New to geese. What are they good for?

[eatmorechicken]

What are some reasons for keeping geese? I hear they are great for weeding large gardens. they lay huge eggs for crafts. What else? will they chase away skunks, rats, racooons? what about dogs, foxes, or coyotes?

 

[markbirds]

They are good for weeding a yard and being a VERY good watch dog lol

 

[GarlicEater]

If you like things that look like little green cigarette butts, you're in luck! They're good at making those!

They're good for ... chewing on stuff. They love Styrofoam.

They're also good at yelling and screaming like the world is gonna end.

Fistfights. Like fistfights? Save the money you'd spend in a dive bar waiting for one, and get geese! They fistfight often - actually it's more like biting and wing fights, but it sounds like a fistfight. Completely with all non-fighting geese gathering around and commenting on the fight, loudly. It's like a rough high school, with feathers!

Scaring guests. This is actually kind of fun. You and I know geese are big fat wusses with a creamy wuss center, but guests don't! Laff your butt off while your guests get chased around.

Mud. Were you a mud-pie kid? Did you know the blues musician got the nickname Muddy Waters because he liked to play in a creek behind his house as a kid? Nurture your future musical talent, or just bury your zits, in mud! Mud is one of the basic food groups for geese and a material they'll make sure you're never short of.

I could go on and on, but I won't!

 

[eatmorechicken]

Ha Ha Ha funny stuff they are quirky birds aint they

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Are they good watch dogs like a Doberman or a yappy pomeranian that does nothing but bark.

 

[Gracie9205]

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Are they good watch dogs like a Doberman or a yappy pomeranian that does nothing but bark.

I wouldn't mess with them! I still have a huge bruise and knot on my leg from where my gander bit me a week and a half ago! It's the only time he's done it to me, and I hope it's the last! I had a few choice words for him after that one!

 

[JordanFamily]

I have never been bit by my Sebastopol geese...
In fact they will eat out of my hand and let me pet them... Just around breeding season are the males kinda of aggressive with hissing alot and mock charges... but that is just a couple of months out of the whole year.... I think they are generally a non aggressive breed... But alot is how you raise them to... lots of treats and affection when they are growing pays off later on.... They will weed your garden and also eat your garden so you have to watch them... They will also poop everywhere.... I swear they poop more than any other animal I have seen....

Forgot to add that they will run instead of standing and fighting a preditor... Their size and sheer numbers will protect them from most preditors but I'm sure a cyote could kill one if he wanted to.... Our fox and cyotes around here don't bother them.... Have not lost one yet but lost several cjickens to preditors...

 

[crossgirl]

I no longer have geese but I loved mine. They were excellent watchdogs and alerted to everything so if you have neighbors you may not want geese. They're very loud!! But very entertaining. Mine were good to me but the male would chase everyone else. You can't show them fear or they'll take advantage. To this day I don't think any of my boys will go near a goose! They do poop a lot......if you don't have a pond you'll be cleaning the pool out a lot.

 

[Gracie9205]

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Yeah, this is the only time he has bitten me and I'm pretty sure it was just because of the breeding season. I got a little too close to his girls nest, and I wasn't paying attention. (Won't be making that mistake again

) My other gander and girls however are just as you described! They follow me everywhere and will try to sit in your lap. They really are great!

 

[eatmorechicken]

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Great info thanks!

 

[goosedragon]

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THEY TASTE GREAT if you like dark meat and learn how to deal with the greese. In the old days they were raised more for their fat and feathers than for their eggs. most of our founding fathers used their flight feathers for their only pen and slept under quilts stuffed with goose down on featherbeds stuffed with their softer feathers. It was only in the last century that man was able to produce a cold weather gear that would match goose down for warmth/weight.
I have seen my flock run off cattle, horses,and deer that wanted to eat thier grass or drink their water. Mine were also know to run off meter readers, garbage men, Mormons on thier Mission and even a Deputy got back in his car and tooted his horn until I came to him.
One on one, I saw my gander chase a half tame fox off my place 3 times out of 5 (the other 2 times he made so much noise that I came to the door and the fox ran from me) In the end he was taken by a fox at night. Pack animals like fox, dogs, and coyote are better organized than geese and two working together can wipe out a flock in short time. BTW even yappy pomeranian can eat your face off if they get lucky.