A moment with a Chicken and a Goose

[Poultry Whisperer]

Here's a photo of Lucy, my guard goose, and Grey, one of my chickens. These two have a lot of history so I find it hilarious I managed to get a picture of them together. They're drinking out of the pond in my backyard.

Lucy is my one and only goose, who was born on March 23rd 2018. She was raised to protect my ducks and has done a great job. She is the current matriarch of the pecking order, followed by the ducks and then the chickens. It's basically a pyramid scheme. One of these days I'll have to tell the story of how my ducks rose above my chickens.

Grey is one of my oldest chickens. She is the highest ranking chicken right now, born in December of 2016. Her claim to fame was a summer long pecking order dispute with the ducks during 2017, which she lost. Badly. It wasn't even close. It's been almost four years, the ducks have forgiven but not forgotten. Grey is also the friendliest of my hens, she used to have an even friendlier sibling but she passed away years ago.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Great photos and story.

 

[N F C]

Lucy and Grey are beautiful, nice pictures of them hanging out together!

 

[Chickeroonie keeper]

Is Lucy a super African? I have two African boys who are supposed to be guard geese, they are still young though!

 

[Poultry Whisperer]

Is Lucy a super African? I have two African boys who are supposed to be guard geese, they are still young though!

Yes she is a super african! She does a great job protecting my ducks, but unfortunately she doesn't care too much about my chickens.

 

[Chickeroonie keeper]

Yes she is a super african! She does a great job protecting my ducks, but unfortunately she doesn't care too much about my chickens.

Actually the other day they saved my chickens from an eagle! It swooped down but the geese made sure all the chickens got under cover! They’ll also wait outside until every last chicken goes into the coop at night before heading in themselves! They’re really special
I loved hearing about Lucy’s story too!

 

[Poultry Whisperer]

Actually the other day they saved my chickens from an eagle! It swooped down but the geese made sure all the chickens got under cover! They’ll also wait outside until every last chicken goes into the coop at night before heading in themselves! They’re really special
I loved hearing about Lucy’s story too!

That's awesome! Go team goose!

Yeah my goose will heard all of my ducks to the coop at night which is super helpful. In the pre-goose days, the ducks would just sit in the pond and I would have to retrieve them at night by splashing the water with a stick. It was super annoying and stressful. But now, every night, Lucy will escort them to the coop, and they will then wait for me to guide them inside. She takes great care of my ducks, but they are her priority, not my chickens. A few days ago there was a hawk attack, in which a hawk nearly got one of my chickens. Lucy stuck with the ducks, but did not rush to defend the chickens or anything, even after the ducks were safe.

Although to her credit, she did save on my chickens from a hawk one time. But that was only because Lucy, the ducks, and the chickens were all in the same area. A hawk swooped down towards one of my smaller chickens, and then the next thing we know the hawk is high-tailing it back the way it came, followed by loud honks.

 

[Chickeroonie keeper]

Well at least she cares about the ducks!

 

[Poultry Whisperer]

Well at least she cares about the ducks!

She would do anything for them

 

[Chickeroonie keeper]

She would do anything for them

She sounds like such a good goose