# Question about goats eating chicken feed



## use2bwilson (Aug 4, 2011)

My new little doeling (6 months) can squeeze into the chicken coop door and eat the chicken pellets and crumbles. Is this bad for her? Do I need to make sure she can not get in there?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Chicken feed is very bad for goats and it will make them sick...is there anyway to move the chicken feed or block the hole.....


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## use2bwilson (Aug 4, 2011)

I tried to block the entry and was surprised when the little one was still able to squeeze in. I will get my husband to build a frame to make the entry smaller. I guess I could also remove the chicken feed during the day while the chickens are free ranging and replace it only at night when the coop fence is closed.

Thanks. I thought I had read someone else's post about their goats loving chicken feed ... but couldn't remember if it was BAD for them.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Yes, goats love chicken feed, and yes, it is bad for them! It's better if the feed is ruminant meat and bone meal free (something like that; it should be stated after the ingredients). My goats will do almost anything to get into the chicken feed. I have yet to find a foolproof way of feeding both chickens and goats without that happening. Naughty goats!


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

I am constantly amazed at how even my biggest doe can get thru a tiny chicken door!!! Bad goats!


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## nubians2 (Feb 20, 2011)

When I leased a buck to breed my doe in the winter the owner insisted I feed chicken feed to him. She said that Purina Goat Chow which I was feeding was poison and to never feed it to him. It was her buck so I did as she asked, but this is interesting to see everyones opinion on chicken feed.


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

before I knew what we were doing we had chickens and goats running together and goats would eat their feed...then I noticed goats getting the runs and read online its not good...so we immediately quit feeding chicken feed in there as chickens were free range and could get out.


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## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

If anything, feed the chickens goat feed, not the other way around. lol
Every once and a while I give my chickens goat feed mixed with Flax seed, crumble, scratch and sometimes horse feed.
In the winter they love mashes.

Oops, off subject xD No chicken feed for goats, no matter how much they beg. :laugh:


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## Sunny Daze (May 18, 2010)

I think it isn't going to kill them if they eat a bit of feed that is scattered about , although if they got into a whole dish of it they will likely get sick. I have even heard of peoples goats dying after getting into layer feed, something in it is really bad for them. So part of it also depends on if you are talking about scratch grains (which are just mainly corn, oats, barley) or a commercial chicken feed. Is there anyway you can feed the chickens up off the ground where the goats can't get to it?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> I tried to block the entry and was surprised when the little one was still able to squeeze in. I will get my husband to build a frame to make the entry smaller. I guess I could also remove the chicken feed during the day while the chickens are free ranging and replace it only at night when the coop fence is closed.
> 
> Thanks. I thought I had read someone else's post about their goats loving chicken feed ... but couldn't remember if it was BAD for them.


 Any way that you can keep her from it the better....at least she hasn't eaten enough to hurt her... :hug:



> Oops, off subject xD No chicken feed for goats, no matter how much they beg.


 :laugh:


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## DavyHollow (Jul 14, 2011)

My big girl Lissa loves to chase our chickens when they are out, and if she can manage it, she'll squeeze into the chicken coop and get a few mouthfuls of grain  its nearly impossible to turn her around and get her out of the tiny coop!!! But the grain we feed our chickens is just oats, corn, and barley, so not terrible if she manages a mouthful now and then >.<


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## Tinyhoovesontheheart (Mar 18, 2011)

WOW! :shocked: I feed my chickens layer crumble and while my goats have never gotten ahold of alot of it that have nabbed some but I never had a problem no runs or anything, :? but after reading this......I'm keeping it under lock and key!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> WOW! :shocked: I feed my chickens layer crumble and while my goats have never gotten ahold of alot of it that have nabbed some but I never had a problem no runs or anything, :? but after reading this......I'm keeping it under lock and key!


 You are very lucky.... glad you found this topic... :wink: :hug:


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## use2bwilson (Aug 4, 2011)

Thanks for all the input. Today when I let the chickens out of the pen I picked up their two food dispensers and moved them outside of the bigger goat pen. If I move a wooden board, our chickens can slip out of the goat pen and free-range the whole yard. I will keep their food out there during the day where the goats can't get it. I'm sure with all the free-ranging our chickens do, they don't need much feed (pellets and crumbles for layers) but I'll keep it out there so that have the option. It's an easy enough solution.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:hi5: :thumbup: :thumb: :greengrin:


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