Can I raise doves/pigeons if I already have chickens??

[shinychicken23]

HELP PLEASE ~ I have two hens (a black australorp and a rhode island red) and I want doves or pigeons. The problem is, I can't make another enclosure (my backyard's kind of small; the run is about 10x25x10 ish) and I can't keep them inside. Is it still possible for me to get pigeons or doves if they are enclosed in the same area? I really want some but I know the first thing I have to know about getting a new bird is space and minding my other birds... please help! thanks

 

[Pigeon Power]

Chickens will killand eat pigoens...do not put them in together...I've learned the hard way when I was a kid...Also doves and pigeons don't mix well...pigeons and chickens will kill doves...also learn this the hard way as a kid...

 

[Pigeon Power]

Chickens will killand eat pigoens...do not put them in together...I've learned the hard way when I was a kid...Also doves and pigeons don't mix well...pigeons and chickens will kill doves...also learn this the hard way as a kid...

 

[Hokum Coco]

I did raise meat king chickens with pigeons with no issue (it only takes 8 weeks). The meat kings if anything regarded the pigeons as sort of parental units. I have to agree with Pigeon Power otherwise 100%. You could wake up to a cannibalized pigeon. .

 

[Majd]

If the run is high enough with high perches you should have no problem... my grandma used to feed the chickens and the pigeons together with no problems. .. the chickens try to chase them off a bit when they eat because they think they're small chickens and lower in the pecking order.... but they all done fine.... just take a pic of your run and we'll see if it's suitable... you'll know better as you know your chickens and their daily routines .... then take a descision... because if it's a big run they do well as they can prevent the chickens and fly around and be just fine...

 

[Naunnie]

Here is another thread that may be helpful. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/284022/can-i-let-pigeons-loft-with-my-chickens/10.

I definitely would not house Doves with either chickens or Pigeons. They are way too small to defend themselves against the larger birds.

My suggestions is to start with only a pair of Pigeons and watch the mix very closely. Also, please do a lot of research before you acquire Pigeons. Keep in mind, their food and water requirements are a lot different than chickens.

 

[Pigeon Power]

We didn't have a problem with chicken and pigeons being in the same area...because if its big enough pigeons can aways get away however in an enclosed area some pigeon breeds would be at very high risk of being attacked or even killed....I would image that even if you had a breed that had an easyer time geing away or was big enough to stand up for its self...it would still be a very stressful situation for the pigeons..We had tiny bantys (and only 5) in a whole loft of pigeons...Yes some breeds did ok but others got picked on a lot...We built another pen when one got mauled to death and a baby pigeon was taken from under the mother and disemboweled. I was the one the found the baby pigeon as a kid and it was just not good. The chickens were belgian bearded d'uccles sweet birds ...would follow me around the yard and weren't to bad with eachother but I just would not put any chicken in with a pigeon...in an enclosed area...your asking for trouble

 

[Totits]

Hi there,

I breed fancy pigeons along with my bantams, and a handful of Malays (my Dad love this breed so much). So far we never encountered any problems.

 

[jak2002003]

OK here is my personal experience.

You CAN mix ADULT non breeding pigeons with bantam chickens with no problems.

All chickens can KILL and eat the baby pigeon in the nest if you allow the pigeons to breed.

Normal sized chickens and fancy pigeons is a BAD idea. The chickens are much more aggressive and will attack and even kill you fancy pigeons. The fancy pigeons - like fantails, are slow and docile, and will not be able to get out of the chickens way quick enough.

I keep a variety of fancy pigeons with my Japanese Bantams with no problems. I do not allow my pigeon to breed in the coop with the chickens. I take selected pairs out and breed them in large cages.

I used to clip my chickens wings and they roosted on the low roost as they could not fly up. The pigeons roosted on the high roost and their nest boxed were high up. The chickens nest boxes were low down.

This worked great for some time.......the pigeon would breed and raise their squabs out of reach of the wing clipped chickens.

But when the squabs grew up and came out of the nest and fell onto the floor the chickens would attack and injure them!!!!!

So its better not to keep pigeons with chickens, unless they are bantam chickens, and then do not allow the pigeons to hatch out any squabs.

You also need to supply food and water for the pigeons high up where the wing clipped chickens can not get to it.. The chickens dominate the feeders on the ground and may not let more timid pigeons feed.....then they will get sick.

 

[fvc24]

I have personally raised pigeons and chickens of all breeds together with zero problems for 5 years now and they all reproduce with no issues as well. I do have high nesting boxes for the pigeons and low boxes for the chickens and community perches all over the aviary and some of them perch together at night. They eat fine together and free forage during the day, they are semi free range they are let out every day after "breakfast" and everyone goes into the aviary on their own every night. The chickens don't disturb the baby pigeons and the pigeons don't harm the baby chickens. Doves are another story entirely! I tried to add doves to the aviary but they really tore them up and killed one so I would say no on the doves. Side note the pigeons and chickens for the most part were raised together aside from the 4 or so adult chickens I started with. I will try to add pics a bit later of them all perched together.