Cows and Chickens?

[FriendlyFlyer]

My chicken coop is located right next to my cows' pasture, and looks like a great place to find bugs when I start letting them free range (they could also get to the house yard but the pasture is much closer). Would my steers leave the chickens alone or try to sniff at them or all out charge my little chickens? What do you think?

 

[spish]

we have three cows living in one of our fields and the chickens follow the cows round all day long picking flies and bugs off them.....the cows dont seem bothered by them at all

 

[1MrsMagoo]

My cow doesn't mind the chickens a bit and the chickens adore the precious gifts she leaves them...aka cow patties: They'll even pass up scratch to be the first one to get to them in the mornings when first let out. Some time ago, I read that it used to be quite common to pasture chickens and cows together. It makes perfect sense: The chickens spread the manure out and helped fertilize the fields and at the same time eat the parasites that could recolonize the cow, but do not affect them (a lot of parasites are species specific). One of my Black Copper Marans roosters is quite fond of our Brown Swiss Jersey cross heifer and sits by her much of the day.

I have three pasture areas that I use. One is primarily for the horse, but she is allowed into the other two at times and the other critters visit her too. The second is a common area where everybody is allowed to graze together. The last is attached to the goat paddock, chicken coop, and cow's quarters. The goats provide some security for the chickens as no unauthorized/unknown animal is allowed into the pasture...not even humans they don't know. Had we not rescued him, my nanny goat would have put a serious hurting on a 90 lb dog of ours that decided to sneak in one day (were moving the fences..he found a temporary hole) and our two wethers were right behind her.

The more adventurous hens break out of their pasture and visit the horse's area every day. I don't like keeping them in the same area as some horses spook too easily and may accidentally trample the chickens. So far, it is working well. I keep thinking I'll get to recover some of that cow manure to use in my garden, but am clearly not fast enough to beat the chickens to it.