Geese refuse to go in at night

[VirulentVulpine]

All of my geese were raised in a spacious and clean barn since they were goslings. They're almost a year old now and have always refused to go to bed, be it in the barn or anywhere else, despite always being put to bed around the same time by me. They insist on standing out in the field like idiots and would get eaten overnight due to our horrid fox problem if I hadn't been herding them back in.

Until this evening, they have been cooperative with going in when herded. Now they straight up refuse it, even when baited with food, I cannot get them to even go near the barn. Additionally, they do not seem to be bothered by darkness and will be walking around at 10 at night if you don't put them away.

I have never had any birds that don't instinctively want to "bed down" at night.
Is this normal for geese? At this rate they are going to be put in a pen once I catch them tonight and no longer allowed to free range, and this ruins the appeal of ever buying geese again for me.

 

[Goosebaby]

All of my geese were raised in a spacious and clean barn since they were goslings. They're almost a year old now and have always refused to go to bed, be it in the barn or anywhere else, despite always being put to bed around the same time by me. They insist on standing out in the field like idiots and would get eaten overnight due to our horrid fox problem if I hadn't been herding them back in.

Until this evening, they have been cooperative with going in when herded. Now they straight up refuse it, even when baited with food, I cannot get them to even go near the barn. Additionally, they do not seem to be bothered by darkness and will be walking around at 10 at night if you don't put them away.

I have never had any birds that don't instinctively want to "bed down" at night.
Is this normal for geese? At this rate they are going to be put in a pen once I catch them tonight and no longer allowed to free range, and this ruins the appeal of ever buying geese again for me.

Can any critters get in the barn? If they saw something spooky in there they’ll definitely be afraid.
Another possibility is rain, has it rained recently? The sound of anything pinging off the roof can be terrifying to geese.

Whatever the issue is consistency is your friend with geese, doing the same roundup ritual every night at the same time. If you don’t already have someone else help you get the geese in every night until the geese accept that they have to go in the barn whether they like it or not.

 

[Strawberry74]

What time are you going out to herd them in? I have found if I go out just before sunset they are way more compliant. When I miss that by even a few minutes it's more of a fight. They don't like dark because they can't see well and everything is scarier. Just an idea.

 

[VirulentVulpine]

Can any critters get in the barn? If they saw something spooky in there they’ll definitely be afraid.
Another possibility is rain, has it rained recently? The sound of anything pinging off the roof can be terrifying to geese.

Whatever the issue is consistency is your friend with geese, doing the same roundup ritual every night at the same time. If you don’t already have someone else help you get the geese in every night until the geese accept that they have to go in the barn whether they like it or not.

Nothing can get into the barn once the doors are closed at night, maybe they saw something during the day?

I herd them in at 6pm for the last couple of weeks but they seem to absolutely hate it. I also have a garage and other smaller barns where the other birds go in voluntarily at night, but they act allergic to those as well. Not sure if they feel safer out in the open or if they just don’t want to bed down.

They don’t seem tired at night time like my turkeys, ducks, and chickens, and will try to swerve to avoid going into any buildings while you’re herding. It took about 20 minutes tonight.

 

[Goosebaby]

Nothing can get into the barn once the doors are closed at night, maybe they saw something during the day?

I herd them in at 6pm for the last couple of weeks but they seem to absolutely hate it. I also have a garage and other smaller barns where the other birds go in voluntarily at night, but they act allergic to those as well. Not sure if they feel safer out in the open or if they just don’t want to bed down.

They don’t seem tired at night time like my turkeys, ducks, and chickens, and will try to swerve to avoid going into any buildings while you’re herding. It took about 20 minutes tonight.

In general geese don’t like to be in confined places, they instinctually prefer wide open spaces where they can see predators coming from a distance, that’s probably their main gripe.
unfortunately for them they are better off in a secure place after dark. It’ll be a chore but you’ll just have to stick to the routine like you have been.

 

[nuthatched]

Is there a lightnin the barn?