Goats and Chickens

[lclough1998]

We have to move our chickens in with the goats because the new people who moved in next door brought it to our attention that our chickens are housed too close to the property line. (old neighbor had chickens so it didnt matter, I didnt check ordinances when I built the coop) The only other fenced area is where the 2 nigerian dwarf goats live. DH and I put together a hoop coop in with the goats as the coop we built wasnt moveable and we are out of money to build something more substantial. I thought that I could keep the hoop coop door closed and keep the chicken feed inside and DH cut the bottom out of a cat litter bucket and we wedged it into the wire on the back of the coop for the hen door. So as soon as the smaller goat saw the hole, in she went, straight to the food. Any thoughts on what I can do or will the novelty just wear off? I cant just give them feed after I close them in at night, can I? The area they have to free range in is about a quarter acre. Is that enough during the day? I keep the chickens in until about 8:45 in the morning so they could eat in the morning before I let them out but I dont close them in until after dark.


Also, I know there are some raccoons in the neighborhood and where we moved the chickens is more wooded, farther away from the house. Will the goats scare off any raccoons? I cant close the door on the coop any earlier because of work.

 

[bantamboy93]

I'm not sure of a solution to your problem because i haven't found one either. we cut out a hole in the wire in the bottom of the gate with a way to open and close it. so i could open the mini-door and let the chickens go in and out of their coop but the goats couldn't get in. The goats just shoved their way in. That was when my chickens were free ranging. Now that they're back in the pen, the goats can't get in at all. But, the chicken pen is within the confines of the goat pasture. And the coons are still catching my chickens. I've caught one possum. But no coons.. But i know they're there... They have chewed the wire into to get into my pen. So I don't know how to keep the goats out. But the goats won't scare away the varmints.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Goats won`t scare off predators. You may have another problem. Your goats may decide they like to be on top of your hoop house. That could be a disaster. I`m sure you will find solutions to all of these problems. If you need help dealing with the predators, PM me. I have a solution that might work for ya........Pop

 

[bantamboy93]

Lollipop, care to share your plan for predators? I've had a coon/possum eat 5 of my hens. they took 4 in one night! I've only caught a possum. But i think it's a coon chewing the wire. And in case you're wondering, this is my netting wire for the top. Your basic mesh chicken wire that you'd run on the walls of your fence except this is on top. And they are climbing up and chewing the wire into and making big holes so they can get to my chickens. Any advice? I'm shutting my hens up now. I couldn't previously because the chickens would come back out. But I cemented under the door and the front wall where they had dug out when they dusted and now i can shut them up at night. But i'd still like to be able to let my chickens into my other pen which is unusable because there's a gaping hole in the wire on the top. We fixed that hole, but i'm sure they'll find another spot to get in at. So how do i get rid of them? Besides trapping.

 

[darin367]

LOLLIPOP!!! Please let me know how to catch coons...... i've sent 5 or 6 possums to heaven but not coons... tried tuna fish, herring, marshmellows, cookies..... they haven't breached the fortress yet but my wife went out the other night and there was 5 or 6 of them checking out my perimeter.....

 

[mama dixie]

can you use cat food as the bait, canned cat food that is. it works best for us. coons also love shiney stuff. if you put a mirror in there with cat food and some watter they will be drawn to all of them. what kind of trap are you using?

 

[Lollipop]

bantamboy93 & darin367, You have a PM.........Pop