Should I get a goose?

[AGeese]

I'm going to make use of nets too since I have walnut trees to be concerned with. Maybe I can protect the birds and harvest walnuts at the same time

 

[Tovahornung]

Here's my reasoning, over the past two weeks a large red tailed hawk has been attacking the covered run and freaking out the hens 3-6 times per day. Due to this the egg production has been down because of the stress they've had. As well as us not being able to range them outside the smaller covered like we used to because the rooster do nothing to protect the hens. Because of not being able to range them on plants and bugs the feed cost is up and if we let them out the hawk will kill them. I've been thinking about a watchdog/guardian for them because there have also been foxes as well, I came upon geese. I'm thinking about a tufted roman but I have never had geese and can't find anywhere where I can get one gosling. How do you care for geese and any ideas where I can get just one?

The crows always swarm when a predator is around like a hawk, Coyote or raccoons. They protected my flock. I sold my house and miss my girls dearly. But the crows watched over them and 30 of them would come out instantly. Watch your skies. My girls would know to run up and hide and I would see them and say "danger danger" and they understood and I would put them in their coop. They are smart! Bird bird bird is a word.

 

[dennisbriels]

How about a couple of Guinea hens?

 

[countryladyNH]

YES! OMG, we LOVE our goose. We have a Pilgrim goose named Mayflower. She does protect our little flock of chickens and the 2 ducks. She is not a 'mean' goose---she is shy. The main thing is that she is "the opera loving goose"! She comes to the back door every summer day and I have to put the computer on the floor by the door and play Puccini opera for her!!! She plops down and stays for an hour. She even has a tape player in her coop with opera tapes, lol!!

As a joke one day, my husband made her some little tiny faux, old-school 'headphones' with 2 plastic bottle caps, some leftover wire, black electrical tape, and pieces of an old pink sponge! LOL! You can see photo below!

 

[dennisbriels]

How about a couple of Guinea hens?

 

[Vicker]

Always get at least a pair of geese. My geese didn't get along with the chickens. And then a coyote or bobcat eventually got all of my geese. Since the crows in my area chase hawks, I've successfully used large crow decoys and added black chickens to the flock. I haven't had a single hawk issue since learning to do this. With the black chickens, I don't even need the decoys anymore.

 

[AGeese]

Always get at least a pair of geese. My geese didn't get along with the chickens. And then a coyote or bobcat eventually got all of my geese. Since the crows in my area chase hawks, I've successfully used large crow decoys and added black chickens to the flock. I haven't had a single hawk issue since learning to do this. With the black chickens, I don't even need the decoys anymore.

I'm hoping that's true for mine.

 

[WTCH Ho Dog]

Here's my reasoning, over the past two weeks a large red tailed hawk has been attacking the covered run and freaking out the hens 3-6 times per day. Due to this the egg production has been down because of the stress they've had. As well as us not being able to range them outside the smaller covered like we used to because the rooster do nothing to protect the hens. Because of not being able to range them on plants and bugs the feed cost is up and if we let them out the hawk will kill them. I've been thinking about a watchdog/guardian for them because there have also been foxes as well, I came upon geese. I'm thinking about a tufted roman but I have never had geese and can't find anywhere where I can get one gosling. How do you care for geese and any ideas where I can get just one?

One chicken farmer out here in rural Oregon runs a pair (Tom and hen) of turkeys with her flock, and swears by that.

 

[AGeese]

One chicken farmer out here in rural Oregon runs a pair (Tom and hen) of turkeys with her flock, and swears by that.

This is my 5 year plan. I want to get a pair of Chocolate Turkey hens.

 

[swimmy44]

Here's my reasoning, over the past two weeks a large red tailed hawk has been attacking the covered run and freaking out the hens 3-6 times per day. Due to this the egg production has been down because of the stress they've had. As well as us not being able to range them outside the smaller covered like we used to because the rooster do nothing to protect the hens. Because of not being able to range them on plants and bugs the feed cost is up and if we let them out the hawk will kill them. I've been thinking about a watchdog/guardian for them because there have also been foxes as well, I came upon geese. I'm thinking about a tufted roman but I have never had geese and can't find anywhere where I can get one gosling. How do you care for geese and any ideas where I can get just one?