Guard Goose - Yay or Nay?

[N0rthernChicks]

Looking into adding a guard goose to my small flock of 12 chickens. We live in a very secluded area with lots of wildlife. My chickens free range only when I’m home to watch them. I would like them to have more freedom so possibly looking to get a guard goose. Any insight on whether it’s worth it? Any particular breed recommendations?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Geese sleep at night just as chicken do.

Geese speak goose and chickens speak chicken so geese should not be kept singly with chickens.

Electric poultry netting can be used to make a larger area for chickens and will keep most ground predators at bay but hawks can still swoop in.

I would not count on a goose or rooster as flock protection.

 

[N0rthernChicks]

Geese sleep at night just as chicken do.

Geese speak goose and chickens speak chicken so geese should not be kept singly with chickens.

Electric poultry netting can be used to make a larger area for chickens and will keep most ground predators at bay but hawks can still swoop in.

I would not count on a goose or rooster as flock protection.

It would not be for nighttime protection as everybody gets locked up at night. Just some daytime free ranging protection. I worry less about hawks as we live in a very wooded area. Not a lot of open space for hawks to see clearly.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I wouldn't think being wooded is a benefit against hawks.

They see WAY better than we ever could. They are also designed to maneuver.

 

[jeepgirl13]

I wouldn't think being wooded is a benefit against hawks.

They see WAY better than we ever could. They are also designed to maneuver.

I know they're bad for our chickens, but I cant help but be amazed by these guys.

Honestly, I love Raptors, they are so beautiful! But, I think birds as a species, in general, are just amazing, beautiful creatures

There was a family of Harris Hawks out at the ranch I worked at. They were amazing! I've got some incredible pictures of them somewhere, eating a rabbit on the top of a saguaro, stalking each other on the ground, perched in a palo verde tree, stacking 3 or 4 birds tall, all kinda of stuff! Their talons though!

Edited because auto spell thinks it knows what I'm spelling....

 

[Conan]

I have two American Buff geese. I can tell you that their vision is incredible and they are always watching. They screech a warning when they see something that the other birds don't. In that regard, they are quite impressive.
That said, my birds were performing some garden cleanup services yesterday, and the resident Holland lop was out of his pen running about. They freaked out. Hissing, wings out and shaking... Nibbler, the nonplussed rabbit, went right up to them and sniffed one. They ran, screaming, away.
Geese are not really able to offer protection services. They may deter certain types of predators with their size alone, but are not really able to do anything other than that.
The only real defense against hawks and other birds of prey is cover.

 

[aart]

I would not count on a goose or rooster as flock protection.

The only real defense against hawks and other birds of prey is cover.

Ditto Dos^^^

 

[keesmom]

I worry less about hawks as we live in a very wooded area. Not a lot of open space for hawks to see clearly.

Yeah, we live in a heavily wooded area also. Bad hunting area for red tailed hawks, but perfect for Cooper's hawks and the occasional goshawk. The chickens can't see them coming through the trees. We've had them bounce off the slider doors when they've missed a hen diving into the bushes.

I wouldn't rely on geese or a rooster to deter hawks, let alone daytime attacks from foxes or coyotes.