If you’re raising different animals, chances are you’d prefer to keep them together. This is not wrong in any manner.
In fact, in some cases, it is recommended you do so.
When animals live together, they learn to bond, tolerate, and accept one another.
Many people keep their dogs and cats together. And these two villainous animals have been discovered to live peacefully.
However, not all animals should be kept in the same enclosure.
So, what about Quails and Pigeons? Can they be kept together? Let us find out.
Can You Keep Quails and Pigeons Together?
Quails and pigeons can be kept in the same cage. However, this is not recommended. It has been discovered that quails can transmit some harmful diseases. These diseases can be detrimental to pigeons. So, keeping both animals together puts the pigeons at risk of contracting these infections.
As a result, they should be kept in separate cages. Keeping them in the same cage, on the other hand, isn’t completely out of the option. Many people have done this with tremendous success.
However, if you must do so, you must guarantee that they receive proper care to prevent the spread of those dangerous diseases.
What to know more about quails and pigeons? Keep reading this article.
Feeding Quails and Pigeons Together
It is possible to feed pigeons and quails together. Their feeds are quite similar. They both consume sunflower seeds.
However, their feeds also vary widely. If you feed them together, each bird will most likely pick out its own food. It is therefore recommended to feed them separately.
This enables each bird to enjoy its meals.
Separating their meals also ensures that are in perfect health condition.
Having said that, several measures should be observed when feeding these birds. Some of which include;
- Ensure that their cages are always clean.
- While feeding, make sure they have access to water.
- Provide them with some fruits and veggies.
- Ensure that you provide them with fats and proteins. Feeds are known to be lovers of insects. Pigeons have also been observed to eat spiders and lizards. So, you can add this into their diet as well.
All these will help your quails and pigeon to remain healthy.
Related: Here is an article I wrote on quails eating sunflower seed?
Housing Quails and Pigeons Together
Quails can be kept in the same coop with other birds, like doves, parrots, chickens, finches, and canaries.
As you already know, they can be kept with pigeons as well. The only thing to be worried about is the diseases that can be transferred.
Aside from that, your quails are perfectly safe with pigeons. Pigeons are not hostile in any way.
The quails and pigeons may, however, get into a fight from time to time.
Nonetheless, this is nothing to be concerned about. Pigeons are a type of softbill bird. As a result, if they get into a fight, they won’t be able to do much harm to quails.
The same can be stated for Quails.
However, over time, the quails and pigeons would learn to cohabit rather well. Like I stated earlier, they’d learn to bond and tolerate themselves with time.
However, if you must keep your quails with other birds, doves are a perfect match for quails.
This is because they are super gentle. And there is a reduced tendency of both birds fighting.
How do you prevent fighting and competition between them?
As earlier stated, quails and pigeons get in a fight from time to time. Generally, all animals fight.
Just like humans, they also have their differences that can sometimes lead to a combat.
You should note however that quails can fight each other. Pigeons also combat themselves.
However, some precautions can be taken to avoid this from being a usual occurrence. Some of these precautions are;
- The best way to prevent pigeons and quails from fighting is not putting them in the same coops at all. This way, there would be a lesser opportunity of them fighting.
- If you choose to put them in the same coop, ensure they are both equal in number. That is if there are five pigeons in the coop there should be five quails as well. If one species of bird is lesser in number, the one that is larger in number will pick on the lesser species.
However, try as much as possible to avoid overcrowding the birds in a coop. Ensure they have enough space.
Also check out this article I wrote on quails eating grapes
Can You Raise Them Young Together?
Quails and pigeons cannot be raised young together. This is because they grow at different paces.
They have different incubation periods as well as different brooding periods.
Before they can be absorbed into the adult quail population, baby quail require a few weeks of particular care.
You must first transfer the newly hatched baby quail from an incubator to a brooder.
This process is quite different for pigeons. Once a mother pigeon lays her eggs, it usually takes around 18 days to hatch.
Pigeon babies, unlike many other bird species, can stay in the nest for up to six weeks.
In general, a newborn pigeon will be brooded by its parents during the first few weeks of its life.
You may have to be responsible for keeping the baby bird warm if its parent is absent.
Can Pigeons Make Quails Sick?
Pigeons have been reported to be carriers of ulcerative enteritis (quail disease) once infected.
This is another reason why pigeons and quails should not be kept in the same coop. Quails can get infected by coming in contact with the waste of pigeons.
Pigeons also could get infected by quails. To prevent this, adequate care should be taken.
Ensure to always keep their cages clean. Take away every poop as soon as you see it.
However, keeping quails alone doesn’t rule out the possibility of them falling ill. Without the presence of other birds, quails can fall sick.
And in a worst situation, they may die. This all comes down to how well they’re managed.
Are Pigeons Afraid Of Quails?
Pigeons are not afraid of quails, neither are quails afraid of pigeons. Both birds can face each other confidently in a combat. But, unlike chickens, pigeons aren’t bullies.
Both pigeons and quails can be aggressive. This is mostly seen during the breeding season.
However, they can only pick on themselves when one flock is more than the other.
Earlier, we’ve stated ways to avoid this from occurring frequently.
Do Pigeons Eat Baby Quails?
Pigeons do not attack other birds in general, and quails are no exception. Pigeons are not raptors.
Birds of prey are predatory birds that hunt other birds or animals for food. Examples are eagles, hawks, owls, vultures, falcons, etc.
These birds will attack, kill, and eat other birds and their young. they do this basically to ensure their survival. Pigeons, however, are not prey birds.
A pigeon will not attack another bird or regard it as food except it is not tamed. Pigeons, however, can cause quail eggs to hatch.
If a pigeon strikes or fights another bird, it is to defend its territory, which includes its nest.
When space becomes limited and other birds begin to intrude on a pigeon’s territory, the pigeon will defend its area.
This is another reason why they may fight with other birds like quails.
Can Quails and Pigeons Mate?
Quail and pigeons cannot mate. They can’t produce offspring. Even if they do mate, their eggs will not be infertile.
Some animals indeed mate with a different member of their family. As an example, consider dogs and coyotes.
These two creatures are different species of the canine family. They, however, mate and give birth to coydogs.
This however is not the case for birds. Have you ever heard the expression “birds of a feather flock together”? Well, with birds, this sentence is more literally than you think.
If you’ve ever seen a cage with different species of birds, you’d observe that they tend to flock with their kind.
Pigeons, for example, would flock with other pigeons, and quails with other quails. And so, these birds are unlikely to be attracted to their kind.
This makes it impossible for them to mate with other species of birds.
However, if a quail and a pigeon should ever mate, it is most likely because they are not exposed to their kind.
If you would love to have a quail and a pigeon as pets, I would recommend getting the same sexes.
Alternatively, you can get two quails and two pigeons, both sexes of each. This prevents the possibility of them mating.
Summary
Quails and pigeons can be kept together. But, it is not recommended that they be kept in the same coop. this is primarily to prevent the spread of diseases amongst them.
Pigeons are not predatory birds. They do not eat quails or their eggs. They do, however occasionally get into fights with quails.
They may also cause harm to quails eggs, causing them to hatch. Nonetheless, pigeons are gentle birds.
So, if you choose to keep them in them together with your quails, they aren’t physically harmful to them.
