How do you break the bond between geese and chickens?

[PhantomSlayer]

We have 2 over a year old mating pair of geese. They've been in their own pen for probably 3 months atleast thats close to our chicken pen. And their still completely wanting back in with the chickens.

I'm very much tempted to put them in our fenced in garden during the day. It's farther away from the the pens but 90% of the time their sticking to the edge of the chicken run and not doing anything but walking the fence trying to get through it.. They should be grazing and swimming. We have a small pond in the garden as well as lots of weeds.

Would putting them in the garden everyday eventually fix them constantly trying to remain and get into the chicken pen?

We are growing vegetables and flowers in our garden which is the only hesitation I have. I would hope they eat the weeds rather than flowers or veggies cause there are some that aren't good for chickens so I would assume their not good for geese. But as I said lots of weeds for them and probably bugs if they so choose.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Do they want to be with the chickens? Or just in their pen?

 

[AGeese]

Geese are stubborn, at least mine are. Last time I tried to move them they wouldn't accept less. Now they have less, but where they wanted to stay (choice was theirs) they would have had more.

 

[PhantomSlayer]

Do they want to be with the chickens? Or just in their pen?

Probably chickens? Its completely possible its just the pen but if we were to let both chickens and geese out to free range at the same time I'm pretty sure they would follow the chickens. We haven't been free ranging the chickens due to predator pressure. We have alot of red tail hawks right now.

 

[PhantomSlayer]

Geese are stubborn, at least mine are. Last time I tried to move them they wouldn't accept less. Now they have less, but where they wanted to stay (choice was theirs) they would have had more.

Yeah they are pretty stubborn. But I am trying to do this for their health and the chickens safety. Our gander goes after our rooster whenever he mounts the hens. Ontop of that my mom refuses to buy goose feed so the geese are still eating layer feed. I worry about their future health if we don't get them grazing more and lower the amount of layer feed their getting atleast during the months we can. I already cut out the morning feeding for them hoping theyd be hungry enough to start grazing but aside from if i walk them over to the house where they start grazing and cleaning themselves in water I leave for them they usually return back to the chicken pen within 10-20 minutes.


Plus the chicken coop door is to small for their fat butts lol Watching our gander face plant trying to get out this winter was a bit entertaining but it also made me feel bad for him.

 

[AGeese]

Yeah they are pretty stubborn. But I am trying to do this for their health and the chickens safety. Our gander goes after our rooster whenever he mounts the hens. Ontop of that my mom refuses to buy goose feed so the geese are still eating layer feed. I worry about their future health if we don't get them grazing more and lower the amount of layer feed their getting atleast during the months we can. I already cut out the morning feeding for them hoping theyd be hungry enough to start grazing but aside from if i walk them over to the house where they start grazing and cleaning themselves in water I leave for them they usually return back to the chicken pen within 10-20 minutes.


Plus the chicken coop door is to small for their fat butts lol Watching our gander face plant trying to get out this winter was a bit entertaining but it also made me feel bad for him.

Gotcha, yeah I'm going to give it another try, eventually they won't have a choice. First time I tried it was a 45 minute wild goose chase. They prefer a 3 car garage on the hill as opposed to a two car garage on lower ground with less natural lighting inside

 

[PhantomSlayer]

Gotcha, yeah I'm going to give it another try, eventually they won't have a choice. First time I tried it was a 45 minute wild goose chase. They prefer a 3 car garage on the hill as opposed to a two car garage on lower ground with less natural lighting inside

I figure probably the only way to get them to break is to force a new routine. Locking them up where their supposed to go at night and keeping them away from where they don't need to be anymore.

 

[AGeese]

I figure probably the only way to get them to break is to force a new routine. Locking them up where their supposed to go at night and keeping them away from where they don't need to be anymore.

I actually was able to corral them into my new chicken run and thought gee this would work for them lol. But, I do need a chicken run.

 

[PhantomSlayer]

I actually was able to corral them into my new chicken run and thought gee this would work for them lol. But, I do need a chicken run.

Awesome lol.