Mobile Goose House

[The Dim Side]

Hi, all! I posted before asking what people used for their geese houses. But I was curious now specifically for mobile ones. My boyfriend already started building an A-frame, but it won't have a bottom to it and will just be dragged without wheels. But I'm concerned about predators getting in from below or something. BF doesn't want to put in chicken wire/hardware cloth or anything on the bottom because he says it'll get ruined from being dragged on the ground. Does anyone have experience with mobile goose houses or no-floor houses and potential predators? Thanks!

 

[casportpony]

Do you have any pictures of it?

 

[Boise-girls]

Maybe a hinged hardware cloth apron on the four sides that could be lifted for moving? You would need to anchor it when in place with stakes, pavers or something. Not ideal, but better than nothing!

 

[Callender Girl]

I have no experience with no-floor goose houses. But since a mink got into one of my coops and killed all but one hen, ALL of my new housing has hardware cloth floors or aprons, including my goose house.

If I were building it, I would add the hardware cloth. If it gets ruined, as it might, I would replace the hardware cloth. I would rather have that expense and effort than a dead goose. Cleaning up the remains of my beautiful hens -- especially the Italian Buttercup whose head was pulled through the not-hardware-cloth run -- was devastating.

 

[3xhhheather]

I looked into this when starting out and the only things I found were used during the day (which is still a risk). At night the people who used them still locked their geese up in secure coops.

 

[The Dim Side]

Do you have any pictures of it?

I'll try and get photos of it when I get the chance! These couple weeks got a bit busy, so the goose house got put on hold again, lol.

 

[The Dim Side]

Maybe a hinged hardware cloth apron on the four sides that could be lifted for moving? You would need to anchor it when in place with stakes, pavers or something. Not ideal, but better than nothing!

Thank you!

I have no experience with no-floor goose houses. But since a mink got into one of my coops and killed all but one hen, ALL of my new housing has hardware cloth floors or aprons, including my goose house.

If I were building it, I would add the hardware cloth. If it gets ruined, as it might, I would replace the hardware cloth. I would rather have that expense and effort than a dead goose. Cleaning up the remains of my beautiful hens -- especially the Italian Buttercup whose head was pulled through the not-hardware-cloth run -- was devastating.

Yeah, this is precisely what I'm afraid of! The geese are much larger, so I think smaller predators like that maybe aren't as concerning, but I'd rather not take the risk. I'm so sorry you had to go through that! We had a scare with our chickens the other day; two dogs (belonged to some neighbor, not sure whose) were loose and circling our chicken fence. They ran off when I went out, they didn't seem malicious just excited, but one of our Leghorns had escaped and came running back. Then we couldn't find an Easter Egger, nor any evidence. She just disappeared, and we searched all around. Eventually, I saw her in the backyard, so she must have escaped and run into the field farther back or something. I just didn't think she would have gone that far!

I looked into this when starting out and the only things I found were used during the day (which is still a risk). At night the people who used them still locked their geese up in secure coops.

Security has definitely been my number one priority! BF was trying to save money by using supplies we already had and making something, but I convinced him that spending some money now to help protect them more is definitely worth it in the long run. So he agreed to doing a full bottom and even raising it a bit and putting it on wheels, lol. Still needs a little more planning, but it's on hold right now since these couple weeks got busy.

 

[The Dim Side]

I looked into this when starting out and the only things I found were used during the day (which is still a risk). At night the people who used them still locked their geese up in secure coops.

He's changing his mind again and wanting to just put it level on the ground with 1" hardware cloth on the bottom. Do you think that would be secure enough? And would it hurt their feet to walk/sleep on it?

 

[3xhhheather]

He's changing his mind again and wanting to just put it level on the ground with 1" hardware cloth on the bottom. Do you think that would be secure enough? And would it hurt their feet to walk/sleep on it?

If you can go with 1/4in, nothing besides a small field mouse can get in. If you do straw or pine shavings on top they’ll be okay and you could do the deep litter method

 

[The Dim Side]

If you can go with 1/4in, nothing besides a small field mouse can get in. If you do straw or pine shavings on top they’ll be okay and you could do the deep litter method

Thank you! I'll suggest that!