Pilgrim Goose Opinions? Looking for the Right Type of Goose to Get

[RiverStorm]

Hi! So bear with me for a bit of info, I'm new to the world of geese. I've had chickens for around 11 years, but have never owned a goose or duck, or anything of the sort. We own a large flock of chickens and are growing relatively large garden, and are hoping to create a movable pen so that we can section off a small portion of our flock and move them around as living composters. But we also have a large amount of predators in our area, including hawks, possums, raccoons, skunks, cats, and stray dogs. Now, our birds would be well secured in the pen, but it'd be amazing to have a living alarm with them so that if anything came poking around, we could get it away before it found a way in. (And I've always wanted to try my hand at raising a goose, they're amazing creatures) I've heard a lot about "guard" geese, and they sound like a good option for us.
Keep in mind this won't be happening for at least another year, I just want to start getting all the information on these birds that I can so that I can properly care for them and make sure they live the happiest life possible.
For awhile now I've been poking around on the internet, reading articles and watching Youtube videos, to find ones that match our requirements, pretty much that they're a docile and either smaller or medium sized breed. I kept coming up with Pilgrim geese, and the fact that they're supposed to be a pretty quiet breed until predators are around, which is a huge plus, and they're auto-sexing. Honestly, they sound perfect and are pretty cute too. I'd like to only get one that is a female, and I'd be raising her up from a gosling with a batch of chicks.
My questions are, what are your experiences with this breed? Is my information right on the fact that they're docile and quiet, but still do their jobs when it comes to alerting us to predators? Do they do well as a singular goose in a small-ish flock of chickens? Also, how aggressive do singular females get during the breeding season?
Thank you in advance!

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I have Pilgrim geese, and consider them, at best, predator deterrents (not guardians). I have many of the same predators you mentioned where I live. My geese run with my Runner and Muscovy ducks.

From what I've observed, they're alert and curious birds. They tend to "goose" and "noodle" other birds (pulling feathers), but are generally more docile than other breeds I've had. I think their size is a deterrent to small predators, but I wouldn't depend on them to "sound the alarm", assuming you could even hear it. I also wouldn't keep a single goose or gander with birds of another species because I believe they do best with a companion of their own kind. If you truly need a livestock guardian, a properly-trained LGD may serve your purposes better...a fox or coyote could definitely take down a goose.

 

[RiverStorm]

I have Pilgrim geese, and consider them, at best, predator deterrents (not guardians). I have many of the same predators you mentioned where I live. My geese run with my Runner and Muscovy ducks.

From what I've observed, they're alert and curious birds. They tend to "goose" and "noodle" other birds (pulling feathers), but are generally more docile than other breeds I've had. I think their size is a deterrent to small predators, but I wouldn't depend on them to "sound the alarm", assuming you could even hear it. I also wouldn't keep a single goose or gander with birds of another species because I believe they do best with a companion of their own kind. If you truly need a livestock guardian, a properly-trained LGD may serve your purposes better...a fox or coyote could definitely take down a goose.

I think deterrent would actually be a much better word than guardian. I don't mind if their the kind that does not chase predators off as long as small predators (What we mostly deal with) are deterred. Like I said, the run and tractor-coop will be very secure, I'd just like the extra comfort of a goose.
I have relatively quiet hens that aren't very predator smart and don't even blink an eye when our GSD or Aussie walk by, rather come up to great them. The garden is pretty close to our house, and I'm fairly certain I'd hear if it gave any fuss, would you say they're louder than a Cochin?
That still sounds overall good to me. By companion, would it be okay for it to just be two females with my hens?
To be honest, I'm a teen who can't afford a properly trained LGD, and my family already has three house dogs, including a GSD who is a guard dog, but lives inside and is a great big baby to everything but strangers. So a fourth one to guard the birds isn't really an option for us.
I've never seen a fox on our 11 acres once in 13 years, and a coyote hasn't been in our yard in 10. I think our current lack of them is owed to our dogs' presence on the property. Our main problem is hawks, possums, and occasionally raccoons. The skunks, cats, and dogs do show up sometimes, but not to the point I'd be backing out of trying my hand at geese because they aren't deterrents of them too. The dogs that do show up are mostly just nuisances and have never actually gotten to our birds, they just unnerve me to the possibility of it, so they're not the worst. Skunks are rare also, and I haven't lost any to one in awhile.
Pretty much, if it does turn out that they do improve anything and I know I can give them good lives, I want to try owning a couple. If not, I won't push my luck

 

[Bo Garrett]

You'll need two, geese are gregarious birds and need others of their kind. Geese can be killed by raccoons, I have had toulouse killed by them. Poultry are rarely a deterrent to any predator, even my 30+ lb tom turkeys are no deterrent to raccoons, I have killed 52 of them in the past year. Ganders are the aggressive birds during breeding season, the goose is a placid bird all year but will get talkative in the spring. Geese are grazers and will need a large enough area to keep them in fresh grass, Pilgrims are especially good grazers and will clean a large area in short order if there are several of them. I have twelve gray toulouse and they will clear a large area in a day or two and they are not the best grazers as a matter of fact they eat like Clydesdale horses! If you do decide to get geese you'll certainly enjoy them, I have worked with them for 13 years and wish I had gotten them years ago.

