thinking of getting geese next year...

[~gd]

Im also pondering geese. Are they mean? Is the production toulouse a good breed?

Like dogs they can be brought us to be mean. Temperment is mostly individual and a product of up bringing not breed specific. Besides there are so many variations called production toulouse that the only thing they have in common is their color grey.
Geese get their rep for being mean from people that can't resist trying to mess with their nests or young ones and try to treat them like chickens or ducks. This will get you nipped in most cases if this is mean in your book they are mean!~gd

 

[savingdogs]

So what is the trick to having a nice goose, handle it when it is young?

I like the idea of geese on patrol!

How do geese generally hold their own with dogs?

 

[patandchickens]

Geese get their rep for being mean from people that can't resist trying to mess with their nests or young ones and try to treat them like chickens or ducks. This will get you nipped in most cases if this is mean in your book they are mean!~gd

This may be a bit optimistic, IME.

I have been chased (sometimes pretty vigorously, and geese are BIG and STRONG-winged and bite HARD!) by a variety of farm geese over the years when my only "offense" was occupying space that they preferred to occupy themselves. I was not anywhere near their nests or babies or anything, they just happened to not want intruders in the stableyard or lawn or wherever. (By "intruders" I mean "anyone who wasn't one of the geese" -- I used to get chased regularly at a barn where I worked nearly every day of the year). And except in one case, I am really pretty darn sure that nobody ELSE ever tried to mess with their nests or younguns either.

I certainly admire their courage and bloodymindedness. I just don't necessarily want to have to *deal* with it myself, LOL

Even my neighbor's Pilgrims, if they want to come mooch food, it is really rather awkward to try to tell them No in a way that doesn't get them coming at you. And those are basically-nice geese.

JME,

Pat

 

[Shiloh Acres]

I don't see the reply that I thought I posted this am, so I'll try again. Sorry if it ends up duplicated.

I got all my geese as nearly day-olds. They seem to regard me as "mama goose" and that never changed. I take care of them every day, talk to them always, etc. They are not always big on being petted but I do pet and handle them. I find most of my geese dislike being picked up.

They always stayed tame with me. I did handle the eggs, invade the nest, etc. Maybe in my ignorance, but I was never challenged by the geese. I never hit mine either, though I have used a long stick as kind of an arm extension to herd them if they don't want to follow.

That tameness does NOT extend to other people who they may see daily. The neighbor had to carry a stick when he came in my yard, and I always put them up if people came in to buy chickens.

As far as dogs, it depends on thedog. If the goose can intimidate the dog, and there may be a good chance he can, the dog may run away. A small flock of geese in attack made can be VERY intimidating! But if a dog knows how to attack them and isn't afraid, you have to remember that a goose is just a big bird. I've heard of them fighting off predators from their young, but usually getting mortally wounded in the process. Remember that a fox can take a goose, and foxes are not that large. A toy sized dog might not be able to harm a goose, but even a small terrier type that knows what he is about can probably kill one. Unless of course he runs yipping away from those huge flapping wings, biting beak on a snakelike neck, and all that hissing and honking.

They don't frighten my German Shepherd or my goats. But they are determined and won't give up either. I had to separate them from the old dog because they kept attacking her and she couldn't really get away and I didn't want her turning on them in desperation. Besides, she deserved peace and not harrassment.

But yes it will depend on the dog. You can't really expect geese to physically fight off predators without getting wounded though. They are mostly determination and intimidation, though they CAN inflict some damage themselves.