Stray Geese

[Aunt Angus]

Hi, goose folks!

A local rescue group found a couple of stray geese. They tried to find their owners for a while now, but no luck. So they are up for adoption.

I am very interested in taking these two females. Here's a pic. The pic shows three, so I'm not 100% which two are up for adoption. But the group says they are very tame and friendly.

Three questions (for now):

1. Would they be ok free ranging? I have a lot of predators, but most are only active at night. The biggest threats during the day are foxes and Coopers hawks. I'd lock the geese up at night.
2. Assuming they can free range, how do I set them up so that they don't just wander off again?
3. Can I house them at night with my ducks and chickens, or would they be better off with their own house?

Thanks!

 

[Shadrach]

Hi, goose folks!

A local rescue group found a couple of stray geese. They tried to find their owners for a while now, but no luck. So they are up for adoption.

I am very interested in taking these two females. Here's a pic. The pic shows three, so I'm not 100% which two are up for adoption. But the group says they are very tame and friendly.

Three questions (for now):

1. Would they be ok free ranging? I have a lot of predators, but most are only active at night. The biggest threats during the day are foxes and Coopers hawks. I'd lock the geese up at night.
2. Assuming they can free range, how do I set them up so that they don't just wander off again?
3. Can I house them at night with my ducks and chickens, or would they be better off with their own house?

Thanks!

View attachment 3359210

There are geese at the allotments. They have been allowed to range, not quite free but in a lot of space unsupervised during the day. Two have been killed by predators over the past 18 months. Others have died before. The two I've seen were killed by a fox I believe. Geese look fierce but unless they are protecting eggs/chicks they back down in the face of a bit of determination.

A fence of some sort. It doesn't need to be high. No point in high fences without roofs if the birds are good flyers. The geese at the allotments manage to fly over a seven foot fence if they really want to. The fence just acts as a boundry, not a method of making them secure.

Definitely in their own house.

 

[Aunt Angus]

There are geese at the allotments. They have been allowed to range, not quite free but in a lot of space unsupervised during the day. Two have been killed by predators over the past 18 months. Others have died before. The two I've seen were killed by a fox I believe. Geese look fierce but unless they are protecting eggs/chicks they back down in the face of a bit of determination.

A fence of some sort. It doesn't need to be high. No point in high fences without roofs if the birds are good flyers. The geese at the allotments manage to fly over a seven foot fence if they really want to. The fence just acts as a boundry, not a method of making them secure.

Definitely in their own house.

I can do that. The chickens and ducks have a large fenced yard, and we use electric poultry netting. I can also put them in the goat pasture, which also has electric fencing.

Willthatbe enough to keep them in? Will they fly off , or is there something I need to do to make this "home?"

 

[Shadrach]

I can do that. The chickens and ducks have a large fenced yard, and we use electric poultry netting. I can also put them in the goat pasture, which also has electric fencing.

Willthatbe enough to keep them in? Will they fly off , or is there something I need to do to make this "home?"

I don't know if it will be enough.
The geese and Muscovy ducks we had in Spain were all free range. We picked them up, took them home, shut them into their coop as soon as we got them home and let them out in the morning. Nobody flew away. A couple of the Muscovy females would fly off quite a way and land, I used to go and get them and walk them home. The geese didn't fly off.
I think if the is food and water and space that's better than any fence for keeping fowl on the property.

It's almost impossible to keep any free range poultry safe if one ranges them. It's hard enough keeping them save if they're confined.

 

[Isadora]

I have electric poultry fencing for my ducks and geese. It's great as far as height, I don't have any birds fly out of it. I don't electrify it at this time due to grounding issues. The geese love to nibble things and have messed up the fence in a few places, though.
And you may have seen it, but I was just reading a thread on here a few days ago where someone was lamenting the fact that their geese kept nibbling on their electric fence even when it was electrified, so that's something to consider.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I have electric poultry fencing for my ducks and geese. It's great as far as height, I don't have any birds fly out of it. I don't electrify it at this time due to grounding issues. The geese love to nibble things and have messed up the fence in a few places, though.
And you may have seen it, but I was just reading a thread on here a few days ago where someone was lamenting the fact that their geese kept nibbling on their electric fence even when it was electrified, so that's something to consider.

Good to know. I'm not sure they'd nibble on ours. Ours is hot enough to deter bears - lol! But they. Might be able to nibble at the vertical pieces as they aren't live.

I could easily put them in with the goats, or at least add a fence to partition off a section of the goat area.
Haven't heard back from the rescue, so it may be a moot point.

 

[JRies]

Hi, goose folks!

A local rescue group found a couple of stray geese. They tried to find their owners for a while now, but no luck. So they are up for adoption.

I am very interested in taking these two females. Here's a pic. The pic shows three, so I'm not 100% which two are up for adoption. But the group says they are very tame and friendly.

Three questions (for now):

1. Would they be ok free ranging? I have a lot of predators, but most are only active at night. The biggest threats during the day are foxes and Coopers hawks. I'd lock the geese up at night.
2. Assuming they can free range, how do I set them up so that they don't just wander off again?
3. Can I house them at night with my ducks and chickens, or would they be better off with their own house?

Thanks!

View attachment 3359210

You have a great heart! But please consider taking all 3 one boy with 2 girls is less trouble than just 2 girls. He dose his job he keeps them content.
Yes find a way to give them there own night area. If your property is fenced they will probably never take off again but it will take some time.

 

[Aunt Angus]

You have a great heart! But please consider taking all 3 one boy with 2 girls is less trouble than just 2 girls. He dose his job he keeps them content.
Yes find a way to give them there own night area. If your property is fenced they will probably never take off again but it will take some time.

Only the two females are up for adoption.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I could easily put them in with the goats, or at least add a fence to partition off a section of the goat area.
Ha

My geese live very happily with my goats and share the pasture and shed with them. I have a pen within the goat pen with a door big enough for the geese so I can provide them with a ration, especially in winter. In warmer weather the geese mostly graze. I also had to raise the goat water bucket up so the geese can't foul it up.

Mine haven't flown out of the 3 foot tall welded wire fence, but on occasion find a gap to slip through until I seal that area up.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Ok. If Thelma and Louise join our little farm, I think I will put them in the goat pasture. I will section off a large-ish area for them using temporary fence. I can move that around to let them graze in different areas. If the goats aren't too freaked out by them, I can let them graze in the goat's area, too. That way, they will be inside the goat's electric fence. I will lock them up at night in a dog house or shed. Easy peasy. I think.

I won't be able to cover that area, though. Do you think the Coopers hawks will be a major threat? I can give them a shelterand other things to run under for cover.