Fellow goat and chicken people...I've got yet another question!

[4H kids and mom]

Ok, here's the scoop. Fudge's poo had been runny, so we began pulling up the sweet feed and increasing her hay, which has done wonders for her. Poos are again looking more normal...not yet perfect, but more normal.

Anywho, today was thunder storming and I went out to check them in the pen to find that a shingle had come loose (its an old relic..lol) and the pen was sopping and they were cold. I couldn't leave them in there, and the only other suitable option was the chicken coop, which they frequent on warm days anyway. So I ushered them both over there. They were obviously much happier and DRYER there!

Here inlies the problem. I put their hay feeder in the coop and that worked for the time being, but when I went out a few hours later to check them, they were eating the chicken feed.

So now I have chickens that eat goats feed, and goats that eat chickens feed....oi, what next!? My question is how bad is the chicken feed going to be on them? I just got Fudge's tummy to settle down....

I'm unsure of how much they ate also. The chickens are on organic pullet grower feed, mixed with corn, oats, millet, wheat, barley, chic peas, coconut pulp, flax seed...etc. (All organic, and its my own mix.) It averages out to a 18% protein, 3% fat, 7% fiber, and 0.8% salt.

They enjoyed it more than their sweet feed, from what I saw! Is it bad for them? Or, could it be better for them? Maybe there is some minor adjustment I can make to the mix so that they can all eat the same thing? (minus the calcium for the pullets once they begin laying) Any ideas?

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

My goats love to get into the other animals feeds especiailly the horses sweet feed . So far it hasn't hurt them I don't think a steady diet would be good but a one time binge should be ok We use an old farming method for our goats Put down a bowl of baking soda let them free feed. Iits amaziing they wiill eat iit iif theiir tummy is upset. It helps alot. Ii especially make use they have it when its wet outsidie That way if they get wet hay or grass their protected.

 

[Blondie]

Try to keep your goats out of the chicken feed. My goats always want to stick their head in the feed bag when I am feeding the chickens.

They can't get in the chicken coop, tho, because the chicken door is only big enough for the chickens to get through.

May I ask a question? Are you keeping goat chow out free choice? DON"T! They should only have maybe 1/2 or 3/4 cup per goat per day (if I remember you have pygmys, right?) Too much goat chow will upset the digestive system and contribute to bloat. Let them graze and give alfalfa and or orchard grass to free choice. Munching on that sweet hay takes the hunger edge off.

Have you checked out the goatsweb.com website? It's the goat version of backyardchickens.com.

Here's Ginger Goat and Billy Goat lounging with the chickens:

 

[jessupfamily]

Definitely don't give any goat free choice grain! They will literally eat themselves to death. Free choice hay a big yes! In the spring they will get loose stools if they have pasture that is just getting green, spring grass always does this if they don't have dry hay balance (so good job on giving them dry hay when you noticed the stools). Chicken feed will not hurt the goats and goat feed will not hurt the chickens, both in small amounts and not free choice. Our goats and chickens have been sharing a barn and feed for about the last 4 years. We don't purposely let them share feed but, it happens because well... goats are goats and chickens are chickens, amazing how they are different animals and can act so much alike.
Amy J.

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

I don't let my goats free feed either but I do let them free feed off of the Arm Hammert baking soda. I put it out with their mineral block It calms the stomach down and helps aid digestion. Theres an old saying about goats. A hungry goat is a happy goat.

 

[Oaknim]

I've heard from other goat people that chicken feed can stop up a goat's rumen - whether this is because it is poor quality feed or what, I don't know. My goats have single handedly eaten over 50 pounds of feed in one sitting - they broke into the barn while we were away and we came home to find bloated goats with no chicken feed. There was diarrhea for days and they were sick beyond belief. Serves them right, but they still try to get into the "chicken room" and steal feed.

I give our goats a mixture of grains/BOSS/corn/sweet feed and they each get one to two cups per day. And I have Nubians and a LaMancha, so I'm being rather stingy in most people's eyes, since they are larger goats. Goats can get laminitis just like a horse from too much protein, so be wary of that. If they eat and eat and eat themselves on goat chow, they can make themselves sick. Think of it as setting a child free in a candy store - sumpin' bad's gonna happen.

~ Oaknim