Will geese help protect ducks from foxes and other preadators?

[harvestreadyfrm]

I have been having problems with a fox eating our ducks. A few days ago a Chinese goose landed on the pond and will not leave. He wont let you pick him up, but he comes up to the house and lets you get pretty close, so he is defiantly used to people. I let my ducks out with him on the pond today, and they get along fine. The fox has been eating the ducks during the day (I put them up at night) and I was wondering: if the goose sticks around, will he protect my ducks during the day? Also, will he drown my hens if he tries to mate them?

 

[RURU]

Geese do not protect ducks or chickens they too can be eaten or taken by foxes.

 

[larkflying]

My geese run from strange dogs -- I'm sure they would do the same for coyotes/foxes. Their size MAY deter some hawks/eagles if the geese are hanging out with the ducks/chickens. But the geese have no protective instinct toward other species and wouldn't protect them . . .

I haven't lost any birds to flying predators, but there is also a large hay field with delicious mice and rats to distract them . . . .and my birds have cover to get out of danger. If their goslings were in danger they might try to tackle a larger predator, but beaks and wings wouldn't do much against a determined hungry animal . . .

 

[settingdusk]

Dry coyote pee, comes in a can. You can buy that and it will keep foxes away.

 

[harvestreadyfrm]

Thanks for the responses. I will still keep a close eye on my duckies. I can't really use fox deterrent, the ducks free range on 16 acres, so that would be hard to do. Will the goose do ok with the ducks if he sticks around? My ducks are fairly lightweight, so I don't want the goose drowning my girls! He has been really nice to them so far, he wont leave their house.(I keep the ducks penned up unless we are going to be outside to keep an eye out for them.)
I haven't had problems with hawks eating the ducks, but we have some bantams that they like to snatch once and awhile.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for the responses. I will still keep a close eye on my duckies. I can't really use fox deterrent, the ducks free range on 16 acres, so that would be hard to do. Will the goose do ok with the ducks if he sticks around? My ducks are fairly lightweight, so I don't want the goose drowning my girls! He has been really nice to them so far, he wont leave their house.(I keep the ducks penned up unless we are going to be outside to keep an eye out for them.)
I haven't had problems with hawks eating the ducks, but we have some bantams that they like to snatch once and awhile.

What a nice way to get a goose, just have one fly in. I hope it stays and becomes a nice flock member. My gander mated with my ducks for over 5 yrs before I finally got him a mate and nothing ever happened to them.

 

[harvestreadyfrm]

What a nice way to get a goose, just have one fly in. I hope it stays and becomes a nice flock member. My gander mated with my ducks for over 5 yrs before I finally got him a mate and nothing ever happened to them.

I really hope the goose stays! I am already quite attached to him! My ducks seem to get along fine with him, and I can herd him into their house, but he franticly runs into the wire fence. I don't really want him to get eaten by the fox either, so I would like to pen him with the ducks, but I don't want to make him unhappy! If I just leave him in with them, will he eventually get used to the fence? I am considering getting him a mate, and if I did that, I would definitely want to keep them in a house at night. I would let them on the pond in the daytime. Unless they are smart enough not to get eaten by the fox! I'm really surprised that the goose has lasted 4 nights, my ducks weren't lasting one day! I know the fox (unfortunately) is still around because I see him quite frequently!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I really hope the goose stays! I am already quite attached to him! My ducks seem to get along fine with him, and I can herd him into their house, but he franticly runs into the wire fence. I don't really want him to get eaten by the fox either, so I would like to pen him with the ducks, but I don't want to make him unhappy! If I just leave him in with them, will he eventually get used to the fence? I am considering getting him a mate, and if I did that, I would definitely want to keep them in a house at night. I would let them on the pond in the daytime. Unless they are smart enough not to get eaten by the fox! I'm really surprised that the goose has lasted 4 nights, my ducks weren't lasting one day! I know the fox (unfortunately) is still around because I see him quite frequently!

Do you feed them inside the pen and will the goose go in to eat. you might try putting them in earlier so he has a chance to move around and get use to the pen before dark. If a fox is hanging around it's just a matter of time before he'll be killed. They have no defenses against preds like foxes.

 

[harvestreadyfrm]

Do you feed them inside the pen and will the goose go in to eat. you might try putting them in earlier so he has a chance to move around and get use to the pen before dark. If a fox is hanging around it's just a matter of time before he'll be killed. They have no defenses against preds like foxes.

I put him in with the ducks tonight. He wasn't really thrilled about being locked up, but he'll adjust. It would be a shame to let him get eaten by the mean old fox! He is safe now. I will let him out in the morning, and hopefully he will learn like my ducks to automatically go in at night! Thanks for the help, I wasn't really prepared for a goose to show up! You just never know what will happen next on a farm.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I put him in with the ducks tonight. He wasn't really thrilled about being locked up, but he'll adjust. It would be a shame to let him get eaten by the mean old fox! He is safe now. I will let him out in the morning, and hopefully he will learn like my ducks to automatically go in at night! Thanks for the help, I wasn't really prepared for a goose to show up! You just never know what will happen next on a farm.

So true, now watch the sky his mate may appear and you won't have to go get him one.