Raising geese with chickens

[chrissynemetz]

Hi again! I've never raised geese so I can't offer any advice.
Good luck and have fun with your birds!

 

[Callender Girl]

I brooded a pair of American Buff geese in the same room as a pair of Indian runner ducks and four baby chicks. All could see each other for weeks; it had no apparent bearing on their grown up behavior.

While the geese are happy to tell me when we have visitors (or motorcycles -- which they hate --) driving past, they have no inclination to protect anyone. They like to walk up behind resting runners and herd them across the yard.

They will gladly nip at a single chicken, but a group of hens will easily intimidate them.

All three species run free together during the day, but have their own housing at night. I can't imagine it working any other way here.

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us

 

[Fuchsia]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

 

[Dcb]

Welcome to BYC. Given enough space to keep away from one another, they should work things out. Problems may arise in the spring when the geese get hormonal.

I'm hoping to re-arrange the interior so in the winter when they're inside most of the time, geese can be loose at night 'encouraging' the chickens to go up on the roosts, then pen the geese during the day so everyone can get food and water as needed.

 

[NatJ]

I'm hoping to re-arrange the interior so in the winter when they're inside most of the time, geese can be loose at night 'encouraging' the chickens to go up on the roosts

Why? Chickens usually use the roosts without any encouragement.

 

[Dcb]

Why? Chickens usually use the roosts without any encouragement.

All 22 of mine have been huddling together on the floor at night right next to the geese pen. They go up to the roosts on their own during the day and I have placed them on the roosts at night a couple of times but still they huddle on the floor. I've read they sometimes need to be trained to roost. ?

 

[NatJ]

All 22 of mine have been huddling together on the floor at night right next to the geese pen. They go up to the roosts on their own during the day and I have placed them on the roosts at night a couple of times but still they huddle on the floor. I've read they sometimes need to be trained to roost. ?

They're only 6 weeks old, right? They will probably get it figured out within the next month or two. Chickens usually do.

But yes, letting the geese in to pester them in the evening might cause them to all fly up to the roosts and sit there until it is so dark they go to sleep--as long as the geese don't decide to go up too! Just be sure you let the geese in while it is still light enough for the chickens to see where they need to go, so they aren't stuck on the floor in the dark with mean geese.

 

[chrissynemetz]

It does sometimes take chicks a little while to figure out they want to roost. You might try adding a temporary roost a bit lower to see if the more timid ones will use it.

 

[Sammi_0411]

Hello from the UK ! Welcome to BYC