Goats Eatting Chicken Feed...

K Epp · #1 09/22/13, 08:55 AM

I feed them separate, but each sneak the others feed. I have the cans of feed locked up in the garage where they cant get it. I feed everyone in the mornings when I turn them loose the goat feed is in a large dish and the chicken feed is on the other side of the barn spread on the ground. I give the chickens a mixture of laying pellets and7 grain scratch. I'm sure they aren't eating all of the chicken food and even if they did eat every single bit of it there's not enough to hurt them. Is it okay for them to eat it? They browse all day until I fasten them up at night. I think the like the scratch better than the pellet goat food.

Clovers_Clan · #2 09/22/13, 09:18 AM

If your goats are large standard size you can devise a creep cage out of a cattle panel. The chickens can squeeze in but not the goats. Keeping the chickens out of the goat feed is a little more difficult. But it can help if you spread scratch out for them before you feed the goats to keep them occupied. And rather than keeping feed out free choice for the birds feed them only when you're feeding the goats. Minis and chickens are a challenge, I would just house them separate if you can.

K Epp · #3 09/22/13, 10:01 AM

I have Nigerian Dawarf and ND/Pygmy crosses. For 3 goats they get a small scoop of feed and I have 2 turkey, 4 ducks and 35 chickens who get 4 large scoops.I toss the chicken feed on the ground in a big area I don't leave them a feeder out. I do feed the bantam there scoop in the coop before I turn them out just to make sure they get their share. My silly ND wether sticks his tongue through the wire and gets a bite or two. I just want to be sure its okay for them to have a little chicken food.

Clovers_Clan · #4 09/23/13, 09:07 PM

When mixing species at feeding time its easiest to use whole grains, that the animals can pick through to get what they need. And spread out in small enough quantities that nobody gorges. Pellets are formulated for an individual species/stage and nutrients/minerals may be in proportions not appropriate for other species. Some even contain ingredients that are toxic to some species.

For pet goats I would stick with a little oats and alfalfa pellets. The chickens shouldn't bother the alfalfa pellets, the ducks and turkey might enjoy them. Oats broadcast over the ground is great for the variety of your flock and safe for the goats.

I would put any pelleted/crumble chicken feed(layer pellets, grower, etc.) in a secure place the goats can't reach. And NEVER feed medicated pellets, they are toxic to goats.

Sounds like a wonderful, and entertaining menagerie!

K Epp · #5 09/23/13, 09:40 PM

I'm feeding 22% layer now until molt is over then I will switch ba k to 16%. I guess I feed a out a gallon of chicken feed between all of them and .25 goes in a coop. My host food is All stock I dont know how I can keep the goats out of the bird food when both does are smaller than the turkeys.
I decided to stop feeding the scratch it costore a.d the hens aren't laying at all. My sill hosts think they are dogs and try to run in the house and will steal any food item they can... Icecream, cokes, catfood...

Doug Hodges · #6 09/23/13, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K Epp

I'm feeding 22% layer now until molt is over then I will switch ba k to 16%. I guess I feed a out a gallon of chicken feed between all of them and .25 goes in a coop. My host food is All stock I dont know how I can keep the goats out of the bird food when both does are smaller than the turkeys.
I decided to stop feeding the scratch it costore a.d the hens aren't laying at all. My sill hosts think they are dogs and try to run in the house and will steal any food item they can... Icecream, cokes, catfood...

I quit feeding scratch too. My hens quit laying on it. I went back to 16% layer crumbles and they started laying again. I feed the chickens in the coop in the evening and lock up what goes in for the night. I scatter a little on the ground for the few that don't go in. I do the milking. In the morning. I feed the chickens again. do the milking and then let the chickens out for the day. The routine seems to work good. I was having the same problems with the chickens getting in the goats face and feed while I was trying to milk and the goats trying to eat the chicken feed when I tried to feed the chickens out of the coop.

KSALguy · #7 09/24/13, 02:45 PM

with no more than they are getting its not a problem, if they were to gorge on it then yes it would be, but the little that is left over that they clean up wont hurt anyone,

Copperhead · #8 09/26/13, 11:16 PM

We don't grain the goats. The chickens and goats "free-range" together in a 1 acre paddock; however, the chickens do benefit greatly (and egg count goes up greatly) if we give the chickens some whole corn. . .

The moral of the story is to broadcast the corn so the chickens have to hunt for it

The goats will pick up a few grains, but will quickly tire of the game and go back to browsing.

In the heat of the summer, road kill and fly larvae (

) are vital to maintaining egg production. Neither of which are in any way attractive to goats

lol

CAjerseychick · #9 10/01/13, 10:38 AM

Just a clarification please- why is it bad for goats to eat chicken feed, ex layer pellets 16% protein(same as their Purina chow) unmedicated-- I know it is Not formulated vitaminwise for a goat, but will it really harm them? Not planning to feed my goats chicken feed just want to know what the risks are...

Frosted Mini's · #10 10/01/13, 12:02 PM

I think it's too fine maybe or what really gets the goats in trouble is eating large quantities of the stuff...they can get acidosis and bloat. I think there are kinds of chicken feed with medications that are bad for goats, too. I think mainly though it is an over-indulgence thing where they just eat too much at once and get sick.

CAjerseychick · #11 10/02/13, 03:05 AM

Ok just checking I did chase one of my goats out (and fixed the gap underneath the cattle panel barrier) .....So was wondering, she seems fine... thanx...