Chukars in loft with pigeons

[LamarshFish]

Hello all. I originally posted this in the pigeons section, but after some thought I realized it's really a chukar question since it sort of depends on their nature rather than the pigeons.

I currently have pair of 3 year old chukars (in my profile pic), one male one female (they do not sit on their eggs, so no hatching, I just eat them lol). They are in a funky bunny hutch in my garage next to a window. It is falling apart, so I am looking to get them a new cage, but my new pigeon loft is built so well, I really put my time into it, and I was wondering whether my chukars could live in the loft with my new pigeons? I have seen this topic come up a bit on here and other forums, but have seen mixed opinions.

Keep in mind, my chukars are 3 years old, have never lived with any other birds, just the two of them. My pigeons are just squeakers.

My chukars are not particularly friendly to me, if I reach in their cage they try to evade me, and the male will peck at me, but, strangely, when I let them out in my garage it is the male that lets me pick him up and pet him, but the female just always tries to run away from me, but never tries to peck at me. Generally, I think they are pretty ornery birds (but nothing like bobwhite quail, those things are vicious SOBs lol).

One thing I was thinking about that may be a challenge is the fact that I feed my chukars a pelletized game bird feed, which I hear is not great to feed pigeons (not because it's pelletized, but because of ingredients or lack of ingredients), whereas I plan on feeding my pigeons a pigeon specific seed/grain mix. Can't really think of ways to keep them from eating each other's feed....

My guess is it is probably not a good idea, but I thought I would see what some of you think. I am wondering if I have any kind of opportunity at the moment for this to work out when my pigeons are just youngsters (but the chukars are old).

Thanks!

 

[Tony K T]

Chukars are cannibals so I would say no way with pigeons or any other bird.The male pecks at you because you are invading his pen and he will defend it.Their pen is kinda small for a pair,if possible I would move them to a bigger pen.The bigger pen may enhance the hen to set,but they are not known for being good setters.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[LamarshFish]

Chukars are cannibals so I would say no way with pigeons or any other bird.The male pecks at you because you are invading his pen and he will defend it.Their pen is kinda small for a pair,if possible I would move them to a bigger pen.The bigger pen may enhance the hen to set,but they are not known for being good setters.
In N.H.,Tony.

Yeah, my male only pecks at me when I go near him in the cage. Once he's out, he's actually quite a sweetie pie. My female will not peck at me when I go near her in the cage, but she wants nothing to do with me outside the cage either.

The cage is just a bunny hutch, and I agree, is a bit small, which is why I was asking about putting them in my much larger pigeon loft. If not, I am investing in a larger cage for them, it's a bit larger in space but is much taller with room for them to fly up and down.

I have never seen her setting, but she does make nests and buries the eggs all together for the most part.... Then, sometimes, she just lays them out in the middle of the cage and poops all over it lol.