Guard Geese for Chickens

[boredcolliejane]

I'm interested in learning more about guard geese for chickens. I live in a rural area and one of my Americauna chicks was attacked yesterday (she seems to be recovering) and I am considering getting some geese to guard my chickens/yard, or to at least warn me about approaching predators.

I know that geese are territorial but can they also be affectionate to their owners? I find that my Rhode Island Red chickens are very friendly, docile, and recognize me. By contrast my Plymouth Barred Rock just about screams when I pick her up -- and I handle my chickens often, so they are used to it, but I also know that there are variances in temperament between the breeds.

What goose breeds do you recommend and why?

 

[Southernchickens]

I have a brown chinese gander and it will protect his flock of ducks from anything. He honks as loud as he can if he hears or sees somebody he doesnt know. I have even seen him warn the ducks of a buzzard flying above them.

 

[zippy3]

I also have a Chinese gander (white) who protects my 8 ducks. He often keeps watch while the ducks are eating and won't graze much unless they are under cover of a tree or with me. He makes lots of noise when anything happens and keeps watch for birds overhead and any animals around such as our cat...and can be quite intimidating, although he is actually quite friendly. My neighbor's dog is terrified of the goose, although I wouldn't leave them alone together, just to be safe. I can hold him on my lap and feed him by hand and he will come up to me and talk if I make goose-type noises. Quite the personality...much more upstairs than ducks.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Protect from what? Around here, bobcats, coyotes, cougars and neighbor dogs will (and have) packed off full grown geese without issue. Yes, the geese will honk at a strange car, or a perceived threat but they really can't guard against anything.

Also, during the short time I had to house my geese & chickens together, my roosters were beat up, their tails were pulled out and feathers ripped up by the geese.

I would suggest an LGD.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

my pomeranian geese keep the owls and hawks at bay, not away but up in the trees, i have not lost a chicken to a flyer since i had them, but for ground predators ?? not sure, haven't seen one so I'm not sure, but still have all my birds

my geese and chickens live together without problems, even during breeding season

 

[zippy3]

NO, I don't expect my White Chinese gander to protect my flock from night-time predators...that is what the predator-proof duck house is for that they are locked into every night. That is what the electric-net fence is for when we aren't around in the day.
However, during the day, when we are at home and we can hear the flock free-ranging around the house, he does provide very vocal warnings for human and animal visitors alike, not just passing cars. But that is my goose...
Also, aside from hogging the pool water sometimes, he does not bother the ducks.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Oh I see....we have all of those predators 24/7, not just at night. My MIL just had one of her white rock hens packed off Sunday afternoon at 2:30pm in broad daylight by a raccoon.

 

[sydney13]

I have a toulous goose who lives with my chickens. It would probably be best for you to go with a African or Chinese seeing that those breeds are known to be best at sounding the alarm. One of my hens was attacked by a hawk and luckily for her, the goose was near by. The goose started honking loud enough for us to hear and when I came out to see what was going on their going on I saw the goose honking and hissing at the hawk who was on "her" chicken. Thanks to the goose the chicken only had a small wound which healed up nicely.
The rhode island reds probably would not go broody but maybe if one if the barred rocks did, it could raise the goslings. This way they would form a bond with the hens and you would not need to worry about the geese going after them. In general though, I think you would be much better off with predator proofing their area a little more. Geese may help out a little at alerting you but I would not rely on them as your source of protection. They will honk at whatever they feel is danger and while this may be a raccoon or fox, more often it's just the wind blowing or a leaf falling.

 

[rainplace]

I have 9 geese who have broken themselves into 3 groups. There are the three thug ganders who bully everyone, but they also always have an eye to the sky. When they sound the alarm a lot of the time our chickens run for cover, or if they are near any geese, they will flock to the geese. However, the chickens and geese don't seem particularly interested in each other. The chickens prefer being in the understory and the geese like the pasture. There's Duck Goose he's in a group without any of the geese having been chased off mid-winter. He hangs with the ducks mostly and he's their alarm. Then there's the other gander who managed to end up with most of the female geese, and though he tries to hang around the thugs, they keep running him and the females off. He doesn't do much more than try to service the females and keep their eggs safe. He always looks so tired as they lay everywhere, and a raven has taken to stealing goose eggs.

Sometimes all the fowl are together and that is when I believe they are the safest. I've found that except for Duck Goose, the only protection the geese offer the poultry is by watching out for themselves. Chickens just range differently than geese. I've lost 4 chickens to cooper's hawks and never heard a honk out of a goose about it. How a predator hunts will also have a lot to do with a gooses ability to offer up an alarm. Cooper's hawks don't circle the air like other hawks, so the geese never saw them as they were out in the pasture, not in the understory.

You didn't explain what sort of set-up you have or intend to have or what attacked your chicken. This may help us give you more information.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
I always had Red Tailed Hawks(large hawks) nesting in a tree about 50' from my coop. I always netted the top of the run when I had goslings or ducklings around. Watching the hawks I would see them carry rodents and small snakes back to the neat to eat/feed their young. When my geese would see them make a kill and land the flock would form up with ganders in front and march on the hawk (no they didn't goose step but march best describes their pace) honking to each other. The hawks always were back in the air before the geese would get to it so I guess you could call them the home guard. The ducks would hide and I didn't have chickens... I hope this is of some help.~gd