Goose for Protection?

[NamahKatana]

Ok this may be a stupid question but it came up today. I heard that geese are can/are used for protecting flocks of chickens/ducks from dogs, feral cats, and large wild cats(bob cats,cougers, ect.) and deters them too. Any truth to this?

 

[littledear]

I would think it would take a group of ganders at the least and they wouldn't be able to protect from cougers. My male golden retriever wasn't at all intimidated by my gander. He got ahold of the gander (Chinese Brown) and we thought the gander was a goner. We finally managed to catch the two of them after chasing them all over the pasture and seperate them. The dog was coming out on top in this instance. The geese will make a very large racket to let you know something is close by during the day so they will alert you if you are keeping an eye out for a preditor and have a rifle to shoot it when it shows up.

 

[Iain Utah]

While my geese are great sentinels, they can be chased away or spooked into flight by a small dog. They are prey animals.

 

[sourland]

As a warning system geese are great, but that is about the extent of their protective capabilities.

 

[NamahKatana]

Thats what i though guys thanks. I have 2 ducks that are great alerters VERY loud lol Although I think we may get a goose to add to the alert system. Any recommendations? I was thinking an Embden female(not sure what they are called) as they are good layers too.

 

[conny63malies]

Why not? There are several prisons that use them as alarm system

 

[NamahKatana]

Why not? There are several prisons that use them as alarm system

Really? That's quite interesting lol We have also decided we are going to get a male and female Embden and raise babies for meat birds. We're going to be ordering from Metzer.

 

[desertdarlene]

I agree with others, great for alarm, but I wouldn't trust them against a major predator. They might also be good against human intruders/tresspassers who might not know anything about geese and be afraid of them. But, if it comes to a fight, they will most likely run away.

 

[conny63malies]

I know of a swedish prison that has them running between two fences. Ever tried to sneak through a herd of geese? Isnt going to happen. I know there is a prison in brazil too that utilizes them as well. Not sure what we will pick. I'd like weeder geese, alarm geese... as big and mean as they get. But then in Ky people arent afraid of geese as much as they would be in a city. Maybe i should run two emus too.

Really? That's quite interesting lol We have also decided we are going to get a male and female Embden and raise babies for meat birds. We're going to be ordering from Metzer.

 

[jerryford]

Our embden gander has already chased off a very large dog and a fox short of a cougar I think the flock is safe with him although people are not safe from him either