What type of geese would be best for me?

[jgrone8500]

I have about 20 chickens on top of 5 young muscovy ducks. I am ordering pairs of Cayugas, indian runners, khaki Campbells, and golden 300 ducks this spring and wanted to get a pair of geese. I originally assumed that white Chinese geese were the obvious choice, eating lots of weeds and laying the most eggs. But later I realized that geese will not ever have enough eggs to sell them for money and that Chinese geese are very loud. This did not discourage me for I still needed a way for my ducks to get safely to the pond maybe 1/4 of a mile away. As of now, the ducks just play in the horse water until the horses see them. I was hoping that a goose would be able to safely escort the ducks to the large pond. Does anyone know which type of goose would fit me best? Open to all types geese, preferably quieter and calmer for easy training and happier neighbors. Thank You So much!

 

[mississippifarmboy]

I woulda said American... but you didn't have them listed. Our American buff and lavenders are very quiet and good natured compared to most geese I've owned.

 

[jgrone8500]

Wow! Thanks for that quick response

! I have not seen any before

but if you have a breeding pair that you can sell day olds to me in Maryland for this spring, I'd probably buy them from that description

.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Americans are wonderful geese. However NO goose breed will protect your ducks from any predator. Even the ducks and geese here who share pasture dont really interact. Our livestock guard dogs are who protect all the animals.

 

[jgrone8500]

Alright, I have a german sheapard that is fairly young, I never really thought of having her heard the waterfowl to the pond. Is the pond to far away for the waterfowl do you think? Will they just end up flying there because I have a duck that can not fly because her wing flight feather did not grow right and so she stays home when they fly out but follows them when the door is open?

 

[jgrone8500]

I thought that the geese would protect the ducks, "http://poultrycommunity.com/forum/showthread.php?13086-Ducks-and-geese-can-you-house-them-together" post #3 says that the american buffs help protect a lot.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

I thought that the geese would protect the ducks, "http://poultrycommunity.com/forum/showthread.php?13086-Ducks-and-geese-can-you-house-them-together" post #3 says that the american buffs help protect a lot.

You can house them together and the Americans are calm and easy going. But as CelticOaksFarm stated, geese aren't guardians. Our geese pretty much ignore all the other animals on the farm even though they run together and were raised together. The ducks sometimes follow the geese. The geese sometimes follow the geese. Sometimes they are several hundred feet from each other in seperate ponds.

I've seen hawks flying overhead and the ducks and chickens usually scatter to the underbrush. The geese and turkeys just look up at it like "what do you want"?

 

[jgrone8500]

Will you be willing to sell me a pair of lavender day-olds and ship them to Maryland next year? I am very interested!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

a German Sheppard dog is not a live stock guard dog, they are a working dog, use to be used for herding (which is not livestock guarding).

Great Pyrenees, Anatolian are two breeds of livestock guard dogs



3 year old male GP

 

[flockman]

Geese aren't really guardians. Sometimes they are an alarm system. If the geese don't strongly dislike the ducks and they are near by the geese a predator might be deterred. Geese are bluffers not fighters. If it is a real predator the geese are in just as much danger. My geese used to really look out for the ducks. Now that my gander is becoming hormonal he won't let the ducks and especially chickens near the kiddie pools. He "owns" them now and won't let anyone but his girlfriend in. Good luck with a dog. I love dogs but have only seen 3 out of the 6 livestock guard dogs work out in person. With that said, I may have only seen some really bad ones. My own personal dog is a standard poodle. She is obedience trained but if the kids let her out to run free in the yard she likes to catch chickens. The chickens don't care for that very much. I have to remember that she is a bird dog. Yet she doesn't mess with geese or ducks. Thus she is not let out in the yard if any of the birds are loose in the yard.

I would only get geese if you want geese. Good luck in what ever you choose.