Calves and chickens....any problem?

[ourhouse51]

Okay, momma always saod there was no stupid question except the one you kept wondering about and wouldn't ask, so here goes...

We have 2 calves, purchased the first one as a bottle baby and the other one weaned. They have grown well with no problems. Both weigh around 350-400 pounds. They are pastured with good grass and get fed pellets daily. We have had no problem with them.

Enter the chickens....I have had a small flock (8-10) chickens who have a coop the calves can't get near. But when I decided to increase the flock, the coop is in the same area as the calves. The calves have discovered they like to go into the coop and eat all the chick starter. They have now developed loose light colored stool. This is the only difference I see in their diet and routine.

Am I way off here or is the access into the chicken coop a problem? And other than the loose stool, what other problems might I run across?

I have been around cattle all my life (dad was a rancher) but mom's chickens were never allowed to free range like mine do...(maybe I know why now!)

 

[dun]

Chickens aer the vector for some nasty disease or parasite, don;t recall which, it's been 30 years since I addressed the issue. The main concern would be the contents of the chicken feed, i.e. animal by-products

 

[TexasBred]

House most good chicken feed (pellets or crumbles) is little more than pure corn and soybean meal. That might cause the lighter color in the manure. Also the protein is can be anywhere from 16% to 20%. Check the tag on that chicken feed. It should be grain products, plant protein products and maybe some grain by-products as primary ingredients, plus all of your vitamins and minerals.

 

[rockridgecattle]

animal by products in the chicken feed would not be good if the calves are eating it. BSE. ring any bells? check with your feed company about the igredients.

 

[tytower]

There are also antibiotics still being routinely added to chicken feed so I would keep them away from it.

Probably eating it up from the ground along with fresh manure,mites ,cocsidiosis worms etc. Not good

 

[TexasBred]

House, check the tag on that chicken feed and you may also want to check with the manufacturer about ingredients. If medicated it should tell what drugs are in the feed as well as have any warning statements on the tag required by your state. The good feed mills are staying away from the "ruminant" meat and bone meal so not a worry there but it could have a little fish meal in it which is a great ingredient. I would be concerned about them possibly eating the stuff off the ground. Lots of "boogers" down there.

 

[mnmtranching]

It's very easy to put up a couple boards to keep the calves away from the chicken feed. Do it!!! There are animal bi-products in the chicken feed that should not be fed to cattle.

 

[rouxshortorn]

Is their anyone still feeding chicken litter as feed anymore???

 

[msscamp]

Is their anyone still feeding chicken litter as feed anymore???

I sincerely hope not!

 

[grannysoo]

You should not have a problem, but keep the cows out of the chicken food in the future.

 

[SkinMan]

I keep a feeder with chicken litter in it for the cows.

Is there something I need to know??

 

[rk]

I keep a feeder with chicken litter in it for the cows.

Is there something I need to know??

Not something most producers will do anymore. I don't know if there's been proven that a danger from BSE exists from the MBM in the chicken feed ending up in the litter and then being consumed by the cows (maybe someone else can chime in and help here), but seems logical that it could happen.

 

[kerley]

In my area there are farmers that fertilize their pastures with chicken dung. My question is.....Would it be possible for cattle to become diseased from eating from that pasture ?

 

[somn]

I keep a feeder with chicken litter in it for the cows.

Is there something I need to know??

No problem if you are shooting the cattle and burning them afterwards. Some people should not be allowed to have ruminant animals.

 

[rockridgecattle]

I doubt there is a problem with the manure because the plants do not absorb protien...i don't think.
Is there not enough normal cow feed to feed cows...we've got to feed them chicken stuff?
What about BSE. Why are we all not working towards eradicating the problem rather than add to it?
Have we not learned anything yet. A disease that has shut both our borders because of MAD COW and we can not realize herbivours do not dine on meat or meat by products...get with the program or get left behind.

Sorry for the rudeness...
Blows my tiny mind

 

[HunzikerCattleCompany]

I would be worried about coccsidosis from the chickens...have had problems with claves getting that from regular birds feces from hay

 

[msscamp]

I keep a feeder with chicken litter in it for the cows.

Is there something I need to know??

Yes, cattle are omnivores - that means they were intended to eat plants, not other animals manure. Then there is the small matter of chicken litter being a possible means of transmitting BSE, thus I believe it was banned as a food source - but I could be wrong on that. Regardless of whether I'm right or wrong about chicken litter being banned, it is not an acceptable food source for cattle!

 

[dun]

I keep a feeder with chicken litter in it for the cows.

Is there something I need to know??

Yes, cattle are omnivores - that means they were intended to eat plants, not other animals manure. Then there is the small matter of chicken litter being a possible means of transmitting BSE, thus I believe it was banned as a food source - but I could be wrong on that. Regardless of whether I'm right or wrong about chicken litter being banned, it is not an acceptable food source for cattle!

Omnivore means they'll eat anything. Herbivores are plant eaters.

 

[msscamp]

I keep a feeder with chicken litter in it for the cows.

Is there something I need to know??

Yes, cattle are omnivores - that means they were intended to eat plants, not other animals manure. Then there is the small matter of chicken litter being a possible means of transmitting BSE, thus I believe it was banned as a food source - but I could be wrong on that. Regardless of whether I'm right or wrong about chicken litter being banned, it is not an acceptable food source for cattle!

Omnivore means they'll eat anything. Herbivores are plant eaters.

Brain fart on my part - thanks, dun! I knew it was wrong when I wrote it, but couldn't figure out why. :roll:

 

[TexasBred]

Ms, chicken litter is legal to feed IF it has been processed. As I understand it the company more or less cooks it. I know of one company in Texas that does this and mixes it with dried bakery products and sells it. I wouldn't feed it myself even if it came certified that it contained no ruminant meat and bone meal but apparently some folks do.