Pigeons and doves!

[cinnamoncockatiel]

I am interested in adopting pigeons and doves. They will live with my 2 ducks and 15 chickens. Yes my chickens and duck will not hurt them. I have multiple chickens who are smaller than pigeons AND doves.

Questions ~

Can I have only 2?
How big a loft would I need for 5 or less?
What should I feed them?
I have many very tall perching posts in my run that the pigeons could have their bowls on for eating that the chickens couldn´t get to.
What breeds are best?
Pigeons or doves?
Do they need a perch in their loft and nesting boxes?
What do I need to know?

 

[backyard pigeons]

I am interested in adopting pigeons and doves. They will live with my 2 ducks and 15 chickens. Yes my chickens and duck will not hurt them. I have multiple chickens who are smaller than pigeons AND doves.

I'm going to be honest. keeping with chickens and ducks... It won't work in the long run. Chickens are omnivores, they will seize the opportunity when it presents itself, whether that is eggs, babies, or adults. As for your chickens being smaller than pigeons AND doves, wow! Who knew a chicken could weigh less than a baseball. Doves are tiny, as well as some pigeons, don't risk it. Doves weigh 5 ounces.I hope this doesn't sound mean, but building their own loft is best.

Can I have only 2?
How big a loft would I need for 5 or less?
What should I feed them?
I have many very tall perching posts in my run that the pigeons could have their bowls on for eating that the chickens couldn´t get to.
What breeds are best?
Pigeons or doves?
Do they need a perch in their loft and nesting boxes?
What do I need to know?

Yes, they are social, so two is minimum.

Feed them a grain mixture with about 12-15% protein.

I recommend a 3 ft cube for one pair, and two square feet additional for each extra pair.

I love homers and Portuguese tumblers, as they can fly! But all breeds are good, just depends on what you want them for.

Pigeons! Doves are more sensitive to weather and change, and can't free fly like pigeons.

Yes, flat perches and decent sized boxes with some bedding is best.

I will add more info tonight, if I can. There's a big learning curve for pigeons, but they are worth it!

 

[cinnamoncockatiel]

I'm going to be honest. keeping with chickens and ducks... It won't work in the long run. Chickens are omnivores, they will seize the opportunity when it presents itself, whether that is eggs, babies, or adults. As for your chickens being smaller than pigeons AND doves, wow! Who knew a chicken could weigh less than a baseball. Doves are tiny, as well as some pigeons, don't risk it. Doves weigh 5 ounces.I hope this doesn't sound mean, but building their own loft is best.

Yes, they are social, so two is minimum.

Feed them a grain mixture with about 12-15% protein.

I recommend a 3 ft cube for one pair, and two square feet additional for each extra pair.

I love homers and Portuguese tumblers, as they can fly! But all breeds are good, just depends on what you want them for.

Pigeons! Doves are more sensitive to weather and change, and can't free fly like pigeons.

Yes, flat perches and decent sized boxes with some bedding is best.

I will add more info tonight, if I can. There's a big learning curve for pigeons, but they are worth it!

They will have their own loft. The ducks have their own hutch and the chickens have their own coop. They would only share a run with the flock not coop/loft/hutch. They will also have many perches that are high up.

My chickens will not hurt them nor the ducks. I have a hen named Xochitl who is smaller than a pigeon and everyone is sweet to her. She is a nice flyer also.

Thanks I will likely get Pigeons. I was not as interested in doves.

I love tumblers!

Thank you for the loft information.

Thank you I will get around 2-3 pigeons.


Thank you for your help @backyard pigeons !

 

[backyard pigeons]

Go for four, that way everyone has a mate. Or better yet, 6, as you would have more genetic diversity to start a flock. I know, you probably don't want a flock yet, but for me, I said no more than 15. But guess what? Three years later, I have 60.







It all started with 4 pigeons...

 

[cinnamoncockatiel]

Can I have only females like chickens? What is the male:female ratio?

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

They will have their own loft. The ducks have their own hutch and the chickens have their own coop. They would only share a run with the flock not coop/loft/hutch. They will also have many perches that are high up.

My chickens will not hurt them nor the ducks. I have a hen named Xochitl who is smaller than a pigeon and everyone is sweet to her. She is a nice flyer also.

Thanks I will likely get Pigeons. I was not as interested in doves.

I love tumblers!

Thank you for the loft information.

Thank you I will get around 2-3 pigeons.


Thank you for your help @backyard pigeons !

Don’t free fly them if you’re only going to keep 2-3. They need to be in a big flock or there’s a bigger risk of getting lost/killed. Still, even in a flock there will be losses- more than with most free ranging chicken flocks. I didn’t follow the advice I got on this forum and free flew a single pigeon after I had him for a month. He never returned.

Can I have only females like chickens? What is the male:female ratio?

1:1 ratio. Every bird usually picks a single lifelong mate.

 

[cinnamoncockatiel]

Don’t free fly them if you’re only going to keep 2-3. They need to be in a big flock or there’s a bigger risk of getting lost/killed. Still, even in a flock there will be losses- more than with most free ranging chicken flocks. I didn’t follow the advice I got on this forum and free flew a single pigeon after I had him for a month. He never returned.


1:1 ratio. Every bird usually picks a single lifelong mate.

Yes I am not free flying. Though one day if I have a large flock I might. I will keep them in my large aviary/run and when they come out sometimes I will use pigeon pants.

Can I have only females?

If not I would get 1 male and 1 female.

Thank you!

 

[cinnamoncockatiel]

Also do I need to worry about pigeons near my ducks pool.

It is not a kitty pool it is one of these ~ https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...4-ft-l-x-2-ft-h-100-gal-capacity?cm_vc=-10005

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Yes I am not free flying. Though one day if I have a large flock I might. I will keep them in my large aviary/run and when they come out sometimes I will use pigeon pants.

Can I have only females?

If not I would get 1 male and 1 female.

Thank you!

You can. Most people with small amounts of pigeons tend to get a male and female, though, because they’re more likely to become a pair (though two females may pair up as well). If you don’t want babies you can always switch their eggs for fake ones.

 

[cinnamoncockatiel]

What about them and my ducks pool?