What do you think of keeping goats & ducks together?

[FenDruadin]

I posted this in predators & pests too, but wanted to tap the knowledge of fellow duck lovers too. I was just watching my goats and ducks in the yard today and noticing how well they get along. And also thinking about how much better goats are at defending themselves from predators and I thought: If I housed them together, would the goats add an extra layer of discouragement/protection to the ducks?

I would still, of course, make sure the pen was as predator-proof as possible.

I also know I would have to put the goat's water up where the ducks couldn't reach it, because the goats really like their water clean. And the feeding, which I do twice a day, would have to be separate.

Can anyone think of any other considerations, or good reasons *not* to do it? And what do you think of the predator protection potential?

Thanks!

 

[Squirtchy2009]

I cant see a reason why not, as long as like you said, you keep it well pest proof and make sure no repdetors, which would ushaly target goat coops, like rats could'nt get in!

 

[Bring]

If you feed your ducks chicken feed and the goats get to it they will get sick. Chicken feed isn't any good for goats.

 

[FenDruadin]

Thanks guys! Yeah, I know they have to be fed separately--the ducks and goats both get fed twice a day, so I could just separate them for feeding to prevent accidents. Or I could put the duck feed inside a shelter with a door too small for the goats to enter. But I don't want the ducks eating the goat food either, which looks a lot like duck food.

Why does the chicken feed make goats sick? Just because they'll eat too much of it and it's too concentrated? Just wondering--seems like the ingredients are similar just in different proportions. But I am careful about how much of the concentrate the goat boys get, because I don't want them to get stones in their urinary tracts.

They do, however, sometimes clean up chicken feed if I've spilled it in the yard. Is that bad for them? Yikes!

 

[TK Poultry]

idk bout ducks but i had some chickens in with my goats and they didnt even acknowledge the others presences so if you get a chicken feeder and keep the goats out of it then you will be fine!!!!

 

[rainplace]

Everytime I've seen this post today I keep thinking the OP should be Goat_Walker.

 

[allanimals21]

my ducks love my goat...they free ranged but spend a good portion of the day hanging out with the goat. We are thinking about moving them in with the goat. Hopefully that will work?

 

[Duck Keeper]

Try a 'creep feeder' for you ducks. It's not a separate house, but the goats can't get into it. (Hopefully!)

I've heard you can use cattle fence panels, because the holes are very large. Then you can put a tarp on top to keep it dry.

 

[LittleSquidgenHome]

My only concern would be goats with wet feet, messy little quackers could cause goat foot rot. But I assume there will not be a soggy mess on the pen floor. I don't really see a problem as long as the goats hava dry place to stand.

 

[Ashmeade]

You would need a way to keep the ducks out of the goats' water...