Make sure to research duck and geese facts before making a breed choice. As with any animal species, breeds and individual personalities may vary and should serve as a general guide to finding the right guardian domestic geese breed for your backyard poultry flock. But certainly, some domestic geese breeds are more loud or assertive than others. It is simply in their nature to watch over themselves, their flockmates, nests, and territory. Most any domestic geese breed naturally possesses a watchdog mentality and a safeguarding instinct. Three geese stand at the entrance to their coop for inspection before allowing the flock to enter for the night. The barrier of respect was broken and though we tried to correct the course time and time again, the geese eventually became too threatening and combative for our farm. They naturally became territorial and would attack me, my husband and son, our dogs, and virtually any visitor to the farm when we approached these areas. Before long these geese quickly grew and began to see the front porch, front yard and our driveway as strictly theirs. Our family was smitten with the feathery little goslings and we spoiled them with cuddles and treats. Speaking from experience, the first geese breeds we purchased for flock protection were Embdens and American Buffs. It is strongly suggested to refrain from treating the goose as a family pet rather it is important to treat them as simply geese. Rather than coddle the young goose and bond through hand-feeding and holding, establish a positive but respectful relationship with a gosling through providing clean feed and water, sanitary living quarters and keeping the goose in good health. The adult goose may try to dominate through aggressive actions such as hissing, biting or displaying a snaking motion of the neck. The goose will often become too comfortable with the flock owner, lose respect and ultimately see the individual as a mere flockmate. It is crucial the goose is not hand-fed, held or coddled as these actions deteriorate the boundary between human and goose. Because geese operate on a hierarchical system it is important that farmers and flock owners establish themselves as the dominant figure early. However, raising a large bird to serve as a watchdog requires a different approach. We strive to earn their trust and often treat them as family pets. We can’t help but cuddle and hand-feed our ducklings and baby chicks. An Embden and American Buff goose stand guard over a flock of ducks. He is the first one outside to ensure it’s safe before allowing the backyard flock to join him. The guard goose waits for his flock to exit the coop first thing in the morning. But before opting to employ a goose to stand guard over the flock there are first a few key points to consider. These behaviors make them an attractive natural and low-cost solution to farmers and homesteaders for chicken or duck protection. However, they will at the very least sound their signal which alerts the farmer and the flock to potential trouble. They may become physically combative with skunks, raccoons, snakes, rodents, and weasels, but do not engage in physical altercations against larger game like bobcats, pumas or coyotes. The guardian goose may hiss, spread its wings in a large display or outright attack an unwanted guest if it feels the need to do so.
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