[FARM] Question about goats and chickens

BH

BH

. . . .
We have about 20 chickens in a fenced area about 35 x 100. We want to get a couple of pigmy nanny goats. We would like to simply mingle the goats and chickens in the same fence.

Will this be a problem with chickens and goat crap or goats and chicken crap. We have a means to keep each out of the other's food and water, but they will share the same ground.

Any real life experiences will be appreciated....
 
D

Doug

Guest
WE are doing this now and the only problems are eggs that are not layed in the nesting area (Broken by goats) and you must remove all baby chicks untill large enough to advoid being stepped on by the goats. BTW
the chickens take care of insects pests that attack the goats, but if the chickens get eye mites or fleas the goats do nothing for them. Hope this is of some help, and I say go for it.
 
I

ittybit

Inactive
Do not mix poultry and ruminants (cows, sheep, goats). And do not mix chickens with turkeys. The problem is an organism called 'coxidia' (sp). A protozoa which inhabits the guts of birds. Ruminatants are harmed by this bug and eating contaminated (shat upon) feed (grass) is a big, big problem. Also turkeys are more sensitive to coxidia than chickens and will die from an overload of this bug when confined with chickens. (mature turkeys will live, but young birds will get sick).

All in all its best to keep ruminants with rumanents and birds with birds. Also do not graze rumanents on pasture that has been grazed first by birds. Water contamination is also a major means of transmission.

Word to the wise, here.
 
L

Live Oak

Guest
I've known many people who have raised turkeys, chickens, ducks, even peafowl all in the same yard together. Wouldn't do to have them get really crowded and the water should be kept clean but I've yet to see a problem that way.

Seen plenty of folks whose free range poultry shared pastures with their goats, cattle, and horses too.

Nevertheless, 35 x 100 sounds a mite crowded to me for twenty hens and two goats, even pygmys. Were it me I'd head over to the Countryside & Small Stock Journal forum that was suggested above and ask some of the goat experts over there. Other than being too crowded I can't see any problems here.

={(Oak)-
 
M

marg2

Membership Revoked
I've got my Nigerian dwarf goats running around with my chickens with no problems for years. In the winter they are housed together to help "share" the heat. None of the animals have had a problem.

I let them freerange in the nice weather.

Do Not add turkeys in with chickens though. Don't even put turkeys in where chickens have been as they will get black head disease and die.
Don't let your goats get into your laying pellets or mash either, as that could kill them. :(
 
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