Got a couple questions for the chicken experts...

[kbell]

Hello from Georgia, got up this morning and it was a gorgeous and cool start to my chores. With this coolness in the air, my creative juices are flowing.
I am wanting to build a 50 x 50 chicken area, going to put netting on the top. My questions are, what kind of trees can I plant in the area that won't be toxic to the chickens? and question number 2....can I put a couple of Pygmy goats in the area with the chickens? Thanks so much for any ideas in advance, Kim

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I just researched goats and chickens (and decided against getting goats for now) but you will need to put the chicken feed where the goats cannot get to it. They will overindulge themselves and it can be fatal from what I have read.

Also don't let the chickens roost over the goats' sleeping area as they will poo on the goats.

You will need to fence off your trees anyway if you are putting goats in there as they will eat them. You might want to plant fruit trees so it will help feed the chickens one day (and you)!

Make sure your netting will take a snow load rated for your area- there is heavy knotted, etc netting available that will handle snow.

 

[Frithest]

I have a gardener friend who has four or five goats in a big pen around a tree, that share their enclosure with four or five chickens. The tree is wrapped in wire so the goats don't eat the bark. The animals all get on just great apparently.

 

[Elite Silkies]

I would say fruit trees too. Maybe, plum tree, peach tree. I hear they can not eat the seeds of an apple, they are toxic for some reason. Like arsenic. That may not be so, just what I heard. I am thinking about planting a peach tree in mine, since I love peaches

I think the poo would be good fertilizer.