# Goats and Chickens together?



## goatcrazygirl (Aug 14, 2012)

Hey,

I have two Nigerian Dwarf goats. One just had her first birthday, and the other is about two. (Not sure if age matters) 

I also have a few chickens. I was wondering if goats and chickens can stay in the same shed (really a garden shed, repurposed) together for the winter. I would be cleaning out the coop/barn twice a week. Is it safe, and is there anything I need to worry about? Any other precautions or information?


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## Pearce Pastures (Aug 14, 2012)

Yes BUT goats cannot have chicken feed and can die from eating it.  The trouble is how to feed chickens in a way that goats have no way to access the feed.


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## goatcrazygirl (Aug 14, 2012)

Thanks! I think that I will just buy the goats a new shed as they are due for one anyway.


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## HappyMamaAcre (Aug 15, 2012)

I have goats (and a pig) and ten chickens sharing space.  I have a small run on one size of the shed with an entrance that only the hens can go through.  That solved my problem!


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## ksalvagno (Aug 15, 2012)

It really is better to have them housed in different areas. I think the dust from the chickens would be bad and you definitely want to keep the chickens out of the hay and goat feed and the goats out of the chicken feed. When housed together, you are just asking for major parasite problems down the road.

By the way, be careful with the pig and goats sharing the same space, goats can get salmonella from pigs.


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## HappyMamaAcre (Aug 16, 2012)

Thanks for the input.  I like hearing how other people deal with their barnyard!  

The pig and goat have been raised together since they were weeks old, so separating them is unlikely. Maybe we're lucky here in Colorado, but our vet seems to think our mish-mash of animals is not causing any health issues.  We have never had an issue with parasites or salmonella.

Goat and pig have no access to the chicken feed. Goat eats her food immediately so there's no problem there. The chickens do steal the pig's food when he's drinking during a meal, but no harm no foul it seems.  We've never had a food problem.  My daughter works at a restaurant and brings home veggies and pasta.  It's one silly feeding frenzy when everyone is trying to get their favorite parts!

They all hang out together in the barnyard during the day.  They sleep together as one big happy animal family.  Maybe we're just lucky.


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## CrazyCatNChickenLady (Aug 16, 2012)

I keep my 2 goats with 7 chickens(and 9 chicks that will be going in my empty grow out coop in the goat pen soon.) They share a pen but not a sleeping space and the chicken food is up out of the goats reach. The chickens also drink out of the 5 gal buckets just fine without adding too much of a mess. Recently my little lamancha girl has taken to protecting the water buckets and started chasing the chickens to the back of the pen. She'll swing her head down and run at them and the chickens scatter and b'gawk! Sounds like its becoming a fun game for her even though I go tell her how 'mean' she is when she does it.


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## Melanchaweiz (Aug 20, 2012)

Could you keep Nigerians, Bantams, & 2 Angora Rabbits in a little barn using the same entrance if you had seperate sleeping sections inside for them & fed the chickens seperate?
Meli


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## CrazyCatNChickenLady (Aug 20, 2012)

Melanchaweiz said:
			
		

> Could you keep Nigerians, Bantams, & 2 Angora Rabbits in a little barn using the same entrance if you had seperate sleeping sections inside for them & fed the chickens seperate?
> Meli


I'd be worried the Angora rabbits would get in the way of goat feet and get trampled. My chickens barely get out of the way in time and thats because they have wings to help them move faster.


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## uchytil (Aug 21, 2012)

I've got to ask this:  Why would a goat die from eating chicken food?  If it's a flockraiser with no meds in it it would seem safe enough if a goat got a little spilled on the floor.  I would like to hear a good reason.  I'm asking because my goat is sharing space with chickens on a temp basis.


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## ksalvagno (Aug 21, 2012)

Chicken feed is mainly corn. If a goat gourges on corn, they can get acidosis from the corn which in turn can kill them.


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## uchytil (Aug 21, 2012)

ksalvagno said:
			
		

> Chicken feed is mainly corn. If a goat gourges on corn, they can get acidosis from the corn which in turn can kill them.


Thank you.  Seems reasonable.  My Shirley is a little smarty pants and has found a way to dump a hanging chicken feeder.  Soon she'll be in a barn and if her CL test is negative she'll have a friend join in the fun.


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