maroongrad
Chirping
- Feb 16, 2021
- 36
- 93
- 86
Hi! I'd like to add something different to our flock of pet birds. Right now we've got 8 chickens (4 laying hens, 4 opinionated lawn ornaments) and five ducks (one drake, four hens). We live on about a quarter acre and they've got free range of the back yard all day, with a scotch collie guarding them. Nighttime, they're in a 10x10 dog pen with a cover and the chickens also have the original enclosed coop in that. With this setup, I'm thinking about adding something different...maybe a few pigeons? Turkeys are not my thing. Quail are adorable but don't stick around. Guineas and peafowl are noisy. Emus and Rheas need too much room and while we might have enough for ONE rhea, we'd need more than one for it to be happy. I'm considering a goose, but would like a PET goose and have not hear good things about their attitudes when they get protective of their flock. But...pigeons, maybe? However, I don't know much about them at all. I'd like a bird that will stick around, that I can go out and feed stuff out of my hand, that can coexist with the other birds I have and go into the enclosed safe pen at night (I'm assuming they'll need their own pigeon cote in it, but if they'll roost inside a chicken coop, WIN). If a pigeon is not a potential good fit, please let me know. And if you all think it might work out for me? I'll start researching their requirements in a lot more depth! And if not pigeons...any suggestions for good backyard birds? They don't have to lay edible eggs or anything, just be suitable for a big suburban lawn, not annoy the neighbors, and be either friendly or at least not perpetually terrified! (looking at YOU, ducks! Unless I have worms. And in that case, they're my best friends).