Blessings,

Bo

 

[RiverStorm]

You'll need two, geese are gregarious birds and need others of their kind. Geese can be killed by raccoons, I have had toulouse killed by them. Poultry are rarely a deterrent to any predator, even my 30+ lb tom turkeys are no deterrent to raccoons, I have killed 52 of them in the past year. Ganders are the aggressive birds during breeding season, the goose is a placid bird all year but will get talkative in the spring. Geese are grazers and will need a large enough area to keep them in fresh grass, Pilgrims are especially good grazers and will clean a large area in short order if there are several of them. I have twelve gray toulouse and they will clear a large area in a day or two and they are not the best grazers as a matter of fact they eat like Clydesdale horses! If you do decide to get geese you'll certainly enjoy them, I have worked with them for 13 years and wish I had gotten them years ago.

Blessings,

Bo

Thank you so much for your input, it definitely sounds like I'll get two if I do end up getting some!

 

[xc0z]

I have Pilgrims and American Buffs. I had a African Brown gander until recently.

Out of all the geese, That African Brown was the best "Livestock Guardian" i had. The pilgrims and Buffs are pretty docile, and that's really the reason i'm raising them.

Honestly, what works even better then a Gander for a guardian is a electric fence... despite that being how my African Brown died. 10k volts will make any animal think twice about entry. Except deer... but they're not after geese

Check out Premier 1 poultry netting... They're mostly sold out at this point, though.

 

[Dcb]

I think deterrent would actually be a much better word than guardian. I don't mind if their the kind that does not chase predators off as long as small predators (What we mostly deal with) are deterred. Like I said, the run and tractor-coop will be very secure, I'd just like the extra comfort of a goose.
I have relatively quiet hens that aren't very predator smart and don't even blink an eye when our GSD or Aussie walk by, rather come up to great them. The garden is pretty close to our house, and I'm fairly certain I'd hear if it gave any fuss, would you say they're louder than a Cochin?
That still sounds overall good to me. By companion, would it be okay for it to just be two females with my hens?
To be honest, I'm a teen who can't afford a properly trained LGD, and my family already has three house dogs, including a GSD who is a guard dog, but lives inside and is a great big baby to everything but strangers. So a fourth one to guard the birds isn't really an option for us.
I've never seen a fox on our 11 acres once in 13 years, and a coyote hasn't been in our yard in 10. I think our current lack of them is owed to our dogs' presence on the property. Our main problem is hawks, possums, and occasionally raccoons. The skunks, cats, and dogs do show up sometimes, but not to the point I'd be backing out of trying my hand at geese because they aren't deterrents of them too. The dogs that do show up are mostly just nuisances and have never actually gotten to our birds, they just unnerve me to the possibility of it, so they're not the worst. Skunks are rare also, and I haven't lost any to one in awhile.
Pretty much, if it does turn out that they do improve anything and I know I can give them good lives, I want to try owning a couple. If not, I won't push my luck

I grew up with Pilgrim geese amongst a managerie of farm animals. About 15 years ago, as an adult, I raised 6 (I think they were Emden) with 10 chickens. I never lost a chicken while I had the geese. I lost them all to predators after I gave the geese away. Now I have one Pilgrim gander and one female Pilgrim with 22 pullets. The geese are 10 wks old and the chickens are 8 wks. I currently keep the geese separated in the coop at night as the geese are imprinted on me unfortunately rather than the chickens. The geese are curious, extremely communicative and very gentle with me. (with lots of tugging at my clothes and nibbling in general) They are easily startled and even though we have a bond, (they come lay down next to or on me if I hum for them, they run to greet me, and follow me as much as possible) and I have found a way to pick them up that they seem very comfortable with, I can only touch them if I move very slowly. I hope they will deter predators as the Emden seemed to before. I love having them so they serve multiple purposes at any rate. In terms of how loud they are. These are not very loud, yet, though definitely louder than a Cochin. That being said, when the barn is between us, or if I'm in the house, I can't hear them. Maybe partly because I have only two. More geese would make more noise. Geese are certainly different to raise than chickens. My husband didn't like the other geese (which was why I gave them away) I raised as they were more aggressive. He has spent more time with these with the hope is they will be less aggressive toward him. (Seems to be paying off) I got this breed due to their more friendly reputation and my childhood experience. I wish you well with your decision.