dove in a chicken coop

[thepremo1]

if i introduce a dove/pigeon into my chicken coop could it thrive or would it dive??

 

[CoopCrazy]

Try doing a search (in the blue box at the top of screen)I have read a few folks that keep pigeons and doves int he coop.. They sya they even let them out to fly around..

 

[95yj]

different every time, there are thousands of variables there.

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

I would keep good sized pigeons with chickens (like homer size or bigger), but I would avoid putting doves or the smaller breeds of pigeons in with a lot of chickens. Especially if the chickens are standard sized. I have kept a trio of D'uccles in a pen with a couple doves. But the cage is very tall, and I have food for the doves up on a platform where the chickens can't get to it. So the doves can eat and sleep up above the chickens. The only time the doves have to come down on the floor is to occassionally pick at the ground and drink. The one thing most birds tend to pick fights over the most, is a place to roost, and food.

 

[BlueEggs4Life]

I have a large "shed" (about 20' x 12') that was transformed into a chicken coop with a fenced in run off the back for my 6 chickens. I later got into white homers and they now occupy the front half and have their own fenced in flight area and are also able to free fly a few times a week. I started with the chickens being able to roam the entire shed. The pigeons seemed okay with it but now that the pigeons are nesting the chickens started to get in the way. I had one chicken that started laying in the pigeon nest. There was never any fights going on since the pigeons could always fly up and away from a chicken but I didnt want to take any chances with babies coming sometime soon and decided to separate the chickens. I now have a plywood wall about 3 feet high with plastic "wire/mesh" creating the rest of the wall to keep the pigeons on their own side but still allow them to see each other somewhat and allow for better air flow. There is a small door in the middle for me to come and go to each side. It has worked well so far.

My friend has a giant barn with a scattering of pigeons anywhere they want to be and chickens at ground level with a large chicken run that is basically a small field that is fenced. This style allows the pigeons to roam as they please too however which means hawks from time to time claim some of them. Her chickens have been known to sit on pigeon eggs and then hatch them. They dont know what to do though so she has to try to find a new pigeon pair to take them in.. she almost always has been able to when this is discovered. A pigeon or two has hatched a chicken egg of hers before also... they try to feed it which is kinda funny to see. This situation ends easier since she can just plop the baby in a broader.

Basically, there are ups and downs to having them together. From my experience I prefer to have them together in the same enclosure but still separate for added safety. You never know when a chicken could get an attitude and cause some serious damage, or a ticked off male pigeon for that matter

 

[bluebird]

I have 4 pigeons and 2 banty hens that live happily together in my small 8'x8' BirdHouse. The pigeons have elevated perches and food but frequently eat from the chicken feeder. They share 2 waterers. One pair of pigeons nests on the floor but I replace eggs so I have no problem with babies. They go outside together and it is quite funny to see pigeons pecking on the ground alongside the chickens. The 6 provide me with endless entertainment!