I raised my Pilgrim geese, our Fawn and White Indian Runner ducks, Araucana, and Buff Orpington chickens together. For the most part of the year they share a two room chicken house and single yard. One room is heated in winter and one isn't. The chickens stay closer to the heat in winter and the waterfowl tend to use the cooler room. They just sorted it out themselves according to preferences. When the geese are close to spring laying, they get moved to brood pens. This gives them some isolation from the flock which most any broody bird seems to want. It also gives them and their young some safety from curious or threatening flock members. Whichever of the chickens are chosen for breeding are separated in a chicken tractor. This keeps them on fresh ground and assures the breeding is done by the pair chosen to be matched. Chickens being as aggressive as they are when fighting for mates, it helps some of the less aggressive roosters from being picked on. I believe calmer, less aggressive roos matched with personable, well laying hens, will produce better chicks, so I make sure pairings are guaranteed.
The other reason I keep them all together is because the ganders, in defending their own, will save the chickens. Chickens being attacked at night tend to freeze, for the killer to pick and choose who they want to eat with little interference. Ganders aren't like this. They are aggressive, noisy defenders of the flock. Though they see themselves as superior to other birds of any sort-- too far above to notice lesser lifeforms-- they also see the yard and coop as theirs, and defend their territory. Before geese, I had a full flock decimated by foxes who marked my hen house as their buffet. The only loss since geese has been a loner hen, outside of the coop, taken by a weasel which has never returned. That night the ganders set up a huge ruckus, but we couldn't find anything in the dark. Next morning we found the partially eaten hen. Dirt told the story. It spoke of battle between a weasel and two ganders. He'd learned his lesson in blood, never to return again to such a well protected coop.
I do believe being raising together makes the difference. This isn't my first flock built this way.
About 16 years ago I had a blended flock of 186 chickens, 12 Toulouse geese, 30 French and Pearl guineas, and 15 Bourbon Red turkeys. Not one bird did I ever lose to predation.
The other reason I keep them all together is because the ganders, in defending their own, will save the chickens. Chickens being attacked at night tend to freeze, for the killer to pick and choose who they want to eat with little interference. Ganders aren't like this. They are aggressive, noisy defenders of the flock. Though they see themselves as superior to other birds of any sort-- too far above to notice lesser lifeforms-- they also see the yard and coop as theirs, and defend their territory. Before geese, I had a full flock decimated by foxes who marked my hen house as their buffet. The only loss since geese has been a loner hen, outside of the coop, taken by a weasel which has never returned. That night the ganders set up a huge ruckus, but we couldn't find anything in the dark. Next morning we found the partially eaten hen. Dirt told the story. It spoke of battle between a weasel and two ganders. He'd learned his lesson in blood, never to return again to such a well protected coop.
I do believe being raising together makes the difference. This isn't my first flock built this way.
About 16 years ago I had a blended flock of 186 chickens, 12 Toulouse geese, 30 French and Pearl guineas, and 15 Bourbon Red turkeys. Not one bird did I ever lose to predation.
