King Pigeon Info

[jak2002003]

I have just fallen in love with a pair of white king pigeons I saw for sale in a pet shop.

I never seen this kind of pigeon before and am amazed how big they are! I used to keep white fantail doves years ago.

The main question is 'can king pigeons fly'?

I guess they can not fly around high in the air like homing pigeons - but would they be able to fly up to my house roof or over my garden wall? I would like them to be able to fly a little in case a dog or cat comes into the garden.

Can they live in my bantam chickens outside run if I give them a small house to sleep in?

Can they eat the same food and my chickens? (layers pellets and scratch).

Are they a friendly breed?

Thanks for any info.

 

[fowlsessed]

great, I would also like some info on this breed. I can't answer any of the breed specific questions. But as for the others. Yes, you can feed layer pellets and scratch. I know of several good breeders who feed solely layer pellets. Some people say no to scratch because of the cracked corn in it, but others, like my self, have fed it without a problem. I my self feed layer pellets mixed with wheat, milo, and corn. As for keeping them WITH the bantams, that wouldn't be a good idea as chickens are very aggressive and would not allow the pigeons on the ground with them, in addition to them possibly seriously injuring them if the pigeons don't get out of the way quick enough and they get a grab on them and flog them. You could however just keep them in the chicken pen if you put a shelf up in it, and then closed in the shelf with wood, wire or both, kinda like a small bow with an open area on the side of the chicken pen. Could you please tell me how big these kings are compared to a specific breed of bantam?

Thanks,

 

[ThiefPouter06]

Heres what I know. There are two types of king, show and squabbing(utility). The show kings are huge, beautiful and not good parents. The meat kind are white or silver bar and very prolific breeders. Most all pigeons can fly. Some better than others and if flying from birth as good as any. You can mix pigeons with chickens but there are risks of disease jumping. If given a flight cage they will need a draft free area.

 

[jak2002003]

Thanks for the info guys.

These king pigeons are bigger than my bantam hens. My biggest bantam rooster is physically bigger, but much lighter in weight.

I have Japanese Bantams and they are really tiny and not aggressive at all.

The king pigeons I saw in the shop where the type used for food. They just look like huge white doves. I am not a fan of the show type, I think they are a strange shape!

I used to keep fantail pigeons in a dovecote in my garden at my old home. I was hoping I could keep this pair in a similar way. I was just worried they were too heavy to fly up to roost in the dovecote. Obviously I don't want them to sleep on the ground - or they would not last too long!

 

[fowlsessed]

Seen you on pigeon talk, great. Just watch them with the chickens, cause with mine they try with every thing they have to get a hold of those pigeons when they land. And trust me, a couple times the bantams have grabbed and flogged them, which they were smaller than a Japanese and didn't have any spurs, thankfully. if it was one of the LF, I don't think that would be too pretty.
Anyway, good luck.

 

[TomNY]

Heres what I know. There are two types of king, show and squabbing(utility). The show kings are huge, beautiful and not good parents. The meat kind are white or silver bar and very prolific breeders. Most all pigeons can fly. Some better than others and if flying from birth as good as any. You can mix pigeons with chickens but there are risks of disease jumping. If given a flight cage they will need a draft free area.

Silver Utility Kings are brown barred in color. I have some of the pure Shoreham Squab Farm strain Silver Kings from the Manor Squab Farm dispersal after Joe's death. Tom

 

[Faith SL]

To answer your main question of whether king pigeons can fly or not, it really depends on the type and size of king. The quality show kings with shorter wings and tail and rounder body are said to be very clumsy in flight of any large distance. Many of the utility kings are also too heavy to fly any large distance, but some of the kings which are not show or utility quality and are simply kings by name and not for weight or show purposes are said to be able to fly greater distances. Overall, kings range from being unable to fly more than 15 feet in the air to being able to keep up with a team of homing pigeons for 10 minutes before becoming exhausted and landing. It just depends on the type/weight/strength and stamina of the pigeon. The male king pigeon cross in my loft (probably 25% homing pigeon blood, he was a rescue) can fly to the rooftop with relative ease and keep up with my racing team for about two minutes or so before becoming exhausted and landing. He is a very heavy pigeon, but has the muscle to get in the air for a little bit. I have never heard of a king pigeon which is too heavy to fly short distances in a loft, but they are slower when reacting to danger or lifting off the ground.

