A "tip" on predator protection. Would this really work????

[luvmychicknkids]

While shopping online for hatching eggs I saw this:
"Helpful hint: Loosing chickens right out of the chicken coop to predators? Put a goose into the coop with them."

Hmmm.....

I have lost two of my favorites to predators recently (one I think fox, one I think coon). Just wondering...does anyone know if or how this would help?

 

[ChickenToes]

I have heard that geese will protect chickens, they do make good 'guard dogs.' But if you raise the goose with the chickens, it will probably act like a chicken - that's what happened to my in-laws.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

LOL....that would be my luck. How hard is it to put a goose with chickens? I think geese are too cute anyway.

 

[Guitartists]

Hahaha... you must have run across the same ebay listing I did

I asked too and got the response that not only do most not reccomend mixing geese with chickens, but that most likely whatever breaks into your coop/run to kill your chickens could probably just as easily kill the goose.

I dunno.... I spose if you had a full grown female goose with your chickens, it might help work as a deterent.... but at some point I think I would feel badly for the goose having to live with all those chickens

LOL

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Here I was thinking I might have the perfect excuse to "need" a goose!!!!! LOL

Yup...it was eBay alright.

 

[Guitartists]

I KNOW!!!! LOL That was gonna be my excuse to my DH for needing a goose! LMAO

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Great minds think alike. I had visions of saying "but sweetie, you don't want us to lose any more of our precious chickens". LOL Oh well, maybe I will find another way.

 

[greyfields]

The predators which take chickens around here (coyotes, great horned owls) will as quickly dispatch a goose as they would your chickens. The advantage of geese is that they make such a horrendous noise that you're more likely to be made aware of the attack and possibly get there in time. Chickens though, hardly bother to wake-up as Mr Racoon gnaws their head off.

So, yes geese can work, but it's not fullproof. Also, you cannot get one goose. You must get a pair.

 

[LynneP]

A flock of geese maybe, all adults...

 

[Whistling Badger]

I've heard, from fairly reliable sources, that a flock of adult geese will run off foxes and smaller dogs, but not coyotes or owls. My dad has told me that in Taiwan, people keep geese and pigs to guard their houses--the geese make awful noise and the pigs will attack. He said the people he knew over that that kept dogs intented to use them for...well, other things.

Anyway, the geese might be worth a try if you can get several of them. At least they don't go down without a fight. I like that about them.
Tom