Best guard geese???

[Callender Girl]

My American Buffs, Gussie and Golly, are pretty docile. I got them as less-than-week-old goslings and handled them every day. Right now, they are in temporary housing waiting for me to finish their new shelter. So, every morning and every evening, I have to transport them to and fro. Golly ALWAYS freaks out when I pick her up and cradle her. But she has never been aggressive to me. Gussie will yell and flap his wings madly when I'm carrying Golly, follow us halfway to the coop -- then wait patiently for me to come pick him up and carry him over the threshold.

They are great at alerting me to human intruders -- although I haven't had to rescue anyone yet, loved that story! Gussie is, however, protective of his goose, and without actually hurting anyone, he will politely lower his head and nicely suggest the ducks move away from his food and mate.

I have not been terribly successful with livestock guardians. My Great Pyrenees was not properly trained before I acquired her at 7 months; she chased the miniature goats until the dowager goat gored her repeatedly. Pearl is now a house dog.

Jerry, a 400-pound spotted donkey, was supposed to protect the goats and sheep. He went to a donkey rescue group after an altercation in which he broke my pelvis in two places as he objected to me feeding treats to another animal and not him. (Just an aside -- this was totally my fault. He nudged me to warn me he was unhappy. I failed to appreciate his seriousness and foolishly turned my back on him).

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh goodness that's not good. I depend on my 4 dogs do most of the alerting here. None are allowed inside the half acre with the birds unless we are with them though.
But my flock are right by my home so that helps. We had a Red tail hawk visit by visit I mean she flew right down through the trees and got my cochin bantam Gracie. When I heard the rooster carrying on I went out to see what was happening and all my ducks and my two geese were by the gate to the back yard terrified. I still didn't know what was going on till I looked up and the hawk flew over the goose house she looked like a 747. Nope my geese are wimps I guess.

 

[nobueno]

Domestic animals can be deterred as long as they are not that interested. My Gander bit both my dog and my husband on the butt when their guard was down. Not to protect anything really but for gander entertainment. Coyote ate him. Any real predictor will eat your geese unless they run faster than the rest of your flock.

Yea, like I said, they're not going to stop a coyote, fox or raccoon but they definitely make a difference. Our neighbors, whose chickens and ducks share a fence with our ducks and geese, have lost over 30 birds in the past year and we've lost none. Given the choice, the predators avoid the geese.

 

[Miss Lydia]

There's strength in numbers. A pack of geese would probably be a force to reckon with although they may give one up for the flock in the process. .

 

[chickengr]

a couple of weeks ago a friend of mine saw 15+ geese circled a fox. she ran for life. I guess 2-3 geese would not be enough to guard from fox, etc.

 

[Gixxerblade]

We have a redtail hawk that likes to visit our yard almost daily. The geese don't seem to mind him and the hawk doesn't seem to care about the geese. My chickens are a different story but I'm less worried about them because they're in a covered run.

 

[donkeydew2farms]

I agree with miss Lydia I had raccoon problems since I have the geese now I have 10 in one pen I haven't had a problem. but they are not going out of there way to say save a chicken or ducks. the ducks are lock up with 3 other geese. my geese don't like chicken ducks dogs and during breeding season they are holy terror's . they are noisy at feeding pea time and if I am late forget it yes they are spoiled. but I did noticed I went out there was a commotion something scared them they all were in one tight group and moved as one it was neat to watch them.

 

[mosse71]

I've had embdens, chinese and africans. chinese are the most aggressive but also the smartest. then its the africans and embdens. i have 2 africans goose/ gander right now and they always want to be with me. other than a nip here and there, they get along with my ducks and chicks. they definitely let you know if anyones around but as far as protecting, not really.

 

[ducklingsTN]

Does it make sense to get a single gander gosling as a "guard/alert goose" and raise it with some ducklings? Or will it be too lonely after realizing it is not in fact a duck?

Thinking of getting a single gender and raising it with a new flock of ducks.

 

[chickengr]

Does it make sense to get a single gander gosling as a "guard/alert goose" and raise it with some ducklings? Or will it be too lonely after realizing it is not in fact a duck?

Thinking of getting a single gender and raising it with a new flock of ducks.

I would not. sooner or later he will want to breed.