Pigeons can live with chickens, but as Fowlsessed and TheifPouter06 mentioned your chickens could be aggressive to the pigeons especially when first introduced and possibly spread sickness or disease. Although many people have had bad experiences with trying to keep chickens and pigeons together, my first pigeons were housed in a chicken coop and I have kept a group of pigeons with my current chickens for a few years now with hardly any problem. Maybe I am lucky, but it has worked out fine so far with little aggression after the chickens adjusted to the little colorful birdies walking and flying around and I have seen absolutely no signs of sickness from the pigeons housed in my chicken coop. If kept with chickens, pigeons will need a separate feeder and water dish/fount that the chickens cannot get into or knock over, adequate space both on the floor and on perches, and either do not allow them to nest in the chicken coop or they must have a completely secure and chicken-proof nesting compartment. If any chickens get to the nesting area especially when there are eggs or young, the chickens do not completely understand what they are seeing and will wreak havoc.

Again, although I have heard many other people say they have had problems feeding their pigeons chicken scratch feed, I have fed my pigeons scratch (and layer pellets) on occasion before with no problem whatsoever. If feeding that as their main diet, they would probably enjoy some other seeds or grains mixed in from time to time such as millet, a few raw spanish peanuts or some field peas to give them a variety. Just remember not to feed pigeons scratch or layer layer feed (or any other feed, for that matter) which has been exposed to too much moisture or which has gotten wet, as it can spoil quickly and easily make pigeons very sick.

King pigeons, if tamed and handled, can become a very friendly pigeon towards humans. Generally they are docile towards other pigeons, but there are always those territorial birds who can't stand other pigeons in their space and are more aggressive. It partly depends on the personality of the individual pigeon.

Hope this helps!

 

[mewlps]

May 3rd, 2012 just post horrible winds storms here in Palm Springs,Ca. My King came to me as I was finishing my prayers in my pool. He flew over my head and landed at the edge of the pool. He looked like the perfect Holy Spirit, I now call him Santo.

He was very thirsty, it took time for him to to trust me. Santo finally took water from a small bowl I placed in front of him but still in my hand. He has been with me since that time.

Although I tried to find his owner by calling all the homing, and race fliers organizations in Southern California and the Southwest. I had no luck. Santo was even on NBC Palm Springs news, but no one claimed him.

I now feed Santo between 5-7 AM and 5-7PM as well as keeping him well hydrated. He comes to me when I call to him and does his little flight from rooftop, around the trees and then back to me. My neighbors now enjoy his little antics and his being so friendly, now hie is not just another good looking bird...he has a story!

He is a handsome bright white bird that you have to notice even if you don't know anything about birds. He is large, has large orange feet, has a band on his left leg with a number and for now Santo and I are birds of feather and soul.

M.E.L from Pam Springs,Ca.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

May 3rd, 2012 just post horrible winds storms here in Palm Springs,Ca. My King came to me as I was finishing my prayers in my pool. He flew over my head and landed at the edge of the pool. He looked like the perfect Holy Spirit, I now call him Santo.

He was very thirsty, it took time for him to to trust me. Santo finally took water from a small bowl I placed in front of him but still in my hand. He has been with me since that time.

Although I tried to find his owner by calling all the homing, and race fliers organizations in Southern California and the Southwest. I had no luck. Santo was even on NBC Palm Springs news, but no one claimed him.

I now feed Santo between 5-7 AM and 5-7PM as well as keeping him well hydrated. He comes to me when I call to him and does his little flight from rooftop, around the trees and then back to me. My neighbors now enjoy his little antics and his being so friendly, now hie is not just another good looking bird...he has a story!

He is a handsome bright white bird that you have to notice even if you don't know anything about birds. He is large, has large orange feet, has a band on his left leg with a number and for now Santo and I are birds of feather and soul.

M.E.L from Pam Springs,Ca.

The king pigeon has been living in the wild since 2012? That’s very impressive, as it’s extremely dangerous for a single pigeon to free fly without a flock (I know this from experience).