Will Night Guards protect geese?

[macdoogle2]

I got my 2 gosslings from a neighbor. Now about 12 weeks old and ready to go into their new inclosure.She keeps her flock of about 40 geese and ducks in a large pen with 4 foot high fencing. Says has had no problems with predators. We have all the usual predators around the area: coyotes, fox, racoons, hawks, owls and an occasional mountain lion.(I've never seen one but people say they are here). My fencing is 5 feet on the outer perimeter, facing the outsid of the property and 4 feet on the inner perimeter facing into the property. They will have a house for shelter but will not be locked in at night. Are the Night Guards enough to protect the geese?

 

[The goose girl]

It seems the Nite Guards get very mixed reviews. I have no first hand experience with them, but I have a hard time believing that blinking lights could scare off predators. My blinking Christmas lights certainly haven't

.

Just because predators haven't shown up yet doesn't mean they won't ever. I had my geese free roaming day and night for four years - then a fox came along. Luckily, I heard my goose honk, and I was able to chase away the fox before he harmed the goose. Now, I keep my geese locked up at night. Better safe than sorry.

 

[macdoogle2]

Sorry to sound so ignorant, but a fox can kill a goose? I thought geese are too big for a fox. A chicken yes but a goose? I am mostly worried about racoons and coyotes. I do have an electric fence unit that came with the property. Will have to set it up and get it working again. How about motion sensor lights? Do they deter predators?

 

[livininbrazil]

Sorry to sound so ignorant, but a fox can kill a goose? I thought geese are too big for a fox. A chicken yes but a goose? I am mostly worried about racoons and coyotes. I do have an electric fence unit that came with the property. Will have to set it up and get it working again. How about motion sensor lights? Do they deter predators?

A fox can kill a goose, no trouble.

 

[petrel]

livininbrazil is right. A number of geese in the daylight may drive off a fox, but singled out, especially in the dark, and the fox will prevail if persistent. I would not rely upon night guards alone to protect them.

Some of my neighbors free range chickens and ducks. The predators show up from time to time, exact their toll, and seem to move on. As goose girl said, they can show up at anytime. Therefore, you can either fortify to protect your flock, or wrap your head around "acceptable" losses like my neighbors appear to be doing.

Motion lights may temporarily deter predators that are passing through, if you are in a rural area. However, if you are in their territory or they have already become accustomed to motion lights, I doubt motion lights will be very effective. I have a friend who has had good luck using an electric fence to fortify his flock defenses.