This question is for anyone who has CHICKENS AND GOATS

Aug 5, 2021
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Copperas Cove, TX
Hi ya'll!

I have chickens and goats, literally in my backyard. We have a standard privacy fence and I have a run (not the best right now) that my goats keep braking into. My question is: Is there anyone out there that has goats and chickens that just free roam? If so, how do you keep the goats out of the chicken feed? I am thinking about just taking down the run until we can put up the better one. I have no trees in my backyard but there are shade areas we created in their run... Or maybe just taking down the netting that covers the run so it at least makes it easier to get the goats out when the break in. I worry about the flying predators, not the others because I shut them in their coop at night. So please, tell me how you keep your goats out of the chicken feed?

Thanks!
 
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Yes I do - and I don't. I wish I could say otherwise, but I've found no practical way to keep the chickens from eating the goat food, and the goats from trying to eat the chicken feed.
I feed once daily, in the eenings, for a head count, and feed them in different locations, but both groups are all too happy to follow me as I cross the pasture with 5 gal feed buckets, and snatch whatever they can.

Its not as dangerous to them in small quantity, once they've aclimated to it, as the various websites warn. If I offered my chickens feed free choice, the goats would stand there and eat, would likely never graze the pasture. THAT would be very dangerous to them.
 
Yes I do - and I don't. I wish I could say otherwise, but I've found no practical way to keep the chickens from eating the goat food, and the goats from trying to eat the chicken feed.
I feed once daily, in the eenings, for a head count, and feed them in different locations, but both groups are all too happy to follow me as I cross the pasture with 5 gal feed buckets, and snatch whatever they can.

Its not as dangerous to them in small quantity, once they've aclimated to it, as the various websites warn. If I offered my chickens feed free choice, the goats would stand there and eat, would likely never graze the pasture. THAT would be very dangerous to them.
Thank you. I thought about putting the chicken feed in the coop because I do not think the goats can fit through the door. but I haven't decided yet. I would like to be able to leave it out but I guess feeding them when I put the goat up might work too. When I feed my goats in the evening I shut the gate and they have to stay in their area until morning. I guess I didn't realize the chickens didn't need access to feed all day long. So I could just let them free roam all day and give them chicken feed in the afternoon? I just want to make sure they get enough to eat to be healthy.
 
I don't have goats but my friend does and he free ranges them, he doesn't give anything to goats except scraps and hay, chickens also have rich free range area and they lay normal. They roost at trees in night and he closes goats. He doesn't have problem with just free ranging and I don't think its big deal if goats or chickens try to eat each others feed if they free range.
 
I don't have goats but my friend does and he free ranges them, he doesn't give anything to goats except scraps and hay, chickens also have rich free range area and they lay normal. They roost at trees in night and he closes goats. He doesn't have problem with just free ranging and I don't think its big deal if goats or chickens try to eat each others feed if they free range.
If goats are not already grained, getting into chicken feed could make them very sick. My neighbor had a goat that died according to the vet of to much grain. It was not a one time eating, but the way she was fed daily.
 
I have 2 goats that cohabitate with my chickens. They each have separate housing now although they used to share the same shed too. Like @U_Stormcrow said, it is very difficult to keep them out of each other's food. Here's the methods I have used to limit it...

1. I feed the goats first each morning. The chickens inevitably jump in and try to eat it, but the goats will push them out of the way. A lot of people don't feed grain to their goats. I probably shouldn't because mine are obese but giving them a quarter to a half cup of grain each day gives them necessary minerals, vitamins, and keeps them occupied while I feed the chickens.

2. I mix my chicken feed into a bucket and then toss it in handfuls all around my large chicken/goat/duck yard (125 ft x 35 ft). Because I scatter it far and wide, the goats don't get to do much but grab a pellet here and there. It also helps all my chickens free-range their food and keeps the bullies from preventing those lower on the pecking order from eating.

3. I have an outdoor dog kennel that has an opening that is big enough for the chickens to enter but not the goats. In the summer, I keep a feeder in this pen with free access pellets. Because the pen is small (8 ft x 10 ft) and I have so many chickens (50-60), I don't feed them in there each morning.

4. In the winter time or during bad weather, I keep a feeder inside the coop with free-access pellets. Again, this only works because my goats have their own goat house and do not sleep or gain access inside the chicken coop. I only started doing this when I built a new coop to give each their own space to bed down for health & sanitary reasons. I try to limit putting feed inside the coop because it can draw mice. Gross.
 
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how do you keep the goats out of the chicken feed?
People who raise goats or sheep sometimes use a "creep feeder" that lets the babies in to eat extra food, but keeps the adults out. Something similar might work in your case, letting chickens in but keeping goats out (this depends on the goats being a certain amount bigger than the chickens. If you have giant chickens and tiny goats, it might not be possible.)

I guess I didn't realize the chickens didn't need access to feed all day long. So I could just let them free roam all day and give them chicken feed in the afternoon? I just want to make sure they get enough to eat to be healthy.
Chickens do need to be able to eat during most of the day.
For most people and most chickens, it works better to keep chicken food available all day long.

@U_Stormcrow has chickens free ranging in a large area, with many things available for them to eat. So those chickens have something to eat all day, even when it is not purchased food. He also butchers chickens regularly, and checks how much fat they have, and provides more or less of the purchased food according to what he sees. (It is really hard to tell how much fat is on a live chicken, but pretty easy when you are butchering the chicken.)
 
People who raise goats or sheep sometimes use a "creep feeder" that lets the babies in to eat extra food, but keeps the adults out. Something similar might work in your case, letting chickens in but keeping goats out (this depends on the goats being a certain amount bigger than the chickens. If you have giant chickens and tiny goats, it might not be possible.)


Chickens do need to be able to eat during most of the day.
For most people and most chickens, it works better to keep chicken food available all day long.

@U_Stormcrow has chickens free ranging in a large area, with many things available for them to eat. So those chickens have something to eat all day, even when it is not purchased food. He also butchers chickens regularly, and checks how much fat they have, and provides more or less of the purchased food according to what he sees. (It is really hard to tell how much fat is on a live chicken, but pretty easy when you are butchering the chicken.)
:goodpost: My management methods are not like most, so I don't recommend people follow my examples.

"Finding Success by Learning from Failure"

My critters are in my Sig, below.
 
:goodpost: My management methods are not like most, so I don't recommend people follow my examples.

"Finding Success by Learning from Failure"

My critters are in my Sig, below.
Thanks. I have almost an acre and 10 chickens, 3 goats and 1 sheep. I would think the chickens would have enough to eat. One of my goats is only 6 months old and still small, my doeling and wether I think are too big to get in the coop. I will see what I can come up with.
 

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