Do I need to invest in goose x-ing signs?

[Sheepheart]

So yesterday my geese decided to go across the street to help our neighbors hay field’s insects.
We do have a somewhat busy road as we are near town and next to the high school/middle school campus. Luckily it is the weekend otherwise I would have had quite the line of traffic held up as I tried to get them all back across.
This is the first time they did that and they weren’t there long, didn’t go over there today.
But it has brought up the discussion of trying to prevent them crossing again especially when nobody is home. I have a pasture I could shut them in but they are able to fly over the fence if they really wanted to. My mom said she read where a twine line on or slightly above the ground prevents wild geese from going to the other side of it, that they won’t cross it? Might that work for domestic geese? But then also if they really wanted to they can fly over it.

right now they are just foraging around but when rainy season comes in, and if it comes in like it has the last few years, the neighbors field gets a nice sized pond, and it stays a while. Last year four wild ducks frequented it.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

While your neighbor's property certainly sounds inviting to waterfowl, I'd encourage you to find ways to keep your geese on your own property and under your control unless you can supervise them and, importantly, keep them out of the road. Failing to do so may have serious consequences, including legal ones; roaming creates the risk of your geese or people being injured if a collision occurs because of the geese. Your state's liability laws will provide more info.

In short, my suggestion is to contain them via fencing or other appropriate means. If they can fly out of a fenced pasture, solutions like clipping wings or using a covered pen should be considered. Best of luck.

 

[Callender Girl]

Sounds mighty dangerous!

My American Buff geese are lousy at flight and only occasionally make it over a 2-foot fence to graze on the other side of the yard. They've never challenged a higher fence on the property.

I agree that a covered pen would be a good option. Because I live in the country where predators are everywhere, I don't clip wings -- just in case my poultry needs to make a quick getaway.

My chief goal with all of my chickens, ducks and geese is to keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible. Just do whatever you need to and can afford to do. Good luck and let us know how things work out.