Thinking about getting pigeons…

[fishandchix1]

So I've been thinking about getting pigeons and I was wondering if they are compatible with chickens. I have six one week old babies currently and six hens. I have a roomy completely enclosed coop and I was wondering if that would also work for a pigeon. Do I need to put a small pool in the coop also. And I've been reading about homing pigeon's for sale at Strombergs hatchery. Do I need to train them to be a homing pigeon or are they born with homing instincts? Also could I feed them my chicken feed? And what are some good breeds for beginner pigeon owners. Should I buy them Pinioned or not? Thanks, Jagger

 

[Hokum Coco]

So I've been thinking about getting pigeons and I was wondering if they are compatible with chickens.

They are to a certain extent in a perfect world. My advice save your self a lot of heartache put up a small partition with a bit of chicken wire and give your pigeons their own space with a pigeon trap to control their entrances and exits to outside you will be glad you did. Chickens will cannibalize pigeons eggs and squabs given half a chance. Get young homers any other pigeon is just something to make you wish you had a homer. They come in an assortment of colours.

 

[laughingdog]

Homers/racers n rollers/tumblers, are easiest to keep.
Homers need settling of one month to one year or no letting originals at all, depending one age and quality of homers, and they'll need to be taken on slow close tossings before you can just take far out to toss to come home. Homers need decent sized loft/coop room for some of them. Homers generally eat a fourth of cup each daily.
Rollers need week settling before letting out to fly, and will not fly back to old owners. Each bird only needs feeding of one tablespoon a day, and they do backwards Summersaults/flips etc flying stunts n tricks. Rollers need a small only open front box coop for more, flown daily.
Rollers are generally friendly and handleable, where homers more no touch unless tossing. I've seen n had exceptions to both.