Tips for a First Time Pigeon Owner

[fatimastic]

We are buying a pair of fabulous Fantail pigeons!
I am also an Australorp owner so I am confused if having pigeons will affect my hens or the other way.
My flock is currently suffering from wet foul pox and respiratory disease. Will it effect my pigeons? Will the pigeons bring new diseases with them?

Wild birds just love our home and a pair of common blackbird lives in the ceiling of our garage. We have a small shaded balcony on the 1st floor and that's where we plan to keep them. The area is cat, wesel and falcon proof as we have a lot of them here. But random birds already rest there, none have made a nest yet.
Will this cause any health related issues to botj my newcomers and existing ones?

 

[cavemanrich]

My flock is currently suffering from wet foul pox and respiratory disease. Will it effect my pigeons? Will the pigeons bring new diseases with them?

I would first get the fowl pox cured before I would get those pigeons.
Your pigeons could possibly bring diseases to your flock if you get sick pigeons.
Best to get pigeons that are known to be healthy. Of course you want your home to be healthy environment as well. Take care of known diseases (fowl pox) before getting more pets.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[fatimastic]

I would first get the fowl pox cured before I would get those pigeons.
Your pigeons could possibly bring diseases to your flock if you get sick pigeons.
Best to get pigeons that are known to be healthy. Of course you want your home to be healthy environment as well. Take care of known diseases (fowl pox) before getting more pets.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Thanks for the wish!!

We will get our birds the day after tomorrow and we can't cancel their arrival. The pigeons will be quarantined for nearly a 2-3 weeks before we let them out.

 

[Qualien]

I agree with keeping your new birds quarantined until your small pox and respiratory issues with your flock are fixed, as far as interactions between pigeons and chickens, I have a free-ranging flock of lavender ameraucana and guineas, I also let my fantails free loft during the day. They seem to pretty much ignore each other, and get along just fine. Occasionally my male guinea will charge one of the pigeons picking on the ground, but the pigeon will just jump up, and fly around before re-settling to pick. Fan tails are pretty easy to care for. All you need is clean drinking water, clean bathing water, food, and a nice nest bowl. Try putting light weight grasses and sticks (ones your chickens haven't been in contact with) in with them so that they can add sticks to their nesting bowl. Plain unsalted peanuts are a great treat for pigeons. It will take your new pigeons a while to get used to you, but the more you hold them and spend time with them, the more comfortable they will become with you. Have fun with them. Fan tails are generally easy to care for, and difficult to mess up.

 

[fatimastic]

I agree with keeping your new birds quarantined until your small pox and respiratory issues with your flock are fixed, as far as interactions between pigeons and chickens, I have a free-ranging flock of lavender ameraucana and guineas, I also let my fantails free loft during the day. They seem to pretty much ignore each other, and get along just fine. Occasionally my male guinea will charge one of the pigeons picking on the ground, but the pigeon will just jump up, and fly around before re-settling to pick. Fan tails are pretty easy to care for. All you need is clean drinking water, clean bathing water, food, and a nice nest bowl. Try putting light weight grasses and sticks (ones your chickens haven't been in contact with) in with them so that they can add sticks to their nesting bowl. Plain unsalted peanuts are a great treat for pigeons. It will take your new pigeons a while to get used to you, but the more you hold them and spend time with them, the more comfortable they will become with you. Have fun with them. Fan tails are generally easy to care for, and difficult to mess up.

How deep should their bathing water be? And in which container?

Thankfully our fowl pox is resolved. The hens are immune to respiratory diseases and I treat them here and there to ensure their safety.

My pigeons are coming here tomorrow so we will keep them inside our house, quarantined for a month and meanwhile plan and build their house. Any ideas on what type of area,design,cage the fantails prefer?
Thanks for helping!!!

 

[TwoCrows]

We would love to see photos of the new birds when they get settled in!

 

[Qualien]

For my bathing dish I use a cheap cat litter pan, maybe a few inches deep. The water needs to be cleaned at least daily.
I keep mine in a four foot by four foot enclosure with nesting boxes of milk crates on one wall, and perches on the other. It also has a sun bathing window about two foot out, and made of hardware cloth, out the third wall, and the fourth is a door. It currently houses 8 birds, 6 fantails, and 2 Jacobin. They are my fun pigeons, but we also keep a separate loft for our racers.
It doesn't have to be an elaborate loft, it can be very simple, and all it requires is a space for food, water, grit/oyster, sunshine, nesting and sleep. Especially if you plan to let your birds put of the loft. If you do plan to keep them in permanently you may need a larger space for flying.
Also, as I learned the hard way, calcium is absolutely essential for pigeons. Without it they suffer something akin to seizures, and partial paralysis.

 

[fatimastic]

For my bathing dish I use a cheap cat litter pan, maybe a few inches deep. The water needs to be cleaned at least daily.
I keep mine in a four foot by four foot enclosure with nesting boxes of milk crates on one wall, and perches on the other. It also has a sun bathing window about two foot out, and made of hardware cloth, out the third wall, and the fourth is a door. It currently houses 8 birds, 6 fantails, and 2 Jacobin. They are my fun pigeons, but we also keep a separate loft for our racers.
It doesn't have to be an elaborate loft, it can be very simple, and all it requires is a space for food, water, grit/oyster, sunshine, nesting and sleep. Especially if you plan to let your birds put of the loft. If you do plan to keep them in permanently you may need a larger space for flying.
Also, as I learned the hard way, calcium is absolutely essential for pigeons. Without it they suffer something akin to seizures, and partial paralysis.

Once the get settled in, we plan to let them free range and live their own life. I would fancy seeing your fantails!!

Do we need to provide them with oyster shells? Can the calcium be in form of eggshells? Sadly oyster shells are not available here.

 

[fatimastic]

We would love to see photos of the new birds when they get settled in!

I would love to share their journey!!
Let's hope they live a wonderful healthy life!

 

[cavemanrich]

Can the calcium be in form of eggshells?

Egg shells are just fine..