Henhathnofury Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 I often look out of the windows and count my chickens - as well as obviously checking on them throughout the day. Today I did just this: 1 - 2 -3 - 4 - 5.......hang on a sec, I only have four chickens. There cradled in with that, was a big fat pigeon, looking quite at home. I was really astonished by this, as they used to bwark at even the robin. Of course I didn't have a camera - as OH has taken one to work and my little girl has mislaid the other. Has anyone else seen chickens 'adopt' other species, rather than attack them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 No - my girls have always chased anything else out of the garden. Perhaps yours felt it was too hot today and couldn't be bothered to run after it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsw Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 No, mine will see off even the sparrows! The only exception is a male pheasant which visits in the autumn, they allow him in the garden, but don't socialise! Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 We have fat wood pigeons and a robin who all think that they are chickens and join in with the scratching about and general merriment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 I caught our fat baby wood pigeon helping himself to food from the feeders the other day Normally he's stationed directly underneath the bird feeder so that he can hoover up the seeds spilt by the gazillion sparrows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Our chickens will happily tolerate the pigeons but the pigeons are too scared to go down to the ground, they stay on the bird tables with the chooks underneath hoovering up any spillages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 We have found the large birds (pigeons) have stopped coming into the garden, but the smaller birds have started coming in, which I think is fantastic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 My cats keep any other birds out of the garden, but they're scared witless of the chooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scramble Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 My Pekins chase away everything and they would really not be any competiton they're so tiny, mind you they can hold their ground when they're broody or if there are treats involved. They chase away the sparrows, the robins, the bluetits the pigeons and once a cat Everything can come and go in our garden, as long as the chickens don't get to it first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 I caught our fat baby wood pigeon helping himself to food from the feeders the other day Normally he's stationed directly underneath the bird feeder so that he can hoover up the seeds spilt by the gazillion sparrows Whilst the girls had 'left home' free ranging in the garden I saw a pigeon hop in the run to eat their food. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lydia Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Volty killed a wood pigeon last year. It wandered into the run while they were freeranging (this was in the days before supervised freeranging and I was in the house hoovering). I arrived out to a commotion, a mass of grey feathers and a lot of blood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 There used to be a pigeon which regularly visited my garden and ate all the spilt pellets-doesn't anymore though. It's interesting how yours Bwark at robins, mine are scared of them as there was a vicious one which tried to fly at Spice's head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 I am inundated with fat woodpigeons. To add insult to injury their number have been boosted as they raised fat woodpigeon babies in our honeysuckle. The girls used to chase them off but they dont anymore. They just sit around eating all the bird seed and chicken feed getting fatter. My YS wants to shoot them and have them for tea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spuddy Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 My YS wants to shoot them and have them for tea. Not a bad idea, my Brother's been trapping them on his land recently and despatching them. He gave me some to try and I've had a go at curing the breasts and then hot smoking them and they're fantastic. Just gently cooked in a little butter and served slightly pink was good too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nats Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 I've seen blackbirds going in the pen for a quick go at the food. We have pigeons but I don't know if the girls let them come off the fence or not? I let the girls free range without supervision quite a lot so must miss some of these moments! I work from home so am usually close by just not watching all the time. Typical isn't it; bet I miss the best bits! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
