My goose bit my neighbor

[19hhbelgian]

"Keeping the kids and the dog outside helps keep the birds on our property too. Thanks again."

Is their enclosure permanent or can it be moved around depending on the weather?

Sorry, I had to!

Glad to hear that you're going to take measures to correct the problem! Everybody will be happy... You, neighbors, & geese

 

[TedsFarms]

Geese are a smart bird and are easily trained. Keep that fence idea in mind so that they will know their limits. If I was the neighbor, I would be having a goose dinner by now.

 

[funkyboots]

over here we still have old laws protecting someones waterfowl, i remember part of it from years ago...but i remember thinking how you can get away with running over someones dog/cat but not the goose or duck. can't remember if chooks where included in that one...i all rusty

 

[smithzoo100]

Quote:
That's hysterical

!!!! Part of why I keep my geese is for guard animals. Someone who knows dogs well can usually bribe them, the geese will NOT be bribed, especially during breeding season!! I raised mine from babies in the house and every time one of my ganders started to try to pull rank on me, I would make a big fuss out of holding my arms WIDE and then scoop him up and carry him around petting and hugging and talking in insane baby talk for sometimes up to a half an hour (or until the gander with a 'tude just looked mortified and refused to make eye contact anymore). If there were kids around, they all got to pet and talk silly to him (with me safely blocking his head from nipping them)!! The benefit of me making an idiot out of myself was that anyone that we want on the property is taught that if they come at you, just turn around towards them with your arms wide like you are going to scoop them up and carry them around for who knows how long. ALL little kids that come to visit are taught this and it works even when the geese are as tall as the kids!! Geese are very smart and have never ventured past our gate, nor gone over to the neighbors if that gate has been left open. Now, people that haven't been given permission to be on the property won't know this trick and the geese are allowed to wing flog them for all I care!! It has been hysterical to watch grown men scramble for their trucks because they weren't polite enough to wait for me to come to the gate!! This isn't as important as it was before the front was all fenced and gated and we used to have really strange characters randomly appear on weekends, but I like knowing that they consider my territory their territory to defend.

OP, sounds like you were lucky your neighbor wasn't one of those people that just can't get over their childhood experience of being chased by a goose!! My poor best friend will take on most critters without a thought, but is TERRIFIED if I have geese sitting on eggs and won't go by a nest. She can do the arms out, hug a goose thing, but if they test that, it is really hard for her to stand her ground (I think that she only does because she doesn't want to break their training, but you can see that she is really afraid of them!!).

Btw, I love the idea of string fences!! I am going to try that this Spring to keep them out of the new garden, but I will be fully dressed and probably use the garden hose with a spray nozzle instead of the broom

 

[goosedragon]

Thanks, I think I was the first to post on the string fence thing. Keep in mind that it is more of a training aid and a reminder than a real restraint. Like your arms wide method it takes a bit of training for the geese to get the idea that they will be left alone if they follow certain rules and get unwelcome attention if they break them. I don't know if you have watched your geese as they graze but they get so absorbed in searching the ground for that next tidbit that they lose track of their surroundings. See the boss goose make a little comment about one that has wandered 100-150 feet from the flock and the goose looks up and goes to rejoin the flock at a fast walk. The same with a goose that wanders near the string they usuall hurry to get away from the fence while they peek around to see if I have noticed them.
I have also used an upper body sign to stop some actions and a completely different one that says "come here you" (also treats) heck at times I have used the geese to round up the ducks when they don't want to get back in their enclosed pen. Geese that have been parents are very good at herding. LOL BTW if the hose works for you-good! Mine think of it as play time since I often spray them if it is very hot and they run to get into the spray.

 

[greyhorsewoman]

We adopted two older geese a couple of years ago (one Toulouse, one Brown Chinese, both females). In their other life, they must have been used to coming to a door for treats. That wasn't a good idea here, since our house is on the opposite side of the road from the barn/pond. I wanted them to STAY over there. If they couldn't learn that, they'd be dead on the road or I'd have rehomed home (didn't need goose poop on front porch).

Our wonderful little Corgi became our learning tool. Every time I heard them at the front door, I'd leash the corgi, take her out and follow the geese back across the road, then let her 'take them to the pond.' It didn't take but a couple of weeks before the geese learned that coming to the house resulted in 'corgi rath.' They will come to the end of the barn driveway, but only if we are late bringing breakfast or supper, otherwise they range quite happily all around the pond, barn, and horse pastures.

 

[Ashmeade]

Wish you were closer to me! I don't like MY neighbor!

 

[fordguy]

good fences make good neighbors?