Goats & chickens sharing a barn

[OkieMama87]

We will be moving to an acreage soon (yippee!) and will be raising goats among other small-large livestock. The property is fenced on three side with T-post & 2 strand barbed wire fencing. We already have chickens and dogs, so housing for them is first priority. One of our dogs is an English Mastiff who can jump a 6 ft fence so we are having to spend a small fortune to build a fence that will keep him in at the new place. Right now we are in town and just have a small, store bought coop and a 10 ft x 10 ft run for our three hens. When we move I want to add lots of birds. So, first upgrade after I recover from purchasing the super fence for the dogs, will be a barn. It will be a minimum of 10 x 10 (preferably more like a 15 x 20) barn area with the chickens having 5 acres to free range. In order to cut cost on housing, I am really trying to find a way to house a small herd of pygmy or dwarf goats in the chicken coop/barn. My plan is a 10 x 10 barn with nesting boxes mounted down one wall, roosts along another wall. Goats would obviously have the floor area. I may also have a milking stand inside there at some point. My main concern is whether or not the chickens would lay with goats in the barn. It seems like they would. But I don't want my- let's call it "thriftiness" - to interfere with egg production.

 

[sourland]

Good luck with your plans. The chickens will be right at home with the goats. Goats love chicken feed - just a word of warning.

 

[EricNRA]

Wish I had some information to share but I would like to know this information too. Also, will free range chickens range that far away from their coop? I have read some information that most will only range out about 200 yards or so from the coop. I am also in the process of buying 5 acres and am trying to decide what the best way to house the chickens will be. I want to free range duel purpose but am not sure whether to go the tractor route or the stationary coop route.

PS I love English Mastiffs, that is our number one priority when we get into the place. English Mastiff, chickens, garden, goats

 

[aart]

Goats can gorge themselves on chicken feed and it can make them very, very sick....they also need bomb proof fencing.
Here's a great resource about keeping goats.

 

[conny63malies]

I thought the same thing. We are very ,much in the same situation as you. Moving soon to acreage and getting livestock. Anyways you want about 10-15sqf floor space shelter per goat, I use the upper end since I get Nubian dairy goats m you can stay on the low end. Keep them apart, you little goats WILL fit in any whole a LF hen can fit in. They could get cocci from each other or the goats could get the bloats. Neither is good. You could get a calf hut or two for your goats, they are about 4x7 which gives them 32sqf. They make also group houses for them. Mine will get a hut and a area of 80x100 for the goats and about 40x60 for the chickens , ducks, geese. .. you want a 5ft fence for your goats and top it with a live strand of wire to keep them in. Chain link is the best , or 4x4in goat fence. 6x6in , I heard, is dangerous for them. Horned goats could get stuck and kids could escape. Horse fence isn't bad either , but quite expensive.

 

[aart]

I believe that cocci in goats and chickens are different strains and not communicable.

 

[conny63malies]

Not sure about that, but they still can transmit salmonella. I am not going to try..

 

[LeenaB]

I have a growing flock of chickens ( 12 full grown, 7 chicks and more eggs incubating) as well as 2 nigerian dwarf goats, an english mastiff mix and a greyhound. At one point I did have the goats and chickens living together- one very short period of time. Issues were: goats eating chicken food (not good for them as they'd binge on it), goats getting their head stuck in chicken feeder, goats getting pooped on by roosting chickens. This lasted about a week until I built the goat's house. My goats are hornless- one is polled the other was disbudded.

Health wise they can pass cocci between them- but if everyone is healthy it's not as big of an issue- at least it wasn't for me.

All of mine free range together and the chickens do make their way into the goat house sometimes. But I keep the goats out of the chicken house.

Some people do successfully have the two of them living together, moving chicken feed higher seems to be the key with this. But with my setup that wasn't an option.

 

[OkieMama87]

Goats can gorge themselves on chicken feed and it can make them very, very sick....they also need bomb proof fencing.
Here's a great resource about keeping goats.

Thanks, I'll check it out. For goat fencing I am thinking the wire goat panels. Seems like a decently cheap and easy way to fence for them. The existing fence isn't good for keeping much of anything in or out so we won't be counting on that

 

[OkieMama87]

I have a growing flock of chickens ( 12 full grown, 7 chicks and more eggs incubating) as well as 2 nigerian dwarf goats, an english mastiff mix and a greyhound.  At one point I did have the goats and chickens living together- one very short period of time.  Issues were: goats eating chicken food (not good for them as they'd binge on it), goats getting their head stuck in chicken feeder, goats getting pooped on by roosting chickens.  This lasted about a week until I built the goat's house.  My goats are hornless- one is polled the other was disbudded.  

Health wise they can pass cocci between them- but if everyone is healthy it's not as big of an issue- at least it wasn't for me.

All of mine free range together and the chickens do make their way into the goat house sometimes.  But I keep the goats out of the chicken house.  

Some people do successfully have the two of them living together, moving chicken feed higher seems to be the key with this.  But with my setup that wasn't an option.  

Thanks! I've been brainstorming different ways to keep goats out of chicken feed. That will definitely be a problem I have to solve before adding goats.