If anyone is considering "guard geese" next spring, I am going to be purchasing goslings as soon as they are available. I attempted to this year but Meyer had a shortage on the last hatches, cancelled my order. I think they begin offering them in March. All but 1 of my hens no longer lay, so its time I add new birds. Geese help keep your flocks safe by warding off areal predators, owl and hawk. My Vet buys all my goslings and uses them in his organic poultry operations. He raises a few thousand pastured poultry and waterfowl for farmers market (turkey, chicken and duck) and keeps the geese year around. They are behind electric netting and have a huge pond included in the pasture rotation.. His only loss issue was hawks and owls prior, now its near zero loss the last 4 years.
Let me be clear, geese are no match for a coyote, large dog or other large predators. Birds of prey do not mess with them because they flog, bite and twist and can be pretty aggressive. I have yet to lose a goose to a skunk, raccoon or other small predator species. A fox will take a young unattended gosling.
I keep Brown Chinese. They are a smaller breed goose, still quite tall and a large wingspan.. Also know as weeder geese, they free range and turn their bill away from feed in the spring thru fall. And most prolific layer, very talkative and more social than some other goose breeds are. Most folks only keep 2 or 3 at most, and I know I will fill the minimum shipping limit of 8 myself. This will be a chance for you to add a pair or more without the shipping fees. Gosling prices start around $15 each, they can live up to 20 years. My oldest fella Gee will be 7 in March. Dad had 2 hens over 20 years old.
I had a very early layer the 3rd year I had Muscovy, the weather was mild that year. March hatches were laying in September!
