Chickens are often referred to as gateway pets because they open the doorway for many other pet opportunities. If you have chickens, chances are you’ve fallen in love with the lifestyle and taking care of animals. If you’re considering more animals for your farm or yard, you’ve probably given goats some thought. Can chickens and goats live together? Are there any risks associated with keeping goats and chickens in the same yard?
Can Chickens Live With Goats
Yes, chickens can live with goats and can become very good friends. Goats are very social animals and can bond with your chickens, even providing them protection from predators.
Even though these two animals can cohabit, there are things you should know about to protect both of them. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about goats and chickens sharing the same living space.
How To Keep Chickens With Goats
Chickens and goats can free-range together with no issues. They should always be kept within a fence so neither your flock nor goats escape from your yard.
It will also prevent some predators from coming into your yard and going after your livestock.
Although they are low, there are some risks associated with keeping chickens near your goats.
Chickens should be, if possible, kept away from your goats’ hay and feeding areas. Put a top over the hay storge so chickens can’t poop or nest in it.
Goats and chickens should also have separate housing for sleeping and nesting. You should keep your chicken feed away from your goats or inside the chicken coop as it can be harmful to goats. They might also need separate water containers.
Make sure the housing for your chickens and goats meets both of their needs. Chickens should have an area to roost and nest. Goats should have hay to eat and a space large enough to sleep or shelter from the elements.
The Risks Of Keeping Chickens With Goats
There aren’t too many risks associated with keeping chickens and goats together as they get along pretty well. However, there are a few risks, such as squashed chicken feet, shared diseases, chicken poop, and nutrition.
Goats aren’t very coordinated and may step on your chickens’ feet every now and then.
Although this is painful for your chickens, it’s relatively harmless. Sometimes your chickens may also give your goats a few pecks. These are also relatively harmless as long as neither one attacks the other.
Chickens will most likely not associate your goats as part of their pecking order and will not try to dominate them.
Can Chickens Get Diseases From Goats?
Anytime animals are sharing the same living space, there is always the risk of shared diseases.
Most of these will come from your chickens. Chickens are known for passing on diseases without getting sick themselves. It’s important to always be on the lookout for sickness, weird symptoms, and general unwellness in your animals, as this could be a sign of some sort of disease or illness.
If you’re ever concerned about the health of your chickens, goats, or other livestock, you should always contact your veterinarian to find the best treatment plan.
There is salmonella that lives inside chickens’ intestines and feces. When chickens poop around goats or on their hay, there is a chance that your goats could contract salmonella.
It won’t usually cause any sickness in your chickens but can cause diarrhea, fever, and even death in your goats. This is why goats and chickens shouldn’t share sleeping spaces and why you should keep your coop, goat shed, and yard as clean as possible.
Chickens create a lot of feces which should be kept away from your goats as much as possible.
Chicken feed is dangerous for goats to eat. When goats consume chicken feed, it can cause bloating, diarrhea, and even death if they eat too much.
For this reason, chicken feed should be kept away from the goats. It should be kept in an area that they can’t get to, such as the chicken coop.
If you suspect your goats have eaten chicken feed, observe them for any signs of illness and contact your veterinarian to see what you should do.
It’s crucial to find a safer place for the chicken feed that the goats can’t reach.
The Benefits Of Keeping Chickens With Goats
There are many benefits associated with keeping chickens and goats together. Goats are very social animals and can actually form a bond with your chickens. These are known as interspecies bonds.
Goats, when paired with chickens, have fewer bugs on them and fewer parasites. This is because chickens love to eat insects and bugs.
Chickens will also scratch at goat feces, drying them out. This eliminates the chance of parasites spreading and growing inside feces. Goats, in turn, will protect the chickens from smaller predators such as raccoons, opossums, foxes, or birds of prey.
Goats will enjoy the company and companionship that chickens provide and will happily share space with them and protect them if and when it is needed. Having both goats and chickens will be a joy for their owners as their interactions can be quite funny.
Conclusion
Chickens can live with goats and can even form interspecies bonds with them. Goats are very social animals and will form a friendship with and enjoy the company of your flock.
Goats, when paired with chickens, have fewer bugs and parasites. Goats will also protect your flock from small predators such as foxes, raccoons, opossums, birds of prey, and others.
There are a few risks associated with keeping both goats and chickens.
Goats are clumsy and will sometimes step on and crush your chickens’ tiny feet. As a result of this, chickens will sometimes peck at your goats, though both of these are relatively harmless.
Goats cannot eat chicken feed, and it should be kept away from them in an area they cannot reach. Chicken feces contain salmonella, which can be passed on to your goats.
This is why chickens should be kept away from your goats’ hay, and your chicken coop, goat shed, and yard should be kept as clean as possible.
Chickens and goats can be successfully kept together and even enjoy each other’s company.
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