Can Parrots and Chickens live together?

Yes, Parrots and Chickens can live together. In fact, they co-habitat so well that many farm owners keep parrots and chickens together in a coop for them to live peacefully. 

If you are dreaming of farm life with a few animals in your dream backyard, the first thing that will come to your mind is raising some chickens. They are the ideal birds for farm life. To bring variety, you can raise some colorful parrots as well. 

There arises absolutely no problem for both chickens and parrots as long as their health is not compromised. They will not endanger each other’s lives until they are living in a space that will not harm their eggs in the future when they start to lay eggs. 

Chickens are very fertile birds that start laying eggs within a year of raising them. They tend to become territorial and defensive when they start to lay eggs, and there can be some issues with other animals. To ensure that parrots and chickens live together, let us look through a few things on how they can co-habitat well.  

How do I make my parrot and chickens live together?

Making your parrot live together with chickens can look easy, but here are a few things to keep in mind.

  • Keeping a parrot as a pet makes you keep them indoors in a cage instead of raising them outside like chickens. Always ensure to make your parrot visit the chickens in their coop. You can start by keeping them for a few minutes the first day and then extend the visiting time as the day progress.
  • If you plan to keep your chickens and parrot together from the start, then keep in check their behavior regularly. Chickens tend to be a bit aggressive and may even attack your parrot in the initial stages. 
  • As they start to get friendlier with each other, it is important to check the chicken’s behavior as they begin to lay eggs. Chickens become more aggressive as their chicks hatch and may start to attack your parrot more because of territorial aggression.
  • When you feed your chickens and parrot together, keep your parrot’s food and chickens’ food separately so that they do not fight with each other.  It is recommended to keep less contact between them when you feed your birds. You can keep your parrot’s food higher than that of the chickens so that they will be eating separately and not fight against each other.
  • Parrots are very intelligent creatures and can easily imitate the behavior of humans. Likewise, they can copy and imitate the sounds of the chickens, especially the roosters who crow. It can become a nuisance if your parrot picks up this behavior and crow unnecessarily all the time.
  • Chickens have a respiratory disease called Mycoplasma gallisepticum, that affects their breathing problem. It is highly contagious and can infect not only your parrot but other birds like ducks, geese, or pigeons if you are rearing them on your farm. We will be discussing this disease below.

What is Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG)?

Mycoplasma gallisepticum or MG is a respiratory disease that mainly affects poultry. It causes conjunctivitis and sinusitis and can affect egg production in your farm birds. 

Common symptoms of Mycoplasma gallisepticum are

  • Intense coughing and sneezing in chickens
  • They may also have difficulty in breathing along with a runny discharge from their noses.
  • The eyes tend to be redder and contain a foamy substance that hinders their eyesight.

How is it spread?

Chickens contract Mycoplasma Gallisepticum when they breed with an infected mate. It is spread from the mother hen to the chicks through their eggs when they hatch. 

Can my parrot contract Mycoplasma Gallisepticum?

Sadly, yes. If your chicken is infected with Mycoplasma gallisepticum, there are high chances of your parrot contracting it. 

Always ensure to buy vaccinated chicks or vaccinate them once you bring them to your farm. Treat your infected chickens with antibiotics like Tylosin and Tetracyclines. Provide the same treatment for your parrot too. 

Also, keep your parrot away from the chickens and in the chicken coop until you are confident that all your chickens are cured of Mycoplasma gallisepticum. 

Can Mycoplasma Gallisepticum infect humans? 

No, there have been no cases of humans getting infected from Mycoplasma gallisepticum. But, it is good to take care of yourself by thoroughly washing your hands, changing your clothes, and sanitizing yourself after you touch the infected chickens.

You May also Read : Do Parrots Have Good Hearing?

FAQs

Q. Can I keep my parrot with other birds?

A. Yes, you can keep your parrot with other birds. Before you plan to keep them together, ensure that they get to know each other well and friendly with each other at the initial stage. 

Q. What is the main thing to look for while keeping my parrot with other birds?

A. Parrots have a hooked beak that distinguishes them from other birds. If they do not get along with other birds, the parrots can easily peck at the beaks and legs of other birds that can cause severe wounds. 

Q. How do I prevent my parrot from fighting with chickens or other birds? 

A. Place your parrot inside the chicken coop and observe its body language. At the initial stage, they may feel uncomfortable. If they still feel uncomfortable after several sessions, it may indicate that your parrot will not get along with the other chickens.

If you intend to place your parrot in an aviary along with other birds, please ensure that the place is not too confined. Birds need space to fly around, and limiting their flight can result in fights between your parrot and other birds.

Wrapping it up

Usually, parrots are friendly creatures and do not have any problem living with other birds. They can live together with not only chickens but also other domesticated animals like cats and dogs.

If you intend to make your parrot live with chickens, please ensure that it is saved from all kinds of harm and respiratory diseases. Other than that, there will be no problem for your parrot to adjust to any bird or animal.