Alaskan's Journal

[Alaskan]

My geese will make a ruckus when they see me because they want me to let them out. But if they are already out, they don’t make a ruckus when they see me. Either way, they will make an even bigger ruckus when they see a stranger.

I’ve only ever had one gander that would attack me. Out of maybe 10 or 12 (?) ganders that I’ve had. Not a big control group. Does that mean Chinese ganders are better or worse than other breeds?

So.... is that what you have? Those white Chinese geese???

Do they chase strangers?

 

[Alaskan]

Kid #5 has been working for days on getting a fence, 6 feet tall, in place for 20 or 22 years... out of an alder thicket. Yes, the alders had grown through the fence.

He finally got it fully put today. Maybe it is 20 feet?

It is that great concrete reinforcing wire. Nice thick stuff... i use it on top of my runs. It is strong enough to not bust when snow sticks to it.

I had him take it out of the thicket so that we can use it as roofing for the chicken run addition.

Originally it had been put up, before the alders grew up, to protect some trees I bought from moose. The trees all died... I am just too high up for them. I had an Aspen and a fancy birch... can't remember any more what else. That birch lasted about 10 years before it died. It was a fancy cut leaf birch.

I mostly finished the red coop. But... I need to unscrew some things, and it is hard for me to see the screws without my readers... I don't like wearing my readers in the coop... so I put that off another day.

I did find a HOLE in the floor of the red coop!!! The knothole in a sheet of plywood fell out. I am not sure how I want to plug it.

I found a very nice short, 2 shelf bookcase in my junk pile. I am thinking it will become 2 nests for the chickens, and hold up a sheet of plywood. For a perch? A duck free waterer or feeder? Not sure yet.

 

[Baymule]

Your winterizing is WAY different from mine! You have major preparations and I have practically zero. And I have no bears!

 

[Finnie]

So.... is that what you have? Those white Chinese geese???

Do they chase strangers?

No, they run away from people. But I did not “hand raise” them. I kept them in a brooder until they were big enough to not fit through chain link, and then I gave them to the adult geese to raise.

The first ones I bought from a lady who raised them as tame pets. Those ones didn’t run away. So I’m sure it depends on how you raise them. But I don’t think the Chinese geese are all that mean. I don’t know if any of them would be mean enough to actually chase a stranger. I have heard of geese that attack people, but I don’t know what breed they were.

 

[Alaskan]

No, they run away from people. But I did not “hand raise” them. I kept them in a brooder until they were big enough to not fit through chain link, and then I gave them to the adult geese to raise.

The first ones I bought from a lady who raised them as tame pets. Those ones didn’t run away. So I’m sure it depends on how you raise them. But I don’t think the Chinese geese are all that mean. I don’t know if any of them would be mean enough to actually chase a stranger. I have heard of geese that attack people, but I don’t know what breed they were.

Hummm. OK, thanks.

The American Buff are very nice geese... but I had a guest last week... and the geese ran away.

The geese will gang up and try to attack/bully my dog.

The gander that I knew as a kid would chase and attack and honk loudly at all strangers. And THAT is what I wanted. I have no idea what breed he was (it has been a jillion years since I was a kid, he was owned by my dad's mom... long deceased. ) All I remember is that he was white.

 

[Alaskan]

Rain,rain, rain

 

[SageHill]

Rain,rain, rain

Blow it down this way.

 

[Baymule]

Rain,rain, rain

I sure understand that! Too much rain!

 

[Finnie]

Hummm. OK, thanks.

The American Buff are very nice geese... but I had a guest last week... and the geese ran away.

The geese will gang up and try to attack/bully my dog.

The gander that I knew as a kid would chase and attack and honk loudly at all strangers. And THAT is what I wanted. I have no idea what breed he was (it has been a jillion years since I was a kid, he was owned by my dad's mom... long deceased. ) All I remember is that he was white.

I wonder if your grandma just had the one goose and that could be the difference. I can see a lone goose acting very different from a whole flock. Probably more tuned in to people too.

 

[Alaskan]

I wonder if your grandma just had the one goose and that could be the difference. I can see a lone goose acting very different from a whole flock. Probably more tuned in to people too.

Quite possible. Thanks for your input.

I guess I will stop thinking that my flock of American Buff are more scared than other geese breeds.