Best lookout animals

[UThobbyfarmer]

It's been a rough year for poultry at our place. We've lost ducklings, poults, chicks, hens, and 1 rooster. Due to raccoons or foxes and dogs. Possibly hawks. Most were taken in 2 massive attacks. 1 was raccoons, 1 was neighbor's Huskies.

The only pen that hasn't been affected was a sturdy hoop coup with 8 laying hens. Yesterday I fortified an old dog run with hardware cloth. So that one is secured now as well now. Free ranging is completely off the table for the time being. We had years of no bird losses. Now this.

I'm wondering is there is an animal that raises hell when there is an attack. The noise from the chickens alone isn't enough to alert me in the house. Geese, guinea hens, or maybe even a burro? Anyone had luck with using a different species as a guard animal? If so what was it? I'm open to everything except an actual livestock guardian dog. Thanks in advance for any input and help.

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

Curious, why not a livestock guardian dog?

 

[besorto]

Geese and guinea fowl are hands down the best at sounding alarms when there's a predator nearby!

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Curious, why not a livestock guardian dog?

Good question. A few reasons.We're only on 2 acres. Seems like overkill. We have 3 rail fence around the outside of the property. It'll hold in large livestock but nothing smaller. I don't have time to put into training right now (just had a human baby). Lastly I've heard they should be guardians first (bonded to their herd/flock) and pets second. The more hands off the better. My dogs are house dogs. Not sure how I feel about the hand off approach. All that together mean no guardian dog at this time.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Geese and guinea fowl are hands down the best at sounding alarms when there's a predator nearby!

Thanks! Have you had personal experience with one or both? Which one do you prefer?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Guinea fowl may be better around a baby.

 

[besorto]

I've had geese and they're very sweet if raised by hand. An old mamma goose of mine would chase around my 65 pound pitbull

 

[Uff Da]

I've heard of geese, guineas, turkeys, donkeys, llamas, emus, and game roosters all being good flock guardians. Geese can be mean to people, but they may attack (and win) against some predators. Guineas are loud, but won't ever go after people. They won't go after predators, either, just sound alarms. Turkeys are usually not aggressive to people but they can be (we had a mean one when I was a kid) and they can get blackhead disease if kept with chickens. Sometimes they will go after a predator, and their size will deter them. Donkeys, llamas, and emus will significantly increase your feed bill and some can be people-aggressive. They will often chase off a predator. A game cock needs to be kept as the sole rooster, but are not more likely to be aggressive to people than any other breed, and less than some. They will both sound alarms and attack predators--sometimes they win, sometimes they get eaten.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I've heard of geese, guineas, turkeys, donkeys, llamas, emus, and game roosters all being good flock guardians. Geese can be mean to people, but they may attack (and win) against some predators. Guineas are loud, but won't ever go after people. They won't go after predators, either, just sound alarms. Turkeys are usually not aggressive to people but they can be (we had a mean one when I was a kid) and they can get blackhead disease if kept with chickens. Sometimes they will go after a predator, and their size will deter them. Donkeys, llamas, and emus will significantly increase your feed bill and some can be people-aggressive. They will often chase off a predator. A game cock needs to be kept as the sole rooster, but are not more likely to be aggressive to people than any other breed, and less than some. They will both sound alarms and attack predators--sometimes they win, sometimes they get eaten.

Thank you! That gives me a lot to consider. Leaning towards Guineas or geese. I think it'll depend on what I can find locally.

 

[blackandtan]

My vote goes to geese; they’re noisy, they’ll run off small animals and are watchful for hawks etc, they’re easy to keep with chickens, and though they can get people aggressive they aren’t exactly dangerous
Worst case scenario it doesn’t work out - you can eat them!