Keeping doves with chickens

LynX123 · June 14, 2008

As I mentioned in my intro I am very new to keeping birds. Sorry if many of my questions are basic but I have my 'learners hat' on at the moment and don't want to get anything wrong. Hence what might seem like silly questions.

After a stormy night last autumn I found a young collared dove on the lawn, missing it's tail feathers and unable to fly. I discovered later that he had badly deformed feet which is probably why he was in the predicament in the first place. I did not expect him to live and was delighted that he thrived.

Come spring 'Lucky Dove' was fit and healthy but we were reluctant to return him to the wild as he has very little grip and I would worry for his chances as well he has become very tame so would lack survival instincts.

We have now built him a aviary 6' x 10' attached to a house 6' X 6'. We also bought a tame ring neck dove for him for company and Pax and Lucky Dove and really good friends.

Here is the first question of probably many.

Having built the aviary my husband wondered if there was any reason why he could (or could not) keep three or four POL hens in the aviary also. It would be nice to have fresh eggs and would put the floor of the place to use as the doves are mostly on branches and shelves we supplied for them. As there is nothing on the web about keeping these birds together it made me think it might be because it is not a good idea, all I can find is keeping quail and doves together.

I wonder if anyone has any advice thay might offer.

Whats it called Cumbernauld · June 14, 2008

Not sure of doves,but i can not think of any reason why you should not at least try this with a good degree of observation,there is a guy on hetre called Dovescot you may wish to p m him, he is very helpfull, and knows a lot about this kind of thing.

Sorry i cant add more good luck

June 14, 2008

Hi

The doves should be ok with the chickens if they can fly away from them. Just watch if you have baby doves because the chickens might kill them. I keep some bantam hens with my pigeons and they are fine.

Hope this helps,

Lloyd

pjc · June 14, 2008

Personally if you are serious about your pigeons I would never mix pigeons and poultry for hygene reasons etc.

Also how would you plan to feed for racing, breeding etc.

Sure the poultry would enjoy best corn and leave the pigeons with the layers pellets and rubbish!

Keep seperate!

Phil

Novice · June 14, 2008

Provided the pigeons (doves have an elevated perch/nest site where they can retreat to and where they can be fed no problem.

You, however may wish to build a door to allow the chickens access to fresh grass and dirt. Free range produces really eggs with highly coloured yolks.

Be aware that neither chickens nor doves have an infinite lifespan and you need to be prepared for disappointments.

LynX123 · June 14, 2008

Very many thanks for you helpful and speedy answers.

It would seem that as they are just pets and they do feed above ground anyway a couple of hens would be OK. As suggested I would of course keep a very close eye. It certainly seems worth a try.

DOVEScot · June 14, 2008

As I mentioned in my intro I am very new to keeping birds. Sorry if many of my questions are basic but I have my 'learners hat' on at the moment and don't want to get anything wrong. Hence what might seem like silly questions.

After a stormy night last autumn I found a young collared dove on the lawn, missing it's tail feathers and unable to fly. I discovered later that he had badly deformed feet which is probably why he was in the predicament in the first place. I did not expect him to live and was delighted that he thrived.
Come spring 'Lucky Dove' was fit and healthy but we were reluctant to return him to the wild as he has very little grip and I would worry for his chances as well he has become very tame so would lack survival instincts.
We have now built him a aviary 6' x 10' attached to a house 6' X 6'. We also bought a tame ring neck dove for him for company and Pax and Lucky Dove and really good friends.

Here is the first question of probably many.
Having built the aviary my husband wondered if there was any reason why he could (or could not) keep three or four POL hens in the aviary also. It would be nice to have fresh eggs and would put the floor of the place to use as the doves are mostly on branches and shelves we supplied for them. As there is nothing on the web about keeping these birds together it made me think it might be because it is not a good idea, all I can find is keeping quail and doves together.
I wonder if anyone has any advice thay might offer.

We have kept both pigeons and chickens, no problem with health as long as they are all healthy, they will live side by side but hens will raid the nest and kill the young piogeons as they will eat anything, we learned that the hard way.

Farmers for years, have kept them together, I know of two that still do and have some of the healthiest stock I have aquired

Ronnie · June 18, 2008

I have two freerange pol's which walk around the garden of a night i just lock them in a rabbit hutch to keep em safe and also saves me hunting down the egg's there allways in the hutch .How many are in the houshold ?i ask because 4 pol seems a tad to many to me i have me the missus and two kids and still give eggs away on a regular basis.Apart from whats been mentined about access to food and perches i cant see there being a problem.