Keeping Chickens & Goats together

We are moving to a bigger piece of land soon and will be adding goats. I have been running the same "how to feed chickens and goats separately in the same pen" thing through my head for a couple weeks now. I have really only come up with one decent idea besides what others mentioned here. The small doggy door type option for chickens only works if your goats can't fit through it. We are planning on Nigerian Dwarfs or Pygmies so that option is pretty much out for us too. Here is my un-tested grand idea:


1. Screw a wide, shallow, metal feed pan to a piece of plywood, pallet, or some sort of stand not easily toppled over by goats.
2. Cover the top of the pan with chicken wire.
3. Stretch wire tight and attach to wood surface

This could solve the problem of food waste by chickens scratching and keep the goats out of the feed. I have a sneaking suspicion that goats may be able to easily tear through the chicken wire though. Maybe a heavier gauge wire with small holes like chicken wire, if you could find it. If not, several layers of strategically placed heavier gauge wire fencing with larger holes. I think it could work!

Another way to keep the chickens from wasting their food is to ferment or soak it. There are fermented threads. I can't look them up right now.
 
Hi!
I'm new to keeping chickens (Mar of last year), and we also want to get a goat.
We think we want to get a pregnant female, b/c we want her for milk.
We don't know much about keeping goats, so I thought I would get on some goat threads and see what information I could get from those with experience.
So, is there any advice for me looking for goats, what breed(s), what to look for, what to avoid, what to do before we get her???
Where to get one??? I live in the Deep South, I could go between middle GA and middle FL.
Thanks!
Well for starters you can't have just one. Goats are herd animals and do not thrive by themselves. (And I might add that they are addicting to own just like chickens!)
You could have a doe and a wether (neutered male) or two does if you want more milk. Between my mom and I we have eight goats. Four of them we found on craigslist and the other four came from a reputable breeder. For a first timer it is wise to buy your goats from someone who can mentor you. You also want to make sure you are buying a goat that comes from good milking lines and is good on the milk stand. I wouldn't recommend a young doe that hasn't kidded or been milked, that way you can see how she is on the stand and get a milking lesson before you buy.
Things to consider when "goat proofing" your property:
Fencing, goats can jump and kids can squeeze through the smallest places
Availability of browse (goats don't graze, they eat things at their chest level), always learn what plants are poisonous to goats because they have a tendency to eat what they shouldn't.
Shelter (it doesn't sound like you need to worry about snow, but goats don't like to get wet)

That is just off the top of my head. Goats are really wonderful but do your research before buying. There are a lot of great resources on the web and books.
 
Well for starters you can't have just one. Goats are herd animals and do not thrive by themselves. (And I might add that they are addicting to own just like chickens!)
You could have a doe and a wether (neutered male) or two does if you want more milk. Between my mom and I we have eight goats. Four of them we found on craigslist and the other four came from a reputable breeder. For a first timer it is wise to buy your goats from someone who can mentor you. You also want to make sure you are buying a goat that comes from good milking lines and is good on the milk stand. I wouldn't recommend a young doe that hasn't kidded or been milked, that way you can see how she is on the stand and get a milking lesson before you buy.
Things to consider when "goat proofing" your property:
Fencing, goats can jump and kids can squeeze through the smallest places
Availability of browse (goats don't graze, they eat things at their chest level), always learn what plants are poisonous to goats because they have a tendency to eat what they shouldn't.
Shelter (it doesn't sound like you need to worry about snow, but goats don't like to get wet)

That is just off the top of my head. Goats are really wonderful but do your research before buying. There are a lot of great resources on the web and books.

Thank you!!!
 

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