Guard Geese Question

[sjshaw1980]

I recently lost about 70% of my mixed flock of chickens and ducks to a fox attack. I have read that geese, while they won't take on the foxes, should they return (my place is now secured tighter than the Federal Reserve), will raise the alarm and make quite a racket. My run is 1000 sq. ft., and I live in a suburban area with neighbors relatively close.
If I were to acquire a goose to raise with my replacement chicks this spring, which breed would you all recommend? The bigger the better, and the meaner to strangers the better, but it would need to be relatively quiet unless sounding off the alarm, and friendly toward familiar humans (i.e. hubs and I - goose bites hurt and I don't want to be attacked every time I go in the run).
All suggestions welcome!

 

[Lamaremybabies]

I currently have a gander for this exact reason, however I’d recommend getting two geese just so that they have someone to talk to and not get lonely. My guy adores the ducks and doesn't mind my hens (can’t stand my rooster though, if I gave him the chance he’d actually rip his head off..).
But he’s very sweet and anyone or anything that comes in or out of the house or property is known because he doesn’t shut his trap. Lol


Chinese, Toulouse, embed.

 

[cottontail farm]

My african geese will complain loudly about everything outside of their pen. BUT we have a rabbit that slips through the fence and a stray cat that goes over the gate - anything INside the pen they are totally silent about and just give a wide distance to.
Not particularly helpful. Lol.

 

[Gray Farms]

Geese = Noisy. Your neighbors are going to hate them. Everything will set them off. Mailman, stray cat, hawk overhead, blowing leaves, snake, etc... If you have close good neighbors and want to keep them that way, I wouldn't get geese. If that's not a factor, I would recommend you get Africans.

 

[ChickenHermit]

Geese = Noisy. Your neighbors are going to hate them. Everything will set them off. Mailman, stray cat, hawk overhead, blowing leaves, snake, etc... If you have close good neighbors and want to keep them that way, I wouldn't get geese. If that's not a factor, I would recommend you get Africans.

x2 on bothering the neighbors if you're in a suburban area. Geese will make a racket when a predator shows up, but also when they see you, a bird, a leaf that looks wrong somehow, a gust of wind that's too strong...they're noisy and suspicious critters!

Maybe a good compromise would be getting one of the quieter breeds? Growing up we had a pair of pilgrims in the burbs- they weren't as vocal as africans or chinese, but still sounded the alarm if a predator was near.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My 2 geese are more of a chicken than my chickens.

 

[ChickenHermit]

My 2 geese are more of a chicken than my chickens.

My gander *tries* to be brave, because, you know, his mate and I are watching- but you can tell he's totally freaking out under it! He's an angsty one. Sweet, really, but perpetually worried.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh yes my gander is very brave when it comes to protecting his mate from the rest of the flock of ducks and chickens but when we had a Red tail hawk come down into the yard and kill one of my bantam hens him and his mate were right up against the gate same as the ducks. They are mainly all bluff. Of course I wouldn't want him to stand up to anything with fangs He probably wouldn't live to brag about it.