# Would it be ok to house my goat and chickens together?



## becksy (Oct 5, 2009)

Im thinking about getting some chickens now, for laying purposes. We have an old horse stable we are converting for the goat. It has a large covered sleeping area and a large yard for her, so plenty of room for about 3 or 4 laying hens also. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this? Do they get along ok together and would the goat squash the eggs. Would it matter if the goat ate the chicken feed? Also the other pros and cons of housing them together would be great! Thanks!


----------



## Roll farms (Oct 5, 2009)

Chickens seem to have 'crap radar' and manage to poop in the feeders and waterers here.  I tried letting some longtails free range in our breeding / kid barn, and every morning there was chicken crap streaked down the water buckets and they'd roost / crap on the hay bales.  

Also, goat should NEVER eat chicken feed....ever.  So you'd have to try and figure out a way to keep the goats away from it....and no matter how smart you think you are, goats are smarter when it comes to figuring out ways to get to a food source.

And yes, there would be cracked eggs, more than likely.

I know there are folks out there who manage to keep them together, but IMHO, you're better off housing them seperately.


----------



## mully (Oct 5, 2009)

Not a good idea as the goats would get into the feed mess with the eggs and the chickens would poo over everything including the goats. Everyone would be stressed out ..Including you


----------



## ohiofarmgirl (Oct 5, 2009)

we have ours in the same yard but housed/fed separately. but last winter our mini's stayed in the hen house (in their own coop) but wow to echo what everyone else is saying... you need to keep the goaties out of the chicken feed and they will find every possible way to defeat your efforts to keep them out!

this spring i made a corner feeder with a 'lid' to keep the hay clean but there is always one little hen who tries to lay in there. but we havent had any problem with them pooping in the feed or water. 

the frustration may not be worth it - but if you can make it work go ahead!


ps one 'pro' to keeping them together in winter is that the goaties provide a lot of body heat - we couldnt believe the difference.


----------



## freemotion (Oct 5, 2009)

I did make it work, but I tend to do things differently from most people! 

If your goats are little (or seem to be boneless, like one of mine, when it comes to squeezing into small spaces when food is involved) it will be a challenge keeping them from the feed.  If you let your hens fly (no clipping of flight feathers) you may be able to just allow the hens to fly into the goat area and go back home at night and to lay eggs, especially if you establish them in their coop area with roosts, nestboxes, and feeder before letting them in with the goats.

I scatter grains the old-fashioned way, watching the hens and stopping when they've had enough.  If I am clever about it, the goats just manage to steal a few little pieces.

I have no poopy water issues, but I do make sure there are no places for roosting above any water containers.....


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 5, 2009)

Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. I will have to let my chickens free range where my goats graze. It is the only place I have for them to free range. I will just have to do more fecals on the goats and make sure the goats can't get into the chicken coop.


----------

