Arizona: Looking for utility pigeons

[Deathspeaker]

I want to raise birds but my father is very anti-chicken so I'm going to try for pigeons and quail. Quail I got the hook up already but finding utility pigeons has been... well it's just not working so far! So as it says in the title that's what I'm after! The breed doesn't really matter to me, I have a slight preference for Texas Utility (I hear good things about them), but kings, runts, mondains, carneau or strassers, don't much matter long as they're good and fat. Obviously looking for at least a breeding pair. Funds are tight which is why I'm not ordering them from the only two websites that ship, 200-600 just to start out is a BIT much.

The reason I just say 'Arizona' is because it's no big deal for me to drive to just about any spot in the state. Got a good car and I'm in Phoenix so a good central location to move out from. Help me out folks!

 

[cavemanrich]

I suggest You start with the quail and when you see how that works, then expand your operation into pigeons. Don't bite more than you can chew. When everything is running smoooooooth , then mainline your pigeon flock. You will need separate housing for them. I keep pigeons, but not to eat. Homers. They of course are eatable, but not very fat like kings.
WISHING YOU BEST.

 

[Deathspeaker]

I suggest You start with the quail and when you see how that works, then expand your operation into pigeons. Don't bite more than you can chew. When everything is running smoooooooth , then mainline your pigeon flock. You will need separate housing for them. I keep pigeons, but not to eat. Homers. They of course are eatable, but not very fat like kings.
WISHING YOU BEST.

Thanks for posting! My brother who lives a few miles away from me actually already has quail so I can just grab one of his cages and a few breeders and toss them in my backyard. I want some pigeons too because quail are the WORST mothers around and won't sit on their own eggs, so to hatch them I want some good broody pigs.

 

[cavemanrich]

Pigeons are not broody type that would sit on others' eggs. and pigeons nurse their young crop milk. I suspect that if you would successfully hatch Quail under pigeons, the pigeons would recognize that it is a different species and likely kill the intruder. You can very easily hatch quail in an incubator as many here on BYC do. I get Idea that you want to hatch a large number of birds. I suggest incubating quail eggs and see how it works out first. You cant incubate pigeon eggs since the newborn squabs need to be nursed by mom and dad both. There is a lot to learn about pigeons, but they are fun also. If you did want to use a bird to do the incubating, my suggestion would be a silkie, or cochin chicken. They go broody often and are EXCELLENT MOTHERS. That is off the table at this time as you earlier stated.

 

[Deathspeaker]

Pigeons are not broody type that would sit on others' eggs. and pigeons nurse their young crop milk. I suspect that if you would successfully hatch Quail under pigeons, the pigeons would recognize that it is a different species and likely kill the intruder. You can very easily hatch quail in an incubator as many here on BYC do. I get Idea that you want to hatch a large number of birds. I suggest incubating quail eggs and see how it works out first. You cant incubate pigeon eggs since the newborn squabs need to be nursed by mom and dad both. There is a lot to learn about pigeons, but they are fun also. If you did want to use a bird to do the incubating, my suggestion would be a silkie, or cochin chicken. They go broody often and are EXCELLENT MOTHERS. That is off the table at this time as you earlier stated.

I actually read from multiple people that pigeons will brood on any egg you throw in their nest and since quail are self-reliant practically from hatching the caretaking isn't an issue. I suppose I may end up having to invest in an incubator.

 

[cavemanrich]

That is true that the pigeons will brood other eggs. I replace my pigeons' eggs with plastic ones. (when I don't want young at certain period) My pigeons first do need to lay a set of their own before they decide to set on the eggs. If I have an extra set of plastics, or even abandoned real pigeon eggs in a nest, I do not get opportunistic pigeons setting on them. My concern to you is when lil quail are hatched,

Then what happens???

 

[Deathspeaker]

That is true that the pigeons will brood other eggs. I replace my pigeons' eggs with plastic ones. (when I don't want young at certain period) My pigeons first do need to lay a set of their own before they decide to set on the eggs. If I have an extra set of plastics, or even abandoned real pigeon eggs in a nest, I do not get opportunistic pigeons setting on them. My concern to you is when lil quail are hatched,

Then what happens???

They get moved into a brooder!

 

[cavemanrich]

I am a realist. Would it make sense to maintain a brooder to put in a Lil quail in there every so often, or mainline an Incubator with say 30 eggs and they will hatch approximately same time and raise whole batch at once. You do what seems best for you since I don't know your personal situation.

 

[Deathspeaker]

I am a realist. Would it make sense to maintain a brooder to put in a Lil quail in there every so often, or mainline an Incubator with say 30 eggs and they will hatch approximately same time and raise whole batch at once. You do what seems best for you since I don't know your personal situation.

Quail can lay about two eggs a day, but they just poop them out and just forget about them, or if calcium deficient, eat 'em. They are dumb dumb dummies! But still really cute and can learn to recognize their caretaker. I sometimes take care of my brother's quail when he goes out of town and they will let me know if something is wrong! He forgot to leave the ladies their oyster shells and they cheeped their little heads off at me!

I only want to raise a few quail at a time which is why I wanted a brooder to help hatch them a few at a time. If I raised 30 at a time my freezer would explode!

 

[laughingdog]

Best fosters for my cortnix quail eggs and babies were ringneck doves, as they'll sit whenever eggs in nest and chase baby quail around trying to sit on n commit up food for.. truly nurturing but stupid birds. My I've never had anything pigeon wise sit quail eggs and chicks besides small performance/flying type Birmingham rollers.. ferals and homers too large and squashed/smothered them. Sadly anything but tiny silkies, OEGB, Dutch, etc maybe serama, other true bantam breeds of chicken, will not be great parents and accidentally kill chicks when scratching. Rosecomb bantams are neat pretty quiet less destructive beautiful breed of chicken to keep to enjoy in small space and watch raise chicks naturally.
Maybe start out with ferals homers or rollers (rollers actually raise more meat for least feed especially when free flown), and see how you and your family like then. Meat pigeons here I found were worse conversion of feed to meat than my Birmingham rollers and less meat than my white homers.