My Geese are bullys!!

[Miss Lydia]

Well I´m really surprised at that. I´ve never had anything like that happen with mine. What a shame.
Hope all goes well with your turkeys.....

One reason I keep my hens and chicks separated for at least 3 weeks, but may have to do it longer now. Very sorry it turned out this way.

 

[AmericanMom]

I don't understand it either, when they showed interest in the babies I didn't think anything of it, the Momma kept them in check and had I not seen it with my own eyes I would not have believed it.. My flock free ranges and I have never had to separate the babies, other than a peck to get out of the way by the hens the chicks have always been safe, but the geese have decided anything smaller than them that wont fight back is fair game.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't understand it either, when they showed interest in the babies I didn't think anything of it, the Momma kept them in check and had I not seen it with my own eyes I would not have believed it.. My flock free ranges and I have never had to separate the babies, other than a peck to get out of the way by the hens the chicks have always been safe, but the geese have decided anything smaller than them that wont fight back is fair game.

I'm seeing it here with my 2 youngsters, they pick and bite anything and go out of their way to do it. I am hoping it will get better as they mature since the adults aren't near as bad.

 

[AmericanMom]

I'm seeing it here with my 2 youngsters, they pick and bite anything and go out of their way to do it. I am hoping it will get better as they mature since the adults aren't near as bad.

If only I had four or five acres

 

[Miss Lydia]

If only I had four or five acres

I have 5.5 acres but it's so steep it would cost a fortune to fence it all in, so we only did 1/2 acre. which gives them plenty of room to stay out of every ones way, it's when they mingle around the house that the geese turn into bully's

 

[AmericanMom]

I have 5.5 acres but it's so steep it would cost a fortune to fence it all in, so we only did 1/2 acre. which gives them plenty of room to stay out of every ones way, it's when they mingle arounf the house that the geese turn into bully's

Ours are fenced in a 1/3 acre parcel... there is lots of room and everyone separates and such but like I said, the chicks have started wandering off on their own, the geese follow them! I wish I had room to separate the geese by themselves but that section is going to be for the turkeys next spring when they start laying, so I would have the issue regardless next year... We did have the geese in a run by themselves but there wasn't a lot of shade and they went through that grass pretty quickly. We thought about moving the fence line up and give them the full 1/2 acre but then that opens my garden up to the marauding geese ( I have already had to re-plant most of my green beans because of the little buggers )

 

[livininbrazil]

I have 5.5 acres but it's so steep it would cost a fortune to fence it all in, so we only did 1/2 acre. which gives them plenty of room to stay out of every ones way, it's when they mingle arounf the house that the geese turn into bully's

They certainly need plenty of space. I have a pair in a very large pen of chickens, and have no problem beyond the shaking head thing. But I find they only become 'bullies' (nibbles) with other birds that are older, not little fluffies.

I don't understand it either, when they showed interest in the babies I didn't think anything of it, the Momma kept them in check and had I not seen it with my own eyes I would not have believed it.. My flock free ranges and I have never had to separate the babies, other than a peck to get out of the way by the hens the chicks have always been safe, but the geese have decided anything smaller than them that wont fight back is fair game.

Any smaller than them...that´s everything, right?
Shame you have no means of fencing them in for half a day, letting the others out, then swapping them the other half a day...
Still, I imagine now you don´t like them so much as before...probably best to go...to someone who doesn´t have chickens!

 

[AmericanMom]

They certainly need plenty of space. I have a pair in a very large pen of chickens, and have no problem beyond the shaking head thing. But I find they only become 'bullies' (nibbles) with other birds that are older, not little fluffies.


Any smaller than them...that´s everything, right?
Shame you have no means of fencing them in for half a day, letting the others out, then swapping them the other half a day...
Still, I imagine now you don´t like them so much as before...probably best to go...to someone who doesn´t have chickens!

I thought about trying to let the chickens out but keeping the geese contained, but since I am back and forth, home and gone I would have to leave the gate open for the chickens to go back and forth... I "could" fence the geese back into the small run I had them in but that just seemed cruel to me, they love spreading their wings and running around, the space they had didn't really allow for that, also it didn't have a lot of shade and although we are cool today with some rain we have been up in the high 90's

Anything smaller then them that does not run or challenge them when cornered... they try for the turkey poults but they are faster and keep a good eye out and typically don't go near the geese, the adult turkey hen wont have them anywhere near her, she pecks them hard

No, it hasn't changed the way I feel about them, if I didn't like them DH would butcher and freeze them but that is not an option for either of us. Finding them another home is we feel the best option.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They certainly need plenty of space. I have a pair in a very large pen of chickens, and have no problem beyond the shaking head thing. But I find they only become 'bullies' (nibbles) with other birds that are older, not little fluffies.


Any smaller than them...that´s everything, right?
Shame you have no means of fencing them in for half a day, letting the others out, then swapping them the other half a day...
Still, I imagine now you don´t like them so much as before...probably best to go...to someone who doesn´t have chickens!

One thing I haven't seen is the geese messing with my bantam frizzle, of course she can duck into paces others can't get, But they do seem to go for the larger birds.

 

[livininbrazil]

I thought about trying to let the chickens out but keeping the geese contained, but since I am back and forth, home and gone I would have to leave the gate open for the chickens to go back and forth... I "could" fence the geese back into the small run I had them in but that just seemed cruel to me, they love spreading their wings and running around, the space they had didn't really allow for that, also it didn't have a lot of shade and although we are cool today with some rain we have been up in the high 90's

Anything smaller then them that does not run or challenge them when cornered... they try for the turkey poults but they are faster and keep a good eye out and typically don't go near the geese, the adult turkey hen wont have them anywhere near her, she pecks them hard

No, it hasn't changed the way I feel about them, if I didn't like them DH would butcher and freeze them but that is not an option for either of us. Finding them another home is we feel the best option.

When I feed my birds, all the geese come, the ducks, the chickens...running between the geese is a bit of a sport with mine, it seems...they don´t worry about it. The geese put their necks out to shoo them off, but that´s all. And the chickens are practically picking up their skirts to do the dash...so funny.
sometimes I get the female muscovies having an altercation over who´s the most beautiful and attractive to the male, and the ganders go over and sort them out, but none of them get hurt.
Maybe, if you still would like geese at some time in the future, why not try pilgrims? They´re very placid as a rule.

One thing I haven't seen is the geese messing with my bantam frizzle, of course she can duck into paces others can't get, But they do seem to go for the larger birds.

Maybe they think she´s a really 'ugly duckling' and feel sorry for the ugly little fluffy thing..?