Guard Geese?

[sourland]

Several years ago a pair of fox in my locale started 'working' does with multiple fawns. They work on divide and conquer - separate the fawns and drive them further apart until the mother can no longer protect both fawns. At that point one becomes dinner. That year no does in this area raised multiple fawns. They work the same gambit on geese. The dog fox will lure the gander further and further away until the vixen can grab a gosling or sneak up from behing and grab the gander. Part of a video or a simple picture does not tell the complete story.

 

[RHRanch]

Several years ago a pair of fox in my locale started 'working' does with multiple fawns. They work on divide and conquer - separate the fawns and drive them further apart until the mother can no longer protect both fawns. At that point one becomes dinner. That year no does in this area raised multiple fawns. They work the same gambit on geese. The dog fox will lure the gander further and further away until the vixen can grab a gosling or sneak up from behing and grab the gander. Part of a video or a simple picture does not tell the complete story.

And sadly, most bird parents (geese, turkeys, etc) will fight a large predator, even if it means their death... so will a gander fight a predator? I would say, most times he will. But the important question is, will the gander win?

 

[sourland]

Somewhere 'out there' in the realm of cyberland there is a video of a pair of Arctic foxes 'working' snow geese. Apparently they were unable to kill the adults (at least not in the video), but were very successful at harvesting goslings. As an interesting note they would take the killed goslings and bury them in snow banks for later consumption. This video also included footage of the fox raiding seabird colonies.

 

[chicken farmer]

Can anyone PLEASE tell me ANY animal that can do a GREAT job of guarding my chickens????????The only aniaml it cant be is dogs but PLEASE tell me ANY animal exepts dogs.........I would really appreciate it.......THANKS!!!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Can anyone PLEASE tell me ANY animal that can do a GREAT job of guarding my chickens????????The only aniaml it cant be is dogs but PLEASE tell me ANY animal exepts dogs.........I would really appreciate it.......THANKS!!!

mules

 

[chicken farmer]

Thanks but a mule is a little too big.

 

[gryeyes]

A livestock guard dog - Great Pyrenees, for example - can do the job as long at it knows the chickens are its flock.

 

[chicken farmer]

Thanks but I cant get anymore dogs

 

[chicken farmer]

Ducks wont really work

 

[Oregon Blues]

If you only have large birds (geese and turkeys) and only have adults outside, they are probably safe from hawks. They aren't safe from anything else, though,

If you've got raccoons, foxes, stray dogs, and coyotes, you can keep chickens safe by keeping them inside a good secure covered run.