I have a weird situation going on in my coop... but thankfully it seems to be working out .. so far.
One pair of king pigeons has hatched out a bantam chicken egg and are taking care of the chick. Its 6 days old now and doing great.
This happened by accident! I never allow my pigeons to breed in the coop.. as the chickens will eat the newly hatched squabs. So I remove their eggs and put in fake ones.
The pigeons have boxes high up near the roof.. the chickens lay eggs in the lower nest boxes. I did not know a chicken had got into the pigeon nest a laid a single egg.
I was checking that the pigeon had not laid any more eggs.. when I put my hand on a tiny chick!! At first I thought it was a squab.. but then saw it was a chicken chick.
I usually have broody hens and chicks of all ages.. so it would not be a problem. to put it with them.. but this time I had none.. and the other chicks are well gown and no longer being brooded as they have all their feathers. I knew the single chick would not do well on its own in a brooder. And the bigger chicks would peck it. So I decided to leave it and see what happened.
I put a container of water and chick started in the pigeon nest box. The chick eats and drinks and walks about the nest box.. and when its cold it goes back under mother or father pigeon. The pigeons love it. They allow it to jump on their back and treat it as their own. They are very protective of it.. giving me a hard wing slap when I go to refill the food.
I though after a few days things may go wrong.. but everything is still good. The pigeons have started another clutch.. and seem happy to keep looking after this chick. All three of them on the nest.
I hope the situation will continue for a week or 2.. so that the chick will be big enough to survive on its own without a brooder. Then it can snuggle with the bigger half grown chicks at night. Its very hot in the daytime here...at lease 31 each day...so it will be ok then.
Keeping my fingers crossed.. and I will take a few pics this afternoon of the happy family!
One pair of king pigeons has hatched out a bantam chicken egg and are taking care of the chick. Its 6 days old now and doing great.
This happened by accident! I never allow my pigeons to breed in the coop.. as the chickens will eat the newly hatched squabs. So I remove their eggs and put in fake ones.
The pigeons have boxes high up near the roof.. the chickens lay eggs in the lower nest boxes. I did not know a chicken had got into the pigeon nest a laid a single egg.
I was checking that the pigeon had not laid any more eggs.. when I put my hand on a tiny chick!! At first I thought it was a squab.. but then saw it was a chicken chick.
I usually have broody hens and chicks of all ages.. so it would not be a problem. to put it with them.. but this time I had none.. and the other chicks are well gown and no longer being brooded as they have all their feathers. I knew the single chick would not do well on its own in a brooder. And the bigger chicks would peck it. So I decided to leave it and see what happened.
I put a container of water and chick started in the pigeon nest box. The chick eats and drinks and walks about the nest box.. and when its cold it goes back under mother or father pigeon. The pigeons love it. They allow it to jump on their back and treat it as their own. They are very protective of it.. giving me a hard wing slap when I go to refill the food.
I though after a few days things may go wrong.. but everything is still good. The pigeons have started another clutch.. and seem happy to keep looking after this chick. All three of them on the nest.
I hope the situation will continue for a week or 2.. so that the chick will be big enough to survive on its own without a brooder. Then it can snuggle with the bigger half grown chicks at night. Its very hot in the daytime here...at lease 31 each day...so it will be ok then.
Keeping my fingers crossed.. and I will take a few pics this afternoon of the happy family!
