Geese Scaring Chickens from Feed

[JonathanHeno]

Hello! So we have two Embdens that we got as guard geese for our flock of 16 chickens. We have seven chickens that are six months old and nine chickens that are two and a half months old. The guard geese are not quite two months old.

As of the last week the guard geese are chasing the chickens away from their feeders in the morning so they can eat the chicken feed. They're also more aggressive with the older chickens as those ones used to pick on the goslings when they were smaller so I'm wondering if it's payback.

I'm wanting to know the best way for me to teach the goslings to recognize the chickens as part of their flock and not as an enemy. Any and all suggestions would be great.

Thank you!

 

[samanthaoverton]

The whole guard geese thing is just a rumour..they would have to be the same age and raised together to even get along. Even if they did get along..the geese will not guard your chickens. I'm not trying to be rude. I've read on this because I thought of getting a goose for that reason. The information does not support it and geese can get aggressive with chickens..

 

[enlightenedkitty]

Couple things i read before getting my Guard goose.
1. Make sure its a gosling and chicks being raised together.
2. Only 1 goose for the chicken flock. A pair will and can be aggressive especially if they are male and female because come spring they will want to mate and will be protective during their mating season.

My Gosling is 2 months old now same with my chickens and they are getting a long great. I do notice my goose nibbles on the chickens if they are near his pool or just in his space or in his way lol but never in an aggressive manner. More like a polite get out of my way.

They all sleep together in the same coop and my gosling definitely has one favourite chicken that he lets sleep with him and eat with him and he wont peck her. Its cute.

Best of luck

 

[telandra2]

They all sleep together in the same coop and my gosling definitely has one favourite chicken that he lets sleep with him and eat with him and he wont peck her. Its cute.

I'm envisioning the goose trying to breed that chicken when they grow up....

 

[enlightenedkitty]

I'm envisioning the goose trying to breed that chicken when they grow up....

Lol i call the goose a he because its too young to tell. But hopefully there wont be any of that lol

 

[Callender Girl]

My two female American Buff geese free range with chickens and ducks during the day; every species has its own night-time housing. Many of the birds eat an all-flock feed, but all eat in their own runs to ensure that the ducks and geese don't rush in and eat the chickens' feed. Waterfowl don't seem to recognize chicken boundaries at all!

The Buffs don't guard the others, frequently run up behind the ducks and force them to march across the yard for no apparent reason -- and once in a great while, will grab a chicken's feathers. But there have never been any real injuries -- just me narrowly avoiding tripping over myriad chickens as I try to shoo the Buffs away from which ever girl they are annoying.

 

[AGeese]

Hello! So we have two Embdens that we got as guard geese for our flock of 16 chickens. We have seven chickens that are six months old and nine chickens that are two and a half months old. The guard geese are not quite two months old.

As of the last week the guard geese are chasing the chickens away from their feeders in the morning so they can eat the chicken feed. They're also more aggressive with the older chickens as those ones used to pick on the goslings when they were smaller so I'm wondering if it's payback.

I'm wanting to know the best way for me to teach the goslings to recognize the chickens as part of their flock and not as an enemy. Any and all suggestions would be great.

Thank you!

What is the sex of these geese? Hopefully not two ganders.