Is there any problems or cautions letting chickens free range in a corral with horses? I am thinking of starting a flock of 25 Rhode Island reds for food and meat. Also, How big should the coop be for a starting flock of 25 hens.
I don't think you'd have a problem putting the chickens in with the horses. Horses are usually very good about not stepping on the chickens and the birds will quickly learn to stay out of the way. If you're corral is attached to your horse barn, you may end up with chicken poop all over the place - in water buckets, etc. Also, the chickens may decide they prefer to lay their eggs in there rather than their own coop!
our horse lives very well with our chickens, he likes walking into their coop to eat the feed. Unfortunately he did step on two of them over the winter and they were you know, left for dead, but the rest of the time they are like family, they get along very well
We've had horses and chickens since we've had our farm (20 years) and the chickens and horses co-exsist wonderfully. I don't like them in the barn tho...they scratch and pull up dirt and at time end up making craters. Plus I don't like grabbing a flake of hay with chicken poop or crushing an egg with it. I do like how the chickens go into the corrals, pick apart the horse manure and eat all the stuff thats inside them. They are my mini manure spreaders.
Chickens coexisting with horses
Posted - 06/09/2009 : 11:26:00 AM
you know, left for dead, but the rest of the time they are like family, they get along very well