Chicken guardian animal that is quiet?

[StinkyAcres]

I am hoping to move my chickens to a large, uncovered, fenced area one day. I would love to have a chicken guardian with them, but I don't want an animal that is loud all the time. I've had guineas and roosters and they were too noisy. I am not going to leave a dog out there. Is there a such thing as a quiet goose? Are turkeys good at chasing predators? Any other suggestions? Thanks!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Geese are loud, and in my exoeriemce, most turkeys won't protect anything

 

[Howard E]

Electric fence.

Only noise is made by the varmints that tangle with it.

 

[hayley3]

I am hoping to move my chickens to a large, uncovered, fenced area one day. I would love to have a chicken guardian with them, but I don't want an animal that is loud all the time. I've had guineas and roosters and they were too noisy. I am not going to leave a dog out there. Is there a such thing as a quiet goose? Are turkeys good at chasing predators? Any other suggestions? Thanks!

I would suggest goats or donkeys...or llamas. Geese are noisy...I have one...I believe she tells the chickens to run if she sees a hawk but she does it very noisily. I never had a predator attack during the day until my goats got old and didn't hang with my chickens. Could've been coincidence, not sure. But an electric fence with a big animal is my vote.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Electric fence.

Only noise is made by the varmints that tangle with it.

X2.

The whole point of guard animals is that they are either 1 of 2 things.
1. Loud enough to scare the predator away.
2. Big enough to tangle with the predator if needed.
If you get the second, you'll probably have to adapt your setup considerably for a new type of livestock.
I use the Premier 1 poultry netting with the solar charger. Works like a charm.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Thanks all. I'll have one or two ropes of electric fence out there plus the existing welded wire fence. Sounds like there are no quiet birds that will protect chickens. It's okay if the guard animal is noisy while it is chasing off or warning of a predator, but if it's noisy all day every day (like guineafowl) I would be very annoyed.

I would suggest goats or donkeys...or llamas. Geese are noisy...I have one...I believe she tells the chickens to run if she sees a hawk but she does it very noisily. I never had a predator attack during the day until my goats got old and didn't hang with my chickens. Could've been coincidence, not sure. But an electric fence with a big animal is my vote.

I've had goats and sheep for almost 12 years (had 8, now we're down to 3). Can the chickens live with the goats and sheep? Is the chicken poop bad for them?

I think we'll be done raising large animals after my goat and sheep are gone. Probably eventually only going to have poultry (plus our house pets). I guess I should have said that in the OP.

 

[hayley3]

I've had goats and sheep for almost 12 years (had 8, now we're down to 3). Can the chickens live with the goats and sheep? Is the chicken poop bad for them?

I guess it depends on how large your yard is and how many chickens.
You put the chickens up at night into a protected coop, correct?

 

[StinkyAcres]

I guess it depends on how large your yard is and how many chickens.
You put the chickens up at night into a protected coop, correct?

Yes, they are locked up in a coop at night. I just worry about the chickens pooping in the hay and grass and making the goat and sheep sick. I only have four chickens right now and I'm guesstimating the pen is around 1000 square feet.

 

[LizThumm]

I am hoping to move my chickens to a large, uncovered, fenced area one day. I would love to have a chicken guardian with them, but I don't want an animal that is loud all the time. I've had guineas and roosters and they were too noisy. I am not going to leave a dog out there. Is there a such thing as a quiet goose? Are turkeys good at chasing predators? Any other suggestions? Thanks!

I have a solar motion light on the roof of my hen house. Anything that comes near it it turns on. Including me which helps when I check at night.

 

[hayley3]

Yes, they are locked up in a coop at night. I just worry about the chickens pooping in the hay and grass and making the goat and sheep sick. I only have four chickens right now and I'm guesstimating the pen is around 1000 square feet.

My hay was in one of those hay feeders and the chickens never got up there, but if there's anyway for them to get to a bale, they will ruin it for sure.
I had the rest covered with a tarp.