn't ever be kept together - ie, same farm /: 
He likes pigeos, too, or at the very least, doesn't hate them. 

We got our parrot, and he's being treated, but everyone has to be treated for it, and then my mom said that the vet said that pigeons and chickens shouldn't even be in the same house. We don't know where the parrot got its disease - the pigeons or the pet store where he came from.

the parrot has his own cage, but we have ringneck doves & chickens who live in the house. He sometimes plays with the ringnecks under our supervision, but the ringnecks hate him so not very often. But he tries to make friends, lol. It's a sad, funny picture as he tries to get this tiny bird to like him.


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## LisaNewTumbler (Jun 24, 2013)

RockPigeon<3er said:


> Well, ill have to see if the disease is chlamydia (my mom said it was that, but she doesn't always pay attention when it comes to animals).
> But he said that almost all pigeons have it, and chickens are really suceptible to it, so pigeons & chickens shouldn't ever be kept together - ie, same farm /:
> He likes pigeos, too, or at the very least, doesn't hate them.
> 
> ...


It might be that many pigeons have it, becuase they catch it from other birds. If you treat everyone for it I don't see a problem with them being on the same farm.

Then animals in the house should be the easiest to keep healthy as you control their environment and what they come into contact to.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

I raised pigeons for around 50 years never had ONE bird get chlamydia. So I believe it would be exposer And then lack of treatment before it would spread. I think to loft conditions help in sickness. Anything can happen It is your choice to get rid of your birds or not.


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## Kuna (Nov 21, 2013)

I'm curious how many of us have chickens and pigeons on the same farm. I'm going to guess a lot of us do! Birds beget birds... once addicted to feathered friends always addicted.... in fact many of my HORSE friends have parrots and chickens... I wouldn't let the parrot play with anyone else, however... just to avoid sharing germs or getting aggressive. What kind of parrot is it? I have a pineapple conure and a senegal. I've had pigeons living in the same room with them for a short time and no one got sick, but they didn't "play together"


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Not all but most pigeons worldwide especially those which live freely have Chlamydia. When pigeons feed their young and young get exposed to chlamydia strains,they naturally develop life long immunity against it without developing any sort of sickness. But if a pigeon is sick with chlamydia and he feeds his young with huge amounts of chlamydia strains then it will be nasty for young with undeveloped immune systems. When fed with tolerable chlamydia strains,the young,till 6 months of age keep developing the immunity and after one year they are completely immune to it for life if they donot get along with a chlamydia sick pigeon/other bird later on. When a sick pigeon gets into loft, the bird's immune systems cannot handle so much exposure to the (new) strains and they get sick and shed chlamydia organisms making the whole loft a dangerous place for all the birds and the onwer.

If one never introduces a sick bird to the loft,donot let his birds to socialize with ferals/other birds and maintains hygiene in the loft,then there is virtually no chance of contracting the disease. I know a 65 year old man who is into pigeons for his entire life but never had even a single case of chlamydia. So vets rather overstate this. I've been loving/keeping pigeons for 21 years now and didn't have even a single case of ornithosis...

Pigeons eat grains only unlike parrots,fowls,finches,chickens etc which also eat insects and fecals (when chicken forage out in the open). They get infected with diseases and worms,and inturn give it to pigeons. So its a big NO for me to house pigeons with other bird species. And chlamydia is more common in parrots,finches etc so it a no no to house pigeons with them also. Pigeons stay healthy when they stay away from other birds,mammals,reptiles(like iguanas,all of them have salmonella) whether domestic or wild. Feed them clean,fresh and sterile grain mix,water,snacks and grit and stay away from problems.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

You make a good point, Brocky. I believe I, for one, kinda jumped the gun and maybe misunderstood what the vet said... 

Yes, pigeons would have the organism itself, but without normally the Chlamydiosis (Ornithosis, Psittacosis) it can cause in the 'wrong' circumstances.

RockPigeon - it is equally true that pigeons have bacteria such as Salmonella and E.coli, which do not usually cause actual illness in the bird AND that probably most species of birds and animals also have them in their system. Even we humans have these bacteria and plenty more besides. 

So, really, sounds like your vet is being a little alarmist here.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Vets only state bookish knowledge. Huge thanx to PT that let us all share the practical info.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

chlamydia works sort of like canker does, it is there in the pigeons but it can come out in stressful times like when breeding. most pigeons can tolerate a local strain that they can keep in check from exposure over a long period. the problem comes when you get new birds esp young ones that can be showing signs of a new strain that is brought in, and when you don't use good hygene yourself. example: washing hands..esp around parrots. a huge rule is anyone who has farm birds and house birds always, always wash your hands and even have a coverall you take off before playing with or tending to your indoor birds. pigeons and chickens of course can be kept on the same farm, just not housed together as transferance of a dieseas for example a disease a chicken can harbor may make a pigeon deathly sick.


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## RockPigeon<3er (Aug 2, 2012)

Thanks for all the information. Seems we'll be keeping the chickens. We got chicken meds, but have to get pigeon meds. $177  


We have an indian ringneck parrot. I want to start breeding either them or Linnie's. I have a friend who breeds Linnie's, and I can get either a pair from her. And lots of knowledge,  I've got the parrot bug... Lol....


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

LisaNewTumbler said:


> I don't see how keeping the pigeons next to the chickens is a higher risk of sickness.
> 
> As you said sickness comes from elsewhere such as mice, fungus in the soil, bacteria in the environment and feral animals.
> 
> ...


Hello. I see a problem daily where the chicken dust settles into the breeders's drinkers. Chicken dust is everything you can think of. Fortunately it is not my setup. 
When i had a couple of chickens that roamed the whole yard, they kept every thing clean: ate all the leftover food and cut the grass down somewhat. I too was warned about the chicken threat, so i never fed the pigeons on the ground. They only bathed on the ground. Never had an outbreak.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Can a chicken eat a infant squab???well,they do eat insects and rotten vegetables and mice infants and spit and ewwwww. I saw a chicken attacking ducklings,I don't know what for???


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

chickens can kill and eat baby pigeons 7 years ago I had a chicken that ate two of my squabs we found them in her stomach!


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Ooooooh, that's bad. Apart from aggression,worms and diseases,one more reason not to house chicken and pigeons house together under same rOOf


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