Goats and Ducks together???

[momma's chickens]

Went out to the duck pen this morning and the water, the sand and the rocks were covered with these little black flying bugs. The ducks were in one corner and these bugs were everywhere. I have no idea what they are but I took the ducks out and put them in with the goats. A few of these bugs were in there a couple of days ago, but not like this. I change the kiddie pool every evening and sometimes even twice a day.

The goats and the ducks seem happpy, the goat pen is big so this might work. The duck pen had poultry netting on top of it, but the goat pen is way to big to do that too. I did not put the kiddie pool in there because I was afraid the bug would move over there. I am not sure what to do for water for the ducks. The goat drink out of a black rubber bucket that get changed daily.

Any ideas on the bugs, the goats and ducks together or what waterer to use for the ducks in this situation. Also how will I keep the goats out of the duck feed?

 

[kahara]

If you are able to, you can go to your local farm supply store and they will most likely have poultry feeders and waterers. Chick feeders have holes that are small, but big enough for your duck's bills (depending on what kind of ducks you have), and the goats will not be able to eat from it. You might want to secure that down somehow though, because we all know how curious goats can be.

The waterer I used to have was a shallow trough that ran all the way around a circular metal tank. You filled the tank up and placed the metal lid (also circular, that slid all the way down the tank's sides), and it was an automatic waterer. Ducks can be pretty messy, so make sure the trough is clean as well.

Hope that helps!

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Are you talking about No-see-ems or are they gnats? I get no-see-ems some times around the horse barn and even the goat pen. They swarm in and swarm out. Keep the area clean of manure is the best defense. I also put down pulvarized lime in the horse stalls and around the barn to nutrilize the manure which keeps down flies. Growing up, after every milking, we would clean out the dairy barn and then put down pulvarized lime.

If you google no-seem-ems, there is a product you can purchase.

If it is gnats - there are tons of posts about gnats, search for gnats.

 

[momma's chickens]

I am pretty sure they are not No-see-ums, but there are swarming around the water, not the manure. They are nowhere near the goats or the chickens area so I don't think it is the manure they are after. They are also nowhere near the goat water bucket or the chicken waterers.

They also don't look like gnats to me.

They simply want to lay in the mud and swarm that area.

 

[Goat_Walker]

I have my 3 ducks and 2 goats together.Have you tried scrubbing the tub out an then letting it sit in the sun for a day or two? Tht might help get rid of whatever stench is bringing the bugs. No Idea what they are but That might help. And if you have any other tubs or buchets that are wide enough the duck may jump into them. My ducks love when i bring assorted buckets out to play in besides their kiddie pools.
Good luck!
~~~Fellow goat and duck lover

 

[penelope77]

i have my new ducks in with my goats and they all just eat the same food. i figure they are gonna eat what the goats spill anyway. around here if you aren't free ranging you get whatever the goats are eating since the moneys in them. i do let my goats out most of the day so the ducks get their own dish of food when they leave. i haven't found a solution to the water mess though. i just have to change them a few times a day though they prefer one particularly deep container so it hasn't been too bad. oh and i also fill up a 5inch deep cat litter pan with water and they take turns sitting in that.

 

[momma's chickens]

Okay thank you everybody, I put the ducks back in their own pen because the bugs went away but they did seem much happier in with the goats in the tall grass. I was under the impression that the duck food was bad for the goats and I was afraid when and if they ducks start laying the goats would break the eggs or something.

I think I am making this a much bigger deal than it needs to be!