Chickens and Pigeons

[carrie307]

Hi,

I've kept chickens for eggs for several years and am thinking of getting some racing pigeons just for fun. I am worried that they might be able to pass diseases to each other. An internet search comes up with pages saying that chickens can get pigeons sick, but I can't seem to find anything about whether pigeons could get chickens sick. The latter seems more likely, as the pigeons will be leaving the yard and might be mingling with other birds. Does anyone have any information on this?

Thanks,
Carrie

 

[rittert3]

From my understanding most pigeon born disease stems from build up of their poop and most pigeons outside of the cities, esspecially domestic pigeons, are pretty clean of disease anyway from my experience. If you just want to try pigeons for fun they don't need anything to fancy but I would try some cheapper birds than racing homers to start with. I got some roller mixes and barn pigeons for about $2 each and kept 6-8 around for about 3 years, they were a great joy and cheap to have around. I kept them in a rabbit hutch and eventually I got to were I never even closed the door. I fed and watered them in the morning and evening and they flew around most of the day and went in to roost at night. I lived a block away from a grain elevator, which wasn't ideal for flying pigeons but, they ussually stayed around 6 months or so and then took off with the ferals.

 

[abluechipstock]

people keep chickens and pigeons together all the time, as long as the pigeons can get away from the chickens they'll be fine, as for disease you should keep new birds quarintined for at least a month and keep things clean, don't let the pigeons poop in the waterers, not sure if there's anything written about the actual act of keeping them together

 

[ODEY587]

My tumblers have lived with my chickens for over three years without any problems

 

[nxd10]

My 3 homing doves live with 5 chickens. They share a high 'run/flight'. The chickens sleep in a henhouse now, two of the doves decided on an attached rabbit hutch, and the third in a regular pigeon nestbox.

The one dove lived for a long time with the chickens, but, unfortunately, was driven off her favorite sleeping spot by a hen. I had hoped she'd sleep with them in the winter for warmth.

The dove that hangs with the chickens was not the bottom the pecking order and was pretty darned aggressive. It was one of the more dominant hens that drove her out.

IMO, the chickens are as likely to get diseases from the sparrows and other birds that hang around the run as from the pigeons.

 

[carrie307]

Hi all,

Thanks for the advice. I never even realized anyone responded. Guess I'll have to check my notification settings!

Carrie

 

[SuperChickenDude327]

I literaly just got 4
bananas