fox and geese

[rosawoodsii]

Sometimes life's little problem can make you almost crazy. My 88 year old mother was out in the mud and snow today herding the geese away from the puddles and back to the back yard "where they belong". There's little snow on the ground, mostly gone except for patches, and we've had a week of thaw here in Maine. On the advice of a few people from the forum, I haven't been feeding the geese any grain in the morning so they'll be more interested in coming in at night. That really hasn't changed their foraging habits any, but my mother is sure that if they forage a fox will get them.

These are adult Toulouse geese, 4 of them, and I just can't imagine a fox being able to snatch one and run off with it. Are fox are big problem for geese?

 

[noahsgeese]

I would not think so for a big goose like a Toulouse but I guess that it might happen, I don't really know?

 

[Brickman House]

Unfortunately, I have had a fox take off with my geese (2 embdens). We have a problem with grey fox around here, and this past Spring, I had a mother fox and her kits hop over a six foot privacy fence and devastate my entire flock of chickens, geese and ducks in a matter of a couple hours during broad daylight.

I don't know that my experience is common, but I can tell you that it did happen to me, so your mother's not terribly far off base with her concern.

 

[darwish]

There is a fox den about 300 yards or so from my goose and duck pen. Last year they raised four kits. I free range the birds as much as possible, whether I am home or not. So far, I haven't had any problems with foxes bothering the birds.

 

[J3172]

sounds like you have smart foxes that know to fear man

 

[houndit]

Normally fox like smaller prey. They one time killed 30 chickens, but did not harm any sucks or geese in the same pen. However, we did have a goose disappear once when there were no other birds around. It may have been a coyote.

 

[afeatherfan]

Yes foxes will take geese .unfortunately A fox got one of my seabastopol last fall .I had the DNR in her trying to trap him but they could'nt get that little brat.He also helped him self to some other things I had also. AND HE IS STILL AROUND Im sure.

 

[rosawoodsii]

Are most goose breeds the same size? The Toulouse look very much like Canada geese in size. What about Sebastapols, Emdens, and ohers?

 

[feathersandfluff]

Yes a fox can come into your yard in the daytime and carry off a full grown goose. Dorothy

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
I have watched five encounters between the neighborhood fox (neighbor was feeding it until I acidently run it over with my truck) and my African x china goose. Three times she ran the fox off the property, twice she came running to me for Help. Foxes score well on nesting geese and goslings.