# Guardien Geese?



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

We miss having chickens and ducks. Last year a red fox decimated the poultry population. I've seen him, much bigger than the black foxes, boldly strutting across my yard. How about geese? I'm guessing they would spend lots of time on the pond, like the ducks did, which would keep a fox from them. But what about on land? I know they will go after a dog, but will a fox take them down?


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

We had a grey fox rob 3 nests right out from under nesting geese last year. Each nest consisted of 12-18 eggs and our flock was 9 adults strong. The goose would be 2 weeks into incubating, then one night the eggs would dissapear without a trace. We set a livetrap on the nest site with chicken eggs in it and caught a female grey fox a couple weeks later. 

The geese were very observative and would alarm at just about anything, hawks, cats, dogs, etc but as far as a physical deterrent they did poorly.

Our whole flock would free range in the pasture, where red and grey fox had been spotted. Never had a fox take an adult goose, the only thing I ever lost a goose to was a bobcat, they'll decimate your flock. 

So while I don't believe that adult geese will be a common target of fox(not unheard of) they won't physically chase or deter. They will alert your other poultry, but not actively protect. 

The above was my personal experience, others may have varying experiences. 

We now have a livestock guardian dog.


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

no geese are not guard animals unless you want to protect your flock from the mail man or any other passers by on two legs, they could care less if something bothers the other inhabitance on the farm and in all likely hood will go hide if something really bad comes along, also your just as likely to loose a goose to a stray dog as anything else if the dog gets the surprise on them, geese may act big and bad from time to time but they really are not,


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

I want a goose...but the coyotes will eat it.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Back when I had geese there wasn't a time that I didn't know about any "strange" happening around the place. Those geese sure made a lot of noise not much on defending anything, but then most alarms don't. 

I will say though they were the best human deterent I ever had. Those that a growling dog wouldn't slow down sure thought twice about tangling with that flock of hissing, honking geese..... :happy:

I'd be remiss though if'n I didn't mention that traveling "barefoot" in the yard was - well ahh, - :nono: not recommended...... :sob:


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## Olivia67 (Mar 6, 2008)

We have six, had eight but that was too many for us on our tiny acreage. They were eating so much grass that it was starting to take away from what my sheep and goats could graze on. Heres one good point with geese, we feed them bread, sometimes oats and during the summer they pretty much eat only grass. So for us they are cost effective as long as we keep their numbers in check. I already have orders for processed geese for this upcoming holiday season so there is a market for goose for holiday dinners. And the noise they make does deter both two legged and four legged predators, we have six dogs that also patrol the yard so they can back up the geese when the geese alarm. We don't have chickens any longer, I'm allegeric to their dander but the geese don't seem to bother my allegeries. So although we love them but we understand that they aren't for everyone. And yes, they do crap everywhere, plus this winter they all stood at my back door and knocked with their beaks on the glass trying to get inside, it drove me nuts because they would knock for quite a while before giving up but it turned into a funny story to tell visitors. I think they are beautiful too.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I've seen a goose herding the duck population in what looks like a protective manner as if to keep an eye on them. Don't really know how protective they'd be if challenged.


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## lambs.are.cute (Aug 15, 2010)

My geese stand between any humans/dogs and the ducks. They were purchased mainly for hawks because I have a nest in one of the trees in my pasture. They do a pretty good job of protecting ducks from that and any visiting humans who want to see the ducks. As for dogs, coyotes, foxes I don't know. (I have never seen a fox around here). We have a dog, and coyote hating horses. The last dog I saw in my pasture was running for his life with a 1000 angry mare on his tail trying to kill it. Used to have a coyote problem too but.........


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## redroving (Sep 28, 2005)

A friend of ours had sheep and a flock of geese in the same pasture. They reported finding dead cats in the pasture. They also saw the geese attack a small dog that got into the pasture and would have killed it if they hadn't come to its rescue. While we were watching a ewe attend her newborn the flock of geese came around and started attacking the lamb. Again they had to step in and help. I guess the geese were pretty good about attacking anything new, even if it was not a predator. Wonder if they would attack any newborn ducklings?


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Thanks for all your responses. When I get ducklings I don't put them out until they are half grown. We have a small pond, so I would guess the geese would spend a lot of time on the pond rather than pooping all over my lawn. I think I will chance getting geese.


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