It is not lost on me, that with this post I am truly running where angels fear to tread.
Frequently, in local homesteading groups on Facebook, I've seen folks ask for recommendations about whether it's better to try keeping geese, or turkeys, to help with predator control for their chicken flock.
GO POP THE POPCORN, Y'ALL. Because the comments that come in fast and thick are spectator-worthy.
Turkeys vs. Geese for Predator Control
People have opinions on this, and they do not hold back from sharing them...sometimes with a surprising amount of vitriol for those who haven't arrived at the same conclusion.
I've raised both geese and turkeys alongside my flock of chickens and ducks. I've kept all four species together at the same time, but more importantly (for this conversation) I have also experienced keeping only turkeys, then only geese, in addition to the chickens and ducks.
So today, I'm offering my own personal experience to the conversation.
Turkeys as Predator Control
I'll go ahead and tell you right now, that if I could only keep one of these "guard species", specifically for the goal of predator control, I would opt for turkeys. Any type of large breed heritage turkeys would be my choice.
Here are some ways that turkeys really shine, when it comes to predator control:
Turkeys are bigger than geese
Yes, this is relative. A male goose from a heavyweight breed may be larger than a female turkey from a "midget" breed. However, a full grown male turkey from any of the large breeds, will always outsize a full grown male goose from any of the heavyweight goose breeds.
When you combine this size advantage with their sharper, harder beaks, and surprisingly powerful wing "knuckles", this allows a turkey far more ability to inflict damage (or death) on a would-be predator.
Turkeys more easily identify with a multi-species flock
In my experience, turkeys are far more likely to see themselves as part of a multi-flock "community" than geese. Even though my geese were literally raised by chickens, and have always shared a barn with them, once they became adults they took on their own social identity--to the exclusion of the other species. Although they live in peace with the chickens and ducks, they are "the other guys".
My ganders will defend their mates to the death from a weasel or other predator, but when one comes for the chickens, they simply give a loud yell to let everyone know "There goes Josie!" Unless their own goose flock is at risk, they do not put themselves in the way of harm to defend a chicken or duck.
Our big tom turkey, Leo, on the other hand, has multiple times put his body between a chicken or duck, and an oncoming predator. When he hadn't even yet reached full size, he did battle with an adult Red Tailed Hawk, which had snatched a young cockerel from the flock and thought he'd enjoy eating him right in the middle of the backyard. In a moment, Leo was on him with wings outstretched.
Today, that little cockerel is one of our two beautiful roosters, and truly owes his life to that brave young turkey.
Turkeys are quiet, but take action
If there's a downside to turkeys as predator control, it might be that they don't always loudly alert you that there's something amiss. I feel this is highly dependent on personality. You can count on a goose to honk, but a tom turkey might just "deal with the situation" and move on with the day. If you like to be loudly alerted to what's happening, so that you can prevent it in the future (for example with better fencing, or setting a trap), this is just something to keep in mind.
Geese as Predator Control
Please don't take my comments here to belittle the brave contributions of geese. Ganders, like tom turkeys, take their protective role seriously.
Ganders selflessly defend their own flock
Geese have a reputation of being mean, but the other side of that, is that they can show admirable bravery and selflessness, if their flock is in danger. Just this summer, I had a young gander who nearly lost his life to a weasel, fighting it away from the rest of the geese.
In most flocks of geese, there will be a "head gander" who takes the role of vigilant protector, often with assistance from the other males or more dominant females of the flock.
While in my own experience geese don't extend this protection to their other-species flock mates, if geese and chickens are kept in a smaller, more contained area, this might still work for you. If the geese are by necessity near the chickens at all times, a gander's protective efforts on behalf of this own girls, will help keep predators away from the chickens as well.
People tell me that "geese just need to bond early with the flock". Friends, my geese were literally raised by a chicken. As adults, they will not cross the yard to defend their own mother. Early bonding does not guarantee a protective instinct toward a multi-species flock.
Geese are loud
Often called "the best watchdogs", geese can raise the alarm like no other critter. If you have several geese all honking at once, you absolutely can't miss the fact that something is wrong out there.
Yes, it's just as likely that the "something wrong" is the mail man, as a fox or weasel. But alarm you, they will.
In my experience they may not fight off a predator as it takes a chicken on the other side of the yard, like a tom turkey would...but they'll certainly let you know that it's happening.
Yard Size
One final factor that can play a role in how protective geese and turkeys might be for your flock, is the size of the yard in which they roam during the day.
If you've got a few acres, and the flocks roam freely, it's likely that (as in my situation), the geese may act as a warning system, rather than actual protectors.
However, if you've got a small enough run that the different species are spending their days in close proximity to each other, you may find that by protecting their own flock, the geese are protecting the whole flock, simply because everyone is so close together. In a closed area, a gander keeping a weasel away from his girls is also keeping the weasel away from everybody else, whether that's his goal or not.
There are many other factors that go into choosing which species of poultry and waterfowl to keep on a homestead. But if you're specifically wanting to consider flock protection as one of the primary factors for keeping geese or turkeys (or both!) I hope this has been helpful!
If you have questions, I hope that you'll ask in the comments. And if you've got personal experience keeping turkeys or geese in a mixed flock, for protection, please feel free to comment on your own experience. I'd love to hear about it!
Anna Chesley
Anna Chesley is a freelance writer living a homestead lifestyle, with a special love for family travel, old books, vintage skills, and seaside living. In addition to founding Salt In My Coffee, she runs the website, New England Family Life, as well as The 1800's Housewife, a website devoted to re-creating authentic 1800's recipes.
Laurie Harmon says
When I opened this post to read it I honestly thought you would tell us that geese would be the way to go. The few geese I've owned were much more protectors of the property than any turkeys I've owned. Thank you for sharing this wealth of information for this homesteader in training.
Anna Chesley says
Laurie! Thanks for adding to the conversation. Your experience is JUST as valuable as mine, and I appreciate you taking time to share it!
Cheering you on! ~ A