Am I wrong? Geese seperation from chickens

[PhantomSlayer]

Long story short a pair of 2 knobless breeds of geese need separated from chickens or theres a risk of the increased territorial geese killing a chicken. I believe its because of mating season.

Theyve all been sleeping in a coop which the geese already struggle to get out of the chicken door as their fat lol. So I'm thinking split our covered run with some sort of wire fencing and the geese can sleep in a dog house igloo? The igloo was put in there to try enticing the geese to lay in there but the chickens laid some eggs in there and it hasn't been used since but the increase in attitude of our gander is keeping our chickens from coming out and eating or going back inside at night.

This will only be temporary until spring when we can put in plan of creating a run for the geese like decided before. I've seen where geese sleep under porches or outdoor furnitures and even under a stack of straw bales with a little hidey hole under it. Even so dog houses or 3 sides shelters I've seen so I would hope a dog house igloo would work. Of course I do have a back up plan if we get another arctic freeze where temps drop in the negatives.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I've had my geese kill chickens. The behaviors get worse during the breeding season. I personally would never confine the two species together without some sort of escape place for the chickens. Even than it still may not be enough. Mine seem to be hit and miss as to what they may go after. My chickens now mostly avoid the geese area in my shed.

 

[PhantomSlayer]

They were completely find until around early december when little bites started. And its just getting worse. I portioned off a small corner of the run for the chickens. They can still fly over to get into the goose area but with this weather they seem to prefer staying warmer in the coop. Atleast now they can come out and eat and drink without being within bite range of our main issue Gus the gander.

Which I think I broke him today XD The whole time I put the chicken wire up inside he was hissing up a storm and even while cleaning out the dog igloo of frozen eggs. And I went back inside to get a new bucket and water for the geese as I can't unfreeze the other from the ground and the chickens needed the other one.

I walked back in and they were inside and freaked out because of me being in there. Gus went trying to hide behind the dog igloo and then realized Gizzy booked it outside past me and he came trying but tripping over the feeders so I put my hand out on his chest and was petting him with my other hand and he scrunched his head down putting his beak against my hand on his chest and just stood there XD I wonder if its a submissive thing. Hes always been the friendlier of the two and allow a few touches but with the breeding season swing hes been keeping his distance and hissing up a storm. I've also strangely been able to pet Gizzy a bit more than she use to allow. She used to flip when my hand moved but now its more of a slow walk away.

Anyways temps are supposed to be 20-30's so I think theyll be fine as long as their smart enough to stay inside the igloo. I'll probably have to go out and make sure thats where they go instead of huddling in a corner.

 

[JRies]

20's and 30's they will be fine but really need to know there in a safe lock down place where they can let there guard down. Geese like chickens are prey birds. Geese tend to take it allot more serious. The igloo is good for a nest but they need to know there are no protected in order to relax. But any bird including a chicken that can fly over to them can be seen as a predictor yep there big bold and the boss but they cant fly and roost. Anything overhead will keep them alert but they need there down time to and that is usually a environment where they feel they can let there guard down.. Also it is breeding season and there guard is at full engagement in predator/prey behavior..
Im not being much help but till your geese know there in a safe now you can relax, nothing will get you here they will let there instincts take over to protect themself s. So your cuddly goose will all of a sudden become your stay away from me goose.

 

[PhantomSlayer]

20's and 30's they will be fine but really need to know there in a safe lock down place where they can let there guard down. Geese like chickens are prey birds. Geese tend to take it allot more serious. The igloo is good for a nest but they need to know there are no protected in order to relax. But any bird including a chicken that can fly over to them can be seen as a predictor yep there big bold and the boss but they cant fly and roost. Anything overhead will keep them alert but they need there down time to and that is usually a environment where they feel they can let there guard down.. Also it is breeding season and there guard is at full engagement in predator/prey behavior..
Im not being much help but till your geese know there in a safe now you can relax, nothing will get you here they will let there instincts take over to protect themself s. So your cuddly goose will all of a sudden become your stay away from me goose.

Their in a closed run. i just put a waiste high wire fence so they cant get at the chickens or the chicken door. I wouldn't let them be inside a igloo with no door if they werent inside a fenced and netted area. I often left the coop chicken door open into the run all year until negative temps and Gus and Gizzy slept right inside the door .

I got kind of desperate to get them to stay in the igloo. I took an old baby crib sheet and covered little over half of the opening. Theres a big enough gap for them to stick their heads out. But I stood there for about 10 minutes and neither made the move to come out so maybe it helped them feel secure. I may go back out in a little while when my dad gets home to check to see if they remained in there.

I don't feel comfortable going back out with just a cellphone flash light lol I saw dark shadows moving in the field behind the coop. Probably deer but still brighter light needed to comfortably go out there by myself lol. My mom asked me if we should throw a stuffed animal in there lol. I mean they were raised with a unicorn stuffy for like 2 or 3 weeks but they also started doing some damage to it I can only imagine what theyll do to it now.

 

[PhantomSlayer]

Their in a closed run. i just put a waiste high wire fence so they cant get at the chickens or the chicken door. I wouldn't let them be inside a igloo with no door if they werent inside a fenced and netted area. I often left the coop chicken door open into the run all year until negative temps and Gus and Gizzy slept right inside the door .

I got kind of desperate to get them to stay in the igloo. I took an old baby crib sheet and covered little over half of the opening. Theres a big enough gap for them to stick their heads out. But I stood there for about 10 minutes and neither made the move to come out so maybe it helped them feel secure. I may go back out in a little while when my dad gets home to check to see if they remained in there.

I don't feel comfortable going back out with just a cellphone flash light lol I saw dark shadows moving in the field behind the coop. Probably deer but still brighter light needed to comfortably go out there by myself lol. My mom asked me if we should throw a stuffed animal in there lol. I mean they were raised with a unicorn stuffy for like 2 or 3 weeks but they also started doing some damage to it I can only imagine what theyll do to it now.

Update: An hour later

They're fat butts were out again... My mom really didn't like the idea of them staying like that so I was forced to block off the entrance to shed 2 and move our resident brahma mama and the runt from that side where they prefer to be and move the geese in there. Even Gizzy started trying to bite me when I tried putting her back in the igloo.

This isn't looking good for the plan to eventually put them in their own run come spring..