In the interest of education Raccoons?

[GrumpyOldMan]

I don’t believe we have a Raccoon problem here. However with the idea we can never know too much…. Would / could Raccoons be a threat to full grown geese (Pilgrims)? Enquiring minds want to know. But I don’t want to learn the hard way.

How about Red Tail Hawks? I’m under the assumption that geese are too big for Coons and Red Tails to bother. ?????

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

Racoons are a threat to full grown geese. If they don't competely take them down at first attempt - they will certainly hurt or damage your adults. I've lost large chickens and ducks to Hawks and Owls.

The best way to protect your geese from Coons and other killers is to lock them up at night - I've had Raccons vist my chicken pens at 4 in the afternoon - so they can strike at anytime. Esp. when a female has hungry babies. Last evening, around 6p., I saw a VERY large female with four babies running behind her - out here - they're everywhere.

BTW - It's always good to have an "Enquiring" mind!

!

I hope you're able to keep your Pilgrims safe from all the nasty, creatures that could bring harm to them - enjoy your 4th.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Red Tails might pick off a gosling. I always had a nest tree of these hawks with in 50'feet of my coop but never lost a bird to them. they will take rodents that feed attracts and even a crow if they can catch them alone. When ever they would land on the ground to pick up their kill my flock of geese would attack and the hawk was soon in the air again. I think adult Pilgrims are safe from Red tails but the geese allways react to them when they spot them in flight.

 

[Kim65]

There is much easier prey than a full grown gander. But if a coon is hungry, or trying to feed it's kits . . .

In the least, your goose will be terribly injured.

I'm such a nutjob I bring my geese in the HOUSE at night. But a good secure pen or shed will do the trick just fine. The geese will not wait for the coon or whatever to get all the way inside before they defend themselves. It's the geese loose in your yard that are in danger. I only let mine out when I'm at home all day, the rest of the time they are in a secure covered pen. They have llamas to guard them from the pasture side and my dog to keep the varmints from bothering them from the other side

I have owls and hawks and bald eagles too, so their pen is covered with avian netting.

Racoons will attack in daylight or night time hours.

 

[[email protected]]

What about snakes? my dh asked me what the geese would do if a snake was present, we do have them, so have you all had this experience ever? jennifer

 

[VelvetDragon]

Raccoons are definitely a threat to full grown geese. They're incredibly tenacious, and they're good at surprising birds while they're sleeping. And though you don't think you have a raccoon "problem", I'd be surprised if there weren't raccoons in your area. They're pretty much everywhere except part of the Rockies, Arizona, Utah, and parts of Nevada, and they thrive around humans.

One time a raccoon took a Red Tail Hawk right out of the mews at the Oregon Zoo while I was working there in the educational animals department. The slats of wood on the mews were about a half inch apart, and the raccoon pulled the hawk through, piece by piece.

 

[goosedragon]

[email protected] :

What about snakes? my dh asked me what the geese would do if a snake was present, we do have them, so have you all had this experience ever? jennifer

I have had it twice, once the goose returned to her nest to find a big black snake warming himself on the eggs. She raised a huge fuss so the gander went to check it out, He raised a bigger fuss so the whole flock checked it out and raised a fuss. Finally the stupid keeper (me) went to check it out. There was this big black snake who was all po'ed at everybody. Stupid got his rifile but I couldn't get the snake off the eggs to shoot it. finly got brave enough to get down low so I could shoot it in the raised head. Loaded with bird shot (sometimes called rat shot) the tiny shot gun like load shredded its head so I grabbed and took the body away> good old goose was back on the nest and was calmer than I was.
Second time I spotted a snake trying to get out or the run. Swear it looked like a king cobra had just swallowed a big goose egg, still in his neck and he would no longer fit thru the chicken wire. rat shot to the head and I cut this one open to see the goose egg.​

 

[Jenifer Kraus]

Quote:
I have had it twice, once the goose returned to her nest to find a big black snake warming himself on the eggs. She raised a huge fuss so the gander went to check it out, He raised a bigger fuss so the whole flock checked it out and raised a fuss. Finally the stupid keeper (me) went to check it out. There was this big black snake who was all po'ed at everybody. Stupid got his rifile but I couldn't get the snake off the eggs to shoot it. finly got brave enough to get down low so I could shoot it in the raised head. Loaded with bird shot (sometimes called rat shot) the tiny shot gun like load shredded its head so I grabbed and took the body away> good old goose was back on the nest and was calmer than I was.
Second time I spotted a snake trying to get out or the run. Swear it looked like a king cobra had just swallowed a big goose egg, still in his neck and he would no longer fit thru the chicken wire. rat shot to the head and I cut this one open to see the goose egg.

You are awful Brave. I have never had a problem with Raccoons with adults but they can sure pull the heads off of goslings. I think the raccoons will try anything especially if they are hungry. I lost some goslings to a raccoon and and an Owl one time then I got my Pyrenees and no problem after that. The bobcats and coyotes don't have a chance with Moose either.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
I have had it twice, once the goose returned to her nest to find a big black snake warming himself on the eggs. She raised a huge fuss so the gander went to check it out, He raised a bigger fuss so the whole flock checked it out and raised a fuss. Finally the stupid keeper (me) went to check it out. There was this big black snake who was all po'ed at everybody. Stupid got his rifile but I couldn't get the snake off the eggs to shoot it. finly got brave enough to get down low so I could shoot it in the raised head. Loaded with bird shot (sometimes called rat shot) the tiny shot gun like load shredded its head so I grabbed and took the body away> good old goose was back on the nest and was calmer than I was.
Second time I spotted a snake trying to get out or the run. Swear it looked like a king cobra had just swallowed a big goose egg, still in his neck and he would no longer fit thru the chicken wire. rat shot to the head and I cut this one open to see the goose egg.

You are awful Brave. I have never had a problem with Raccoons with adults but they can sure pull the heads off of goslings. I think the raccoons will try anything especially if they are hungry. I lost some goslings to a raccoon and and an Owl one time then I got my Pyrenees and no problem after that. The bobcats and coyotes don't have a chance with Moose either.

Yep I am brave, big bad me and my rifile against a 8 foot snake that was non venonous lol.
I just wanted to warn you about your dog Moose? If your coyotes are packed up like they are here to take down deer. A pack can do a job on even big dog! A friend has goats and a different breed of companion/guard dog. The pack took out the dog and then took 2 goats. A rush visit to the vet saved the dog but it will never guard again! I don't care how big the dog, when faced with a pack pf coyotes/coydogs the dog should run but a guard dog will fight for his herd. Im not saying it will happen, just that it can happen.

 

[BlackBart]

When we had Toulouse Geese, years ago.
Raccoons and Eagles were a threat.