How little housing do geese really need?

[dealfinder500]

This is my first year with geese, so I'm learning!

I've got 3 12 week old Brown Africans, and they go in the chicken coop at night. But I also have 13 6 week old Brown Africans. Right now they are using a small coop that won't hold them much longer (it's meant for maybe 10 chickens). I got so many as I thought they'd sell well as goslings (the last batch sold very quickly), but there was little interest. So I'm hoping to sell some as Christmas Goose Dinners, and keep the rest to breed next year.

Anyway, I have been doing some reading, and on Mother Earth News I found a few articles that say all the geese need for housing is just a simple 3-sided structure that lets them get out of the rain when needed, and that they will for the most part be able to defend themselves against most predators.

Any one else have any experience with this?

 

[flockman]

My adult geese have not had issues with predators but I lost a lot of goslings to a raccoon. If you have coyotes geese need to be locked up at night.

 

[dealfinder500]

We have coyotes, though I haven't heard any in a while. Used to hear them all the time.

One that that really helps is that my neighbor raises coon dogs, so he's got a good 20 of them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

never have understood why people say geese can defend themselves against predators, They have no teeth or claws 2 major things most preds have. One of our members lost a goose to a mink, they are very small but fearsome. They maybe able to stand as one unit if a pred comes around but I have a feeling someone in the flock will have to give up it's life for the rest. I'd rather have peace of mind that mine are locked up safe at night.

 

[flockman]

 never have understood why people say geese can defend themselves against predators, They have no teeth or claws 2 major things most preds have. One of out members lost a goose to a mink, they are very small but fearsome. They maybe able to stand as one unit if a pred comes around but I have a feeling someone in the flock will have to give up it's life for the rest.  I'd rather have peace of mind that mine are locked up safe at night.

I agree!

 

[The goose girl]

never have understood why people say geese can defend themselves against predators, They have no teeth or claws 2 major things most preds have. One of our members lost a goose to a mink, they are very small but fearsome. They maybe able to stand as one unit if a pred comes around but I have a feeling someone in the flock will have to give up it's life for the rest. I'd rather have peace of mind that mine are locked up safe at night.

Exactly. And a mink may, if undisturbed, kill or maim the whole flock.

Geese do put up a good front, but it will not deter a hungry predator - especially not when they have cubs to feed. Wild geese can postpone an attack, giving the flock time to take off. But as most domestic geese don't fly well, all they really can do is postpone.

 

[The goose girl]

Browsing goose videos on YouTube, I watched this gem:

The video's got nothing to do with predators, but there's a link to a picture of what happened when the goose in the video was attacked by a fox - through the fence:


And this is how it healed up:


Horrifying!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Browsing goose videos on YouTube, I watched this gem:

The video's got nothing to do with predators, but there's a link to a picture of what happened when the goose in the video was attacked by a fox - through the fence:


And this is how it healed up:


Horrifying!

Oh my goodness poor thing.