Guard Geese for Chickens

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Please read my message I explained lots there. Since you choose to make a big deal out someone that was trying to help you I expect an APOLOGY on this board where you have atacked my every word. Beleive this the Dragon can Flame with the best of them but I don't feel like getting down and dirty. You think this was nasty? "Would you mind giving a general location for "Around Here" since you used it twice? We see posts from most of the english speaking world on BYC" That is what started the whole thing.
Mahalo!

 

[Baybrio]

Quote:
In looking over the Holderread's web site I read somewhere that they raise geese and ducks together. Partly to encourage both to accept birds that are of a different species and partially to deter flying predators.

I thought it sounded like a good idea, so when I purchased ducklings I looked around locally for two goslings of a "milder" breed as these would be my first geese. I found two Sebastopol goslings for $10 each and put them in with the ducklings who were just a bit older (maybe a month old).

After they all stopped running from each other they bonded. Until breeding season started they all stayed together and I believe the geese did just as I hoped and kept the hawks looking for easier prey. They free range around the farm all day and so far I have not lost any ducks. I lock everybody up in the shed at night.

My geese are not friendly, but they were not tiny babies when I bought them. They were just beginning to get a feather or two. They are in no way aggressive (well the gander is protecting his girl but he just honking and hissing which I respect by moving slowly around them and handling them/getting in their space as little as possible). I can pick them up, the female doesn't mind being held, the big baby male protests then goes limp with a "Ok my life is over, just eat me" expression on his face.

Once during the winter the gander decided one of the drakes was on his "list". I moved the drake to a different pen at night for a few days and the problem seemed to go away.

I can't say the geese have had any impact on the chickens who also free range during the day and are in their coop in the shed at night. I didn't expect the geese to bond with the chickens since the chickens were already adults when I got the geese. On the other hand, the geese and chickens just ignore each other most of the time.

The geese won't have much impact on Cooper's or Sharpshank hawks. Those little smarties will go right into my shed in search of chicks!

 

[Barbara Kolohe]

Goose. Im sorry if you really were trying to be helpful. I did message you an apology for my lack or saying where I was.
Maybe you did mean well and I just took it wrong,and you werent trying to talk down to me, if so, you have my apologies. Im overwhelmed with more than I can handle at the moment and a bit stressed, not your fault.
We got off on the wrong foot.

 

[Suzie]

My goose "Boss" was a victim to a predator (I didn't witness the event) it was probably a dog or fox.... I can only say that predators are around here most of the time and a goose (in my opinion) will not "guard" - yes they can and do make a lot of noise for any number of reasons and they will "hiss" at anything/anyone they don't particularly like or feel threatened by....

He did however protect his flock of geese by becoming the victim... so very sad for me and his siblings.

I have to say that GooseDragon gives only good advice - GooseDragon has helped me enormously over the death of Boss and the subsequent events of the flock trying to establish a new hierarcy...

Please do listen to the advice given, it may feel abrasive but it is meant to be helpful.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Accepted! I was trying to help. I don't know if they have different rules on posting for "just hatched" and us 'chicken obsessed" (how I hate that label, never liked chickens anytime) In Your PM message you said you were having a hard day so I gave you more slack than I do most.~gd

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I have about the same number of posts as you (but have been a member for longer), and recently I added my location by going to profile and going to personal, then went to location and typed it in. It took me a while to figure how to add that info.

I love my chickens and my geese. We did our research about friendly geese and got pilgrim and sebastopol. It is helpful to raise them yourself from goslings to promote a good relationship. Our geese imprinted on us and follow us around. The pilgrim is on the larger side which might deter some predators. All the geese have a mighty warning honk. My geese weren't raised with the chickens so they do sometimes chase them now.

You need to be careful about housing geese and chickens together at night. I discovered the nibbly geese would chew on our chicken's tail feathers when they roost at night.

 

[catcall443]

LGB???

 

[tmorgan46]

LGB???

Maybe meant LGD? Livestock Guardian Dogs? I'm hopeful.

 

[tmorgan46]

LGB???

Livestock guarding breed... sheesh! Thanks out to Mr Google. That was killing me!!