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

[Theda's Mom]

The guineas are noisy, to be sure. (At least that's what the neighbors say about ours.) They don't usually free range with the chickens though, which reduces their "guard" effect. The birds self-segregate: guineas off in their two little flocks, the chickens in their own small flock. When they go separate directions, which happens a lot around here, the chickens don't have the benefit of the guineas heightened sense of self-preservation. At least poor Anastasia my NH Red didn't yesterday. She and the barred rock went for a walk about in the shady woods yesterday during the heat of the day and only the barred rock came out.

I'm keeping all feathered friends in the run for a few days to discourage who ever is out there from thinking about the residents of my coop as dinner. I'm also thinking about putting up a drift fence to discourage the chickens from wandering into the woods.

 

[dogzrule5]

Hey LuvMyChickens! I'm just reading this and wanted to put my 2 cents worth in.

I've had a few chickens for several years now and just got my first two goslings, Hansel and Gretel. H&G have been in the pasture and barn with the chickens for two weeks tomorrow and so far, so good.

At first I was concerned for the goslings but there haven't been any incidents till this past Wednesday when one of my roosters, who was overly excited, grabbed one of the goslings by the head, like he does another smaller rooster.

Anyway, the poor goose was so surprised and he was running away, screaming while dumb Snow White (yeh, a roo named Snow White by my granddaugher) held on to his head. I was so upset b/c these geese are so sweet so I put Snow White in a pen by himself for the day.

So this morning when I let everybody out, I didn't feel like chasing down Snow White and just watched for a minute. Sure enough when Snow White came near the geese, this time calmly, Hansel stood way up, spread his wings and ran after Snow White, who retreated. I praised Hansel and told SW that that's what he deserved. Nothing else happened and those are the only incidents I've seen in two weeks.

These goslings are only about 11 weeks old or so, but I'm hoping that when they're fully grown, they will deter some of the smaller predators.

I'm crazy about Hansel and Gretel - they are incredibly sweet natured, just about like two puppies!!!

 

[Mountain Man Jim]

Our Chinese geese killed a duck and chicken that they didn't like. Nasty little creatures. So much for protection. All they were go for was alerting the dogs to every little thing. But, the dog are fairly good at doing that themselves.

Jim

 

[shaky]

A friend of mine kept a pair of geese with her chickens in California.
When she left town one week, I went to feed them.
Those geese started hissing first, fluffing up feathers and lowering their heads. They began edging in until suddenly they rushed me. Both at once in a small coop.
I don't remember them biting me but I definitely remember those big wings slamming away at me (they use the "wrist" of their wings to hit) and I had to defend myself. It was crazy. I couldn't get past them without throwing a few punches of my own. Worst fight I was ever in.
I had bruises for about a week all over my legs.
Those geese were so protective that they started chasing off my friend's kids.
They wound up as dinner eventually.