Feeding dilemma - NEED INPUT!

[TJAnonymous]

I have a large run that is approximately 125 ft x 35 ft. The run is subdivided into 2 sections. The chickens (30-40 birds) have access to both sections. However they share their runs with 2 goats and 4 ducks. The goats are in the larger subsection (approx 100 ft x 35 ft) and the ducks are in the smaller subsection (25 ft x 35 ft). The goats LOVE to eat the chicken food so after feeding them FIRST with a small amount of goat feed, I toss and scatter the chicken feed all around the run. This serves 3 purposes:

1. Makes it harder/impossible for the goats to hog the chicken feed.

2. Allows the chickens to "free range" their feed all around the run.

3. Allows all the birds easy access to food without worrying about bullies who won't allow the smaller or lower status chickens near a food bowl.

So here's my dilemma... I really want to try to move to fermented feed but I'm not sure how I would go about feeding fermented feed while keeping the goats out of it AND ensuring everyone gets to eat. It doesn't seem logical to sling fermented feed all around the chicken yard???

Looking for ideas and feedback.

 

[Weeg]

I have a large run that is approximately 125 ft x 35 ft. The run is subdivided into 2 sections. The chickens (30-40 birds) have access to both sections. However they share their runs with 2 goats and 4 ducks. The goats are in the larger subsection (approx 100 ft x 35 ft) and the ducks are in the smaller subsection (25 ft x 35 ft). The goats LOVE to eat the chicken food so after feeding them FIRST with a small amount of goat feed, I toss and scatter the chicken feed all around the run. This serves 3 purposes:

1. Makes it harder/impossible for the goats to hog the chicken feed.

2. Allows the chickens to "free range" their feed all around the run.

3. Allows all the birds easy access to food without worrying about bullies who won't allow the smaller or lower status chickens near a food bowl.

So here's my dilemma... I really want to try to move to fermented feed but I'm not sure how I would go about feeding fermented feed while keeping the goats out of it AND ensuring everyone gets to eat. It doesn't seem logical to sling fermented feed all around the chicken yard???

Looking for ideas and feedback.

Could you try a feeder like this? I think the most affective method would be to-

A) Separate the goats to keep them away from the chicken feed
B) Keep the goats out of the chicken feeder

That feeder would only allow the chickens to get to it. You'd have to have a few so most of the birds could eat at the same time, and divide the average amount eaten between the feeders. I made two of these myself out of buckets and PVC, its way cheeper. Plus you'll need to have one with wider holes for the ducks, and probably need to make the PVC shallower and lower so that they can get to the small amount of feed at the bottom. Maybe even using smaller buckets.

As long as you made sure the goats couldn't knock the feeder over, maybe by hanging it, it should keep them away from the feed. I would assume.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I have chickens, goats, and ducks. I've basically given up on keeping the goats out of the chicken feed (I offer a wet mash, so most feeder designs won't work), and the ducks out of the goat feed. Like you, I do multiple "feeding stations" - its the only way to reduce squabbles with signficiant flock sizes.

If you come up with something, I'd be happy to learn of it.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Could you try a feeder like this? I think the most affective method would be to-

A) Separate the goats to keep them away from the chicken feed
B) Keep the goats out of the chicken feeder

That feeder would only allow the chickens to get to it. You'd have to have a few so most of the birds could eat at the same time, and divide the average amount eaten between the feeders. I made two of these myself out of buckets and PVC, its way cheeper. Plus you'll need to have one with wider holes for the ducks, and probably need to make the PVC shallower and lower so that they can get to the small amount of feed at the bottom. Maybe even using smaller buckets.

As long as you made sure the goats couldn't knock the feeder over, maybe by hanging it, it should keep them away from the feed. I would assume.

I had a feeder like that when I had fewer birds which worked really well. But I'd need quite a few of them now to have enough to feed 40 birds... I made mine from a plastic tote which allowed me to feed 6 birds at a time...which means I'd need 7 totes. I've discovered the hard way that those totes break down after 1 season in the sun. They are NOT solar-hardy...

Unfortunately I don't have any way to keep the goats separated or even penned up during feeding time. I just have to make sure whatever ideas I can gather are goat-proof.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I'm thinking maybe I just need to ferment the goat feed too? And then set up many (8-10) communal feeding bowls? Knowing that the goats will end up making their way to each one but hoping the chickens get enough to eat before they do?

 

[Percheron chick]

Think foal creep feeder. Small entrance that the foal can get into but too small for the mare. Might need a tunnel for crafty goats.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I also considered the "Hooded" bucket designs - until the first time I had to leave a few 5 gallon buckets full of wet mash in the run for my wife to dump over while I was travelling for a long weekend - the goats decided the buckets were play things.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I also considered making a raised platform, with "doors" I could open and drop feed thru or mounted j-tube style feeders, or even inverted vent pipe caps - so the chickens and ducks could eat underneath, and the goats couldn't. But given the size it would need to be for my poultry flock, and the price of lumber right now, the "low deck with feeder tubes" concept went by the wayside pretty quick.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I also considered the "Hooded" bucket designs - until the first time I had to leave a few 5 gallon buckets full of wet mash in the run for my wife to dump over while I was travelling for a long weekend - the goats decided the buckets were play things.

Yep... My goats would be playing kickball with a 5 gallon bucket... I strapped the tote to the fence to keep them from tossing that too which sucks because that means I lose feeding access to one side of the tote. I also suspect the goats may or may not have played a part in furthering the disintegration of the tote....

 

[TJAnonymous]

I also considered making a raised platform, with "doors" I could open and drop feed thru or mounted j-tube style feeders, or even inverted vent pipe caps - so the chickens and ducks could eat underneath, and the goats couldn't. But given the size it would need to be for my poultry flock, and the price of lumber right now, the "low deck with feeder tubes" concept went by the wayside pretty quick.

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I actually like this idea but with only 4 feeding spots, I'd need 10 tables. That's a lot of wood....