Hens with The Goats??

9ByDesign

In the Brooder
9 Years
Jul 31, 2010
56
0
39
Wesley Chapel, FL
As a new owner of both goats and hens...

Is it ok for me to let my chickens out of their coop to roam around in the goat pen? I mean, they are pecking around where goat feces is. (approx. 250 sq. feet for 2 dwarf goats and 6 chickens). Are there any parasites from the goats that could pose a threat to the hens and vice versa? Do any of you do the same- either house your chickens and goats together, or let them out to roam together in a smaller contained space once in a while?
 
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My goats actually live in a chicken coop with the birds...Lol. Nothing bad has happened, and they've shared the lot (large lot) and two coops with the chickens + ducks for a couple years.
 
Our chicken lot is around a acre large, so they have plenty roaming room. But they share sleeping quarters, shelter + water with chickens. Goats also have the habit of eating chicken food with the chickens when I toss it out.
 
Chicken food can be poisonous to goats, and I wouldn't feed my goats anything with animal parts in it (which better quality chicken foods have - they need animal protein, not just veggie protein). Our goats also smashed a lot of eggs. Our baby goats could get into the chicken coop through the pop door, and it was like a bullet in a lead room - bouncing all over like they do. Baaaadddd... So we made a paddolk area that the chickens could get out of but the goats couldn't get in, to give our chickens and us some sanity.

Other than that, our birds when we had goats were free to roam in the pasture with the goats and horses. They all got along, I think one hen may have had her foot stepped on once but it healed fine within a few days. Poor little midge.

If the goats are loaded with parasites, you chickens will be too - meaning all kinds of worms. However, if your goats are pretty healthy you should be fine. Worm both animals as needed to make sure
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Good luck with them!
 
Ive had chickens for 11 years and goats for 10. My chickens have there own coop but they all free range together..
Please dont let your goats eat the chicken food..
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I was told by goat peopel to keep chickens away from them becasue goats can get stuff from chickens. So I asked our vet.. He just laughted at me and said NO
 
My big chickens run in and out of the goat pasture all day. I've never had an issue. My chickens use the goats as ladders to get back into my barn. Kinda cute
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They look like they are taking rides.
 
I'm planning on ranging my chickens with my goats too, so this is great to read! My Great Pyr is good with the neighbor's adult chickens, but I'll watch her extra closely with the babies until they're quite big.

Good luck!
 
I've had chickens, goats and horses all together. The chicken love goat or horse poo! I've not had any problems, no diseases or worms.
 

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