Geese as Protectors?

[estrogen.files]

I've heard that geese are good protectors, very territorial. Would they go well with my new hens? What's the best kind to get and how old should they be?

New in SE Idaho,

sara

 

[danielle82]

With my gander, he is very protective of me. If the little Roo gets attacky with me that gander will put him in his place. Its kinda cute. they are just birds though, I'm not sure what kind of protector you want? Or what you are seeking protetction against? I would think a few dogs copukld take a goose pretty easy.
The geese do seem a little territorial, for example whenever my husband is around the geese are NOt happy with it, the gander hisses and bites my dh, and has been getting worse. He is fine with my kids as long as they don't move quickly towards the goose girls, and he is fine with me. I think they bond closely with "certain" people, kind of like certain breeds of dogs that bonmd closely with one or two members of the family, that is my experience with my geese

 

[danielle82]

also,

 

[estrogen.files]

Thanks for the welcome!

I live in a rural area and want protection against stray children, other birds, maybe raccoons or such? Just general noise maker that will scare off potential predators for my chix.

Unfortunately, we had a pygmy goat last fall that got eaten by a mountain lion (!!) and I know a goose wouldn't protect against that, but something smaller that it could scare off by being a big scary goose.

Also, where is a good place to buy a goose? I've been doing some research and found that I think I want a Chinese Swan Goose. We could have goose eggs along with chicken eggs...

 

[catnip]

A lone goose can not drive off attacking coons, dogs, or coyotes. Geese are best used to alert you to the danger of preditors, but it is dangerous for the geese to face a preditor alone or even in greater numbers.

Chinese geese are one of the smaller breeds of geese. Not much over 10 pounds for some individuals. They are loud and can be aggressive during the breeding season, but they, or any goose, wouldn't be much a determinate to a preditor.

 

[estrogen.files]

That's all I really want - a notification system. What would you recommend, catnip? I guess I also need a cold hardy goose since I live in the "great frozen north".

 

[Randy]

Anyone ever have an owl kill a goose? I was thinking of keeping some geese in my duck pen to keep the owls off my ducks. I don't have problems with coons or other ground predators due to my dogs but they can't keeps them owls run off.

 

[Goosehaven]

My geese definitely alert me if they spy anything out of the normal going on around the neighborhood. As a previous poster said, my gander doesn't like my husband either and he hisses and charges him everytime he comes out in the back yard. He knows better by now not to out right attack him like he used to do because my husband set him in his place after a couple of times but it is always obvious by all the commotion with my husband returns to the house from fishing. I would worry about "stray children" coming into contact with the geese so if you end up getting some be sure and put up some "beware of geese" signs.

 

[estrogen.files]

Quote:
That part was kind of a joke. We live in a very rural area and kids other than mine and the neighbors that play all the time here are scarce.

sara

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

my chinese gander is a good watchdog. He HONKS if anyone comes up our driveway, or any animals come on our land (other than the regular ones). i think that male gooses are better watchdogs than female ones. good luck!