Do Guard Geese really work?

[0ddaudd]

Hey! I’ve had this question for awhile. Does a “guard goose” actually work by scaring off prey? If so, does breed matter? What about gender? And will they try to attack humans? I’ve also heard that getting a black chicken can deter predators as well but that might just be an old wives tale. I have 5 Hens and 3 Pekin ducks for reference.

 

[Pyxis]

You always need to have two geese. Geese are flock animals and are highly social, and need to be with at least one other member of their own kind. Being with chickens or ducks isn't the same, just like if you lived with gorillas it wouldn't be the same as living with other humans.

That said, geese are good for alerting to danger. If you are able to hear them alert and go out to intervene, then that will work. Their size might also deter some smaller predators from trying their luck.

That's about it. Geese will not fight off predators trying to attack your flock. Nor will they deter everything; a hungry predator may still go for your birds. A migrating hawk once took a cochin cockerel of mine right in the run, with the geese right there, because it was very hungry and decided the geese were worth chancing.

 

[cmom]

My neighbor had a goose and it would go after anything that went on their property.