Some questions about keeping pigeons with chickens and more

[RachelFromTheBlackLagoon]

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Great, thanks! Now will something like that be adequate during New England winters? I was originally thinking about building an insulated box on a platform so he could either roost on the platform or enter the box for more warmth and shelter.

 

[truecolorsloft]

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You'll find that with pigeons like with chickens everyone proclaims to be an "expert" LOL. With medicating out flock, we use a "general all poultry" wormer and an "all purpose" de-licer. One thing to watch out for is to see if your meds are safe for animals meant for eating(in regards to collecting eggs), but other than that you seem ok

 

[RachelFromTheBlackLagoon]

LOL, that's what I figured!

Great, thank you for the info! I'll probably worm and de-louse the pigeon prior to moving him in, just to be safe. I'm pretty excited about this so I hope the gals are cool with it! Thanks for all of the great info, everyone!

 

[BlueEggs4Life]

I have a friend who has had pigeons and chickens together since she was a little girl. Her setup was quite different though, as she basically has them housed in a large barn where the pigeons mostly use the upper portions and the chickens are at ground level. I have pigeons and chickens together in the same shed but are separated by a half plywood and half plastic mesh wall. They were all together in the beginning with no problems except the chickens wanted to use the pigeon nest boxes also, which the pigeons didn't like. There was also a food issue since my chickens are pigs in disguise.

In your case, could you add something to the outside wall of your chicken hutch yet still remain in the fenced in portion? almost like an over sized bird house. That is what I would recommend so the little guy has somewhere to retreat to that the chickens cant bother with him if he would like. Then he has the option to hang out with them or have some "alone time" and it would still protect him form the cold winds in the winter. Also note, pigeons eat off the ground/off of a flat surface not a hanging feeder style perch that it would have to fly to so you will need some type of raised shelf for him to eat and drink from that the chickens wont scarf everything, including his grit.

Not sure how you feel about shipping birds, but I would be interested in taking "him" in if you needed. I live in Michigan however and shipping would really be the only option.

Good luck!

 

[RachelFromTheBlackLagoon]

Saw this a bit late but thanks for that info. That's sort of what I was thinking about building for him. For the fededing station, I was going to make some sort of a platform, either plywood or hardware cloth with a wood frame, where i can place his feeder and waterer. I'd attach it to the framing of my run, up pretty high so the chickens couldn't take it over. I think it'll work out and the closer we get to spring, the more excited I'm getting about it. As long as everything goes well, I'll soon have to think about finding a nice companion pigeon to adopt!

 

[bluebird]

I have 4 pigeons and 2 banty hens that live happily together. Had the pigeons first. When I got the banties, I put them inside the coop in a seperate small pen for a couple of weeks then let them all out together. They allget along fine now. At first my banties were freaked out when the pigeons would fly around. Now the banties are used to it. I have elevated food and perches for the pigeons but they eat from the chicken feeder sometimes too. They share two waterers. Their 'BirdHouse' also has an attached fenced enclosure with a small (slide) chicken door. Pigeons use it...no problem.

I am 'bluebirdsnfur' on www.pigeontalk.biz/forums/
You can see our little setup on my photo album.

Many homeless pijies for adoption at www.mickacoo.org. They do ship. I am in Indiana and I have two Kings from them.

BTW, Rachel . . . very sweet little chickie coop you got there! I think you little helmet would be happy there too!

 

[RachelFromTheBlackLagoon]

Bluebird, very cute setup and gorgeous birds you've got there! Thank you for the compliment and all of the info! I emailed Elizabeth from MickaCoo about adoption and shipping. I checked out their adoptable birds and they even have a helmet! There are so many beauties in need... We'll see what happens! Thanks, again!

 

[EaglesPoint]

hello to yall on my BYC page you can see how i have my setup chicken & pigeon condo i still have to put my top run on so i can let my pigeons out but for now this is it...

 

[RachelFromTheBlackLagoon]

Hi, EaglesPoint! Nice setup you've got there! Do your chickens bother your pigeons at all or do they not have much interaction?

 

[EaglesPoint]

hello & thanks ,,RachelFromTheBlackLagoon,,, No my chickens or free range ,, and i have 2 kids that help out so I don't take a chance on leting them into the chick coop side soon i will be adding the fly pen for them, My Pigions were hand caught at the Super Market. and just got my first egg yesterday she's sitting it out ..i think that's so cool !!!