What Goose Breed is Right For Me?

[HorsesRMe123]

Hi! I’ve owned geese before (two White Chinese geese). One male and one female, the male was quite aggressive so I’m looking to only get female geese. I’d like them to be good “guard dogs” as I have had a hawk who killed one of our chickens and I don’t want it happening again. Also, I had four chickens randomly disappear by the time I woke up, so I’m thinking someone stole them. So I really want geese to protect our flock. I’m looking for a goose breed that is: a good egg layer (looking for about an average of 25-30 eggs a year), friendly and docile, gets along with other species (chickens and ducks), and a goose breed that is on the more quiet side.

I got quite attached to my other two geese, but unfortunately I wasn’t in the right circumstances to have them. We were in a suburban place where it just wasn’t the best place to have them, the male was also very aggressive. So now that we are on a little over an acre, we have the right circumstances to own a couple of female geese.

Ready, set, recommend!!!

 

[Ais]

I don't have geese (yet!) but I have heard that tufted romans are good guard geese.

 

[HorsesRMe123]

I don't have geese (yet!) but I have heard that tufted romans are good guard geese.

Thanks for the recommendation!!

 

[Hannahnic14]

My 7 month old toulouse gander is great! He fought a hawk off of my Roman tufted a few months ago. He's going to be HUGE, so not sure if size is a deciding factor for you. He gets very upset if i mess with the chickens and they start squawking, but hes never tried to attack me. He just voices his displeasure. My roamn tufted is much more docile but that could be because i think its a female.

 

[HorsesRMe123]

My 7 month old toulouse gander is great! He fought a hawk off of my Roman tufted a few months ago. He's going to be HUGE, so not sure if size is a deciding factor for you. He gets very upset if i mess with the chickens and they start squawking, but hes never tried to attack me. He just voices his displeasure. My roamn tufted is much more docile but that could be because i think its a female.View attachment 2972285

Gorgeous goose! We are leaning toward getting two French Toulouse females. We want them to be guard geese/pets.

 

[QuackersGoose]

I second the Toulouse. We’ve had a Toulouse that was the perfect combo of friendly with us/protective of the yard and chickens and ducks. Currently, we have an Ebden and she’s a total sweetheart. She alerts our hens to hawks, and then our Pyrenees takes over guarding. She’s more docile than the Toulouse, which is why I’d say Toulouse first. But, omg is our Ebden wonderful. We are so attached to her.

 

[HorsesRMe123]

I second the Toulouse. We’ve had a Toulouse that was the perfect combo of friendly with us/protective of the yard and chickens and ducks. Currently, we have an Ebden and she’s a total sweetheart. She alerts our hens to hawks, and then our Pyrenees takes over guarding. She’s more docile than the Toulouse, which is why I’d say Toulouse first. But, omg is our Ebden wonderful. We are so attached to her.

Aww so sweet! Thank you for the help!!

 

[HorsesRMe123]

I’m actually also leaning towards maybe getting Pilgrim geese? They are smaller in size than Toulouse and have about the same temperament as Toulouse from what I’ve read. It looks like also lay just a bit more eggs a year than Toulouse. So I’m thinking of possibly going with Pilgrims. Has anyone ever owned Pilgrim geese?

 

[ColtHandorf]

And I guess it'll be me.

I’d like them to be good “guard dogs” as I have had a hawk who killed one of our chickens and I don’t want it happening again.

Good luck. Geese are not a guaranteed method of protection from predators. I've had ducks, turkeys, and chickens, taken by a bobcat both in the same pen as the geese and in neighboring pens.

Also, I had four chickens randomly disappear by the time I woke up, so I’m thinking someone stole them.

Again, the geese aren't going to help with that. If the thefts occurred at night, they might sound off, but mine are generally very quiet and avoid stuff if it's dark.

So I really want geese to protect our flock.

Geese are just as likely to bully the other birds as they are to dissuade predation. And as far as actively protecting them, unless something is after goslings, chances are the geese are going to run just as quickly as anything else.

I’m looking for a goose breed that is: a good egg layer (looking for about an average of 25-30 eggs a year), friendly and docile, gets along with other species (chickens and ducks), and a goose breed that is on the more quiet side.

Friendly and Docile +Plays Well With Others and Quiet = does not equal a good "guard goose". As I quote Dr. Henry Wu from Jurassic Park, "You can't exaggerate predatory features without enhancing the corresponding behavioral traits." Conversely taking away those aggressive features will do the same. You'll get a less-protective goose.

That being said, stay away from Chinese Geese if you don't want loud. American Buffs are mellow-ish and reasonably quiet. Pomeranians are much more vocal and a bit smaller. Pilgrims are loud. My friend has them and the ganders are hateful and they scream all the time.

 

[HorsesRMe123]

And I guess it'll be me.


Good luck. Geese are not a guaranteed method of protection from predators. I've had ducks, turkeys, and chickens, taken by a bobcat both in the same pen as the geese and in neighboring pens.

Again, the geese aren't going to help with that. If the thefts occurred at night, they might sound off, but mine are generally very quiet and avoid stuff if it's dark.

Geese are just as likely to bully the other birds as they are to dissuade predation. And as far as actively protecting them, unless something is after goslings, chances are the geese are going to run just as quickly as anything else.

Friendly and Docile +Plays Well With Others and Quiet = does not equal a good "guard goose". As I quote Dr. Henry Wu from Jurassic Park, "You can't exaggerate predatory features without enhancing the corresponding behavioral traits." Conversely taking away those aggressive features will do the same. You'll get a less-protective goose.

That being said, stay away from Chinese Geese if you don't want loud. American Buffs are mellow-ish and reasonably quiet. Pomeranians are much more vocal and a bit smaller. Pilgrims are loud. My friend has them and the ganders are hateful and they scream all the time.

My main concern is aerial predators. I had Chinese geese and they would put one eye up to the sky when they saw anything pass by and just watch whatever was passing by with their heads tilted. They loved to honk whenever something seemed out of the ordinary so it was like they were giving out a warning. They would always drive away our dogs and even our stubborn schnauzer would stay from them. Right now, our chickens are outside of our backyard and in our pasture. Our backyard has three gates which all have 2 latches and a lock on each of them. We are planning to bring our chickens in our backyard this year where we hopefully won’t have anymore idiots trying to steal our chickens. Our last geese didn’t like our Rhode Island reds but they didn’t mind our leghorns. They would pick on the RIRs. I do think a big reason was because we introduced them to each other when they were older and didn’t socialize the geese with chickens when they were a younger age. So if we do end up getting geese, we’re definitely going to make sure the goslings are raised around chickens and are well socialized with them.

I definitely know to stay away from Chinese because they were very loud. That’s interesting though since everything I’ve read says Pilgrim geese are relatively quiet. But, I guess I’ll stick with Toulouse geese. Unfortunately, not all my ideals will be met. It’s not like you can make a ‘perfect’ goose. So I’ll just have to be content with some of my preferences to be met such as decent egg laying and relatively quiet. There’s always something, never just all pros. But I’ve enjoyed having geese before, and I definitely would like to have a couple again. I definitely know I’d rather have friendly and less of a guard goose than aggressive and protecting my flock. We had a Chinese gander, Oliver, and jeez, was he protective of his lady. That’s why we’re never getting a gander again. The female, Daisy, was the sweetest goose ever though.

Thank you for the info!!