Shortly after we got our lady hens, a banty hen from nowhere moved in with them. No one for a mile around was missing a banty. No problem, she was a nice little hen and showed our girls the ropes about roosting, nest boxes, etc. Now we have three pigeons in the barn. Our neighbor down the hill, Larry, has decided to keep pigeons. He likes them, they're pretty, okay, not a problem. However, three of his have decided our barn is better than their dove cote (pigeon house?). There is a nest on top of one of the hanging light fixtures--can't turn that light on! They waddle up and down the barn aisle, fly up to the roof, and generally have settled in. Larry came over to see if they were his and yes, he recognized them. They are impossible to catch, and he doesn't want them back anyway since they'd just leave again. Shall I start a "Name the Pigeon" contest? We now have 14 chickens, three pigeons, and three barn swallows. The barn is getting crowded! I'd try to get a photo and post it, but if you've seen one pigeon, you've pretty much seen them all.
Pigeon naming contest....how about Larry, Curly and Moe We have too many of the around here to name. Twenty four years ago their grandparents all came from a neighbor who kept them in cotes in his backyard but when he died the family just turned them loose.
Your barn is obviously the most desirable property for our feathered friends - I wonder what will move in next?
Hi Jane, the swallows will head off when the time comes for them to go abroad,..the chickens are really livestock,..but the pigeons!,..they do breed,..multiply,.. and will present you with many piles of fertilizer,.. from above!,.. with no consideration as to what is below,..including the hand that feeds them,..still they might be pretty ones,..hope you can get a shot at them,..with camera of course, .
An aviary haven. I wonder how far a domestic chicken will travel. Does the Bantam lay eggs too? Jerry
Cheryl, I love your headline! Jerry, I have no idea how far a chicken can travel on its own. I think it depends on whether its wings have been clipped to prevent flight or left unclipped. All I have seen is our ladies waddling around the barnyard and back yard, and then making a beeline for the food dish at sundown. They don't get far from their food supply! Bantams do lay eggs, tiny ones, about the size of a 50 cent piece. Living in the country we get dogs and cats dumped fairly often. Someone may have done the same to the banty, having seen our outdoor coop. We were offered several chickens about a month after Easter. People got their children chicks and then decided they didn't want to be bothered with growing and grown chickens. Wonderful example to set the children!
Well, if you get many bantam eggs use them two for one in place of regular eggs. A great way to use them up is in baking. No one will ever know the difference. It's good that you got a hen and not a little rooster. I haven't had anyone stop to offer me their child's "pet" or school project, yet. hopefully never. You are right it sets a poor example for the children. all the babies are cute when they are little. Unfortunately they grow really fast and aren't quite as cute as they started out.
