pigeon hatched a chick

[Eric 2016]

well I can't believe this happened but, I have a pen that contains 9 pigeons and 5 silkie chickens, they often share nest boxes and a silkie hen laid an egg in a pigeon nest. the pigeon hatched the silkie chick! I couldn't believe it.

 

[Eric 2016]

 

[biophiliac]

Unbelievable!....but I guess I'll take your word for it. You should find a foto contest here on BYC to enter that picture. It's awesome

.

 

[jak2002003]

Congratulations!!!

I have had that happen several times.... and usually the pigeon parents make good foster parents for the chick....

Be careful to separate the pigeon parents and the chick from the other pigeons... because the other pigeons will kill the young chicken chick if it accidently hops into one of their nests when it starts to run and fly about! And the adult chickens may attack and kill it when it get on the floor with them.. and the pigeon won't be able to protect it like a mother hen.

It might be better to put it in a brooder to raise yourself to be on the safe side....

 

[biophiliac]

Do the pigeon foster parents want to feed the chick like it was a squab?

 

[jak2002003]

Do the pigeon foster parents want to feed the chick like it was a squab?

Yes at first. Then they give up lol. I usually take the chicks and put them in a brooder.

But I did have 2 pigeon pairs raise their own chicken chick.

Followed at around everywhere. But you have to watch out the other pigeons don't kill the chick... that's why I remove them after they are dried out and starting to walk about and look for food.

 

[lightchick]

So cool! I'm planning on trying to hatch some quail chicks under my pigeons.