# Goat barn/chicken coop



## seren

My husband built me a nice 8x8 goat shed enclosed on 3 sides and connected is a 4x8 chicken brood area. We don't have any chickens yet. Is it a bad idea to have them so close? I see pictures of chickens in with goats all the time but we were told by a friend that that is a bad idea due to coccidiosis. Wondering if I should milk in that area and build another chicken coop? Any advise would be great!!!!


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## nancy d

What you dont want is goats getting into any chicken feed. What I dont like is when the chickens poop in goat's water or roosting in the hay rack so they are pretty much seperated.


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## nubians2

I keep one rooster in each of my goat areas. They clean up any grain that has been spilled and it gives the roosters a purpose. Food is a problem. I throw out food when I can so the goats don't get in it. You can't just leave a container of chicken feed out because the goats will eat it all but otherwise there is no problem.


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## J.O.Y. Farm

I like to keep them away from the kids but mine have shared a fence line


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## hipeatall

I'm glad to read that others have chickens in the same area as goats... mine share a fence line.


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## Jdyson

So I could safely throw a rooster in with the goats and everyone would get along? How would sleeping arrangements be? I want chickens soooo bad but my husband keeps telling me no. One day, it will happen :chin:


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## hipeatall

Jdyson... I hope you convince your hubby and get some chickens! They are soooo much fun! My hubby isn't a big fan... but, my son and I love them... so he tolerates them and even helps us build coops and yards for them. The eggs are a really great incentive


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## Jdyson

I keep hinting and one day I will win the battle! :laugh: I shall have my chickens!


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## use2bwilson

don't give up on getting chickens. they are great pets and the eggs are super yummy and healthy. it took me 3 years of bugging my husband and we've had them for over a year now. we both love them. i feed them tons of table and garden scraps and our local grocery even donates boxes of produce that they are throwing out. our goats and chickens are spoiled with lots of fresh veggies.

our chickens and goats are together in the same pen (about a 1/4 acre) and then they all free range together on another acre of pasture). the goat shed and chicken coop are separate - about 50 feet apart. so our chickens have their own space to roost. and yes, you have to be careful about keeping your goats from eating the layer food. it's bad for them.

hope you get some chickens soon!!!


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## Jdyson

Well I've been trying for 2 years now. He is bound to give in eventually! lol :greengrin:


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## DavyHollow

usually what I do when the parentals disagree with me on something is just go out and buy it anyway and bring it home lmao
After they see the cute chicks they can't resist/plus there's no way to return them.


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## gone2thedawgs

From what my Vet told me....cocci is species specific...so goats can't get cocci from chickens...


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## J.O.Y. Farm

^Really? That is interesting.... Our dog vet (yes we have two vets LOL) told us our dog had cocci, and got it from eating our chicken/rabbit poo....


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## milkmaid

I keep goats and chickens together. The main problems I have are keeping them from eating each other's feed, and keeping the goats' water clean. I have solved both of those problems.
Feed: I feed the goats before I let the chickens out of the chicken house in the morning, and again after they are in their house at night. The chicken feed I have on the other side of a 2x4 welded wire fence. The chickens can easily poke their heads through, but the goats can't reach it.
Water: this was a little harder. Basically what I have is a tall container for the goats, with a cover a few inches above it to keep the chickens from perching on the side, and a shorter container for the chickens. The chickens rarely drink fom the goats' water now.

Edit - even if cocci is species specific, chickens are a problem because they walk all through goat manure and peck at it, then get the goats' water dirty with it.


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## KatieT

My chicken coop is in the same barn as my goats, and the only problem that I've had is the couple of occasions when one of my goats has escaped and helped herself to the chicken feed. The chickens have their own waterers and while they do drink out of the goats' buckets, they rarely dirty them. I keep all buckets a few inches out from the fences so that if a chicken does perch above them, their poop doesn't reach the bucket. I also have primarily heavy weight breeds (Orpingtons, etc) and they will rarely fly onto the fences - it's a lot of work for them! I do like that they clean up some spilled feed, fluff the goats' bedding, eat bugs, and pick apart the manure in the paddock. I milk outside unless the weather is bad - if you are milking inside, I'd reccomend making an area that the chickens can't access in order to keep things cleaner.


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## mtmom75

I think chickens are great. I don't keep mine in with my goats because it drives me crazy that every time they're in with the goats they jump up on the water bucket, turn around, and poop right in the water. Every time! :hair: Anyway, so my chickens and goats have separate areas. 

I've also heard that cocci is species specific. There have been a few cases reported of sheep and goats getting cocci from each other, but other than that you don't have to worry about goats getting cocci from chickens. HOwever, goats can get other infections from chickens (such as E. coli).


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## seren

My goat barn and chicken coop are connected by a wall but don't share a pen. I love they ease of being with my goats and taking a few steps to check for eggs!


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## Jdyson

Guess what yall! I finally got chickens! Thats why I havent been back on to post anything. My neighbor was getting rid of their chickens cause they had to move, so I went running over there to grab my favorite and go. Well, I didnt have a coop or anything built for her yet so I chucked her in with the goats. Now after my wonderful husband gave in, he built me a coop and we fenced in a little area for Thelma to have her own space. After weeks of searching for her to have a friend, we came across JD. An adorable 9 week old rooster. Well we put the two of them together and lo and behold, she doesnt want anything to do with him. She wants to get back to her wethers!lol She even sleeps with the goats. She will only go to her area for food and water. The way we have it set up is the chickens area is fenced off from the goats with a little hole cut into the fence and braced with wood so they dont cut themselves. The goats can't get through but the chickens can. They love it! But to make JD happy we went and got 3 more hens so he could have somebody to love. So Louise, Penny and Bella came home. :leap:


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## Zarafia

Congrats on your chickens! I loved having chickens, but my neighbors dogs murdered them . 
My chickens were so tame, one in particular loved to have her back petted. They were great layers and I always had eggs for breakfast .


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