Can chickens and pigeons live together ?

[Jo4dunx]

I have two pigeons which have been given to me for my autistic son who is fact aged with birds . I also have many hens and cockrells . We are just on the middle of making a larger coop for the chickens . At the side of the coop is a shed with is 8 foot by 6 foot . My chickens are free range around my garden in the daytime and they go in the coop at night and are shut away safely . We are not using the new coop list yet as it’s not finished . In the shed I would like to hoise the chickens and pigeons together if possible . I will not be breeding the pigeons so there won’t be any eggs as they will be removed . At the moment the pigeons are in the shed . They have purchased up high . Attached to the shed will will be a large outdoor run area for the chickens . This is approx 25 foot by ten foot . Would the chickens and pigeons be ok together beating in mind they can get up high out the way and the chickens will mainly be in there for bed .
many thanks

 

[NatJ]

Will the pigeons be allowed to go out into the run with the chickens?
If not, how would you prevent that?

I suspect it would be better to make a pen for the pigeons inside the shed--maybe hang it on the wall, so it doesn't take away from the chickens' floor space.

I have no personal experience with pigeons, so I'm just guessing based on the fact that pigeons could walk out the chicken-sized door into the run. And chickens do not usually fly over fences, but pigeons certainly do!

 

[backyard pigeons]

there are few disease risk that happen when keeping them together. but, I don't recommend doing it. baby pigeons will be eaten or killed if the pigeons breed. also, hawks can easily catch a pigeon when not paying attention, but not so much chickens. will the pigeons be able to free fly? how will you keep their food separate? i hope this helps!

 

[Jo4dunx]

Will the pigeons be allowed to go out into the run with the chickens?
If not, how would you prevent that?

I suspect it would be better to make a pen for the pigeons inside the shed--maybe hang it on the wall, so it doesn't take away from the chickens' floor space.

I have no personal experience with pigeons, so I'm just guessing based on the fact that pigeons could walk out the chicken-sized door into the run. And chickens do not usually fly over fences, but pigeons certainly do!

Will the pigeons be allowed to go out into the run with the chickens?
If not, how would you prevent that?

I suspect it would be better to make a pen for the pigeons inside the shed--maybe hang it on the wall, so it doesn't take away from the chickens' floor space.

I have no personal experience with pigeons, so I'm just guessing based on the fact that pigeons could walk out the chicken-sized door into the run. And chickens do not usually fly over fences, but pigeons certainly do!

Well I planned to have a hatch from the shed to the run which I could shut once I let the chickens out in a morning o tnat the pigeons can’t get out . I do plan to let the pigeons out eventually when they are used to their new home but that’s a bit further down the line . the pigeons food will be higher up with the pigeons and water also

 

[Blw18]

I’ve kept them together for years. As long as the pigeons have adequate perch space of their own and the chickens don’t keep the pigeons away from food and water, they should be perfectly happy. Matter of fact, I’ve got chicken breeder pens set up and each chicken pen has pigeons that live with them. They share food and I haven’t ever had problems. No disease and no injuries. I do recommend that the pigeons are given nesting sites where the chickens don’t step on the babies or eggs. The key is giving everybody enough personal space. If you free range your chickens and open the pen, the pigeons are likely to fly out but mine always return to the coop at dark to roost. I also have pigeons that fly freely and don’t necessarily have a pen. They roost in the barn and I feed them with the yard chickens. They’re really fun to watch.

 

[backyard pigeons]

and the chickens don’t keep the pigeons away from food and water, they should be perfectly happy.

I like the sounds of your setup, but it isn't ideal... Let me explain.

You can not control the instincts of a chicken. They are omnivores, who can be aggressive. although they may not show it, they will take the opportunity to kill and consume young pigeons who cannot fly well. As well as their eggs. If you do not allow them to breed, it may work better, but not always.

You said that they never fight over food. that isn't good. Chickens need 16-18% protein feed, with higher calcium than pigeons do. Pigeons only need 12-14% protein. It isn't good for them to not have grains to digest, as grains have more fiber that pigeons need, as well as exercising the digestive system. Do you feed your chickens grain? If so, that helps some. Pigeons also need lots of minerals. An easy way to go do this is provide mineral grit, which is made for pigeons. Chickens do not need this as much. What type of grit do your birds have access to?


@cavemanrich has lots of valuable info on this topic.

 

[Lunadell]

When I first got pigeons I added them to my standard (sized bird) chicken coop. I kept their food and water separate from the chickens, high on an elevated platform only the pigeons could fly to. Everything was fine for a while but the pigeons perpetually lived in the rafters. When I tried to coax them down the chickens would attack them. So I decided to try them out in the bantam run.

The bantams didn’t bother them much. The rooster tried to woo the new birds but gave up eventually. So they got along a lot better with the bantams than the standards. I think it all depends on your birds and setup.

One thing though, I did let the pigeons breed but the bantam hens would occasionally lay eggs on the pigeon platforms. The bantams flew much better than the standards did. So my pigeons ended up hatching out a pair of bantam chicks instead of pigeons once. That was confusing for the parents. I ended up training the bantam to lay in her ground-level nesting box and everything turned out ok. The bantams were small enough to be dissuaded by the pigeons defending their newborns. The only time I had chicks raided and killed was when my pigeons decided to nest on the ground once. I didn’t know any better at the time to stop them.

That’s just my story. Take from it what you will, and best of luck!

 

[Jo4dunx]

I’ve kept them together for years. As long as the pigeons have adequate perch space of their own and the chickens don’t keep the pigeons away from food and water, they should be perfectly happy. Matter of fact, I’ve got chicken breeder pens set up and each chicken pen has pigeons that live with them. They share food and I haven’t ever had problems. No disease and no injuries. I do recommend that the pigeons are given nesting sites where the chickens don’t step on the babies or eggs. The key is giving everybody enough personal space. If you free range your chickens and open the pen, the pigeons are likely to fly out but mine always return to the coop at dark to roost. I also have pigeons that fly freely and don’t necessarily have a pen. They roost in the barn and I feed them with the yard chickens. They’re really fun to watch.

Wow this is amazing ! I was going to make hatch for the chickens to get into the run and out to free range I would make the hatch so I can close it so the pigeons don’t come out but I do plan to let them out eventually they are only babies yet .... well not young young they must be about 8 weeks Now . How long can I leave it befure I can let them out to fly free I wouldn’t want to loose them I need to be sure that they will return , thanks

 

[NatJ]

Well I planned to have a hatch from the shed to the run which I could shut once I let the chickens out in a morning o tnat the pigeons can’t get out .

If the chickens are shut in the run all day, you need to be sure they have shade from the sun, shelter from rain, food, water, nestboxes if they are laying--all the things they could usually go inside to get.

 

[Jo4dunx]

If the chickens are shut in the run all day, you need to be sure they have shade from the sun, shelter from rain, food, water, nestboxes if they are laying--all the things they could usually go inside to get.

Yes they have all of that as it’s connected to a shed with food water bedding etc . They have never been shut in the run as they r free range chickens and are our all day the run is there in case they want to go in and it has a galvanised roof so it’s all covered