Posted by PJM/MI on 12/6/05 8:27am
Msg #80528

Gaggle of Geese

I call the bo, get directions. Grab up the docs & my goodies & head off to the closing. Get to the bo's house and bo is waiting at the end of the drive. By his side is a gaggle of geese and 2 rotweilers. The doggie dogs run up to me and were very friendly. Neither one of them barked at me.
But the geese, on the other hand, started honking and raising a terrible ruckus.
The bo explained to me that his dogs are too friendly and don't bark. So he bought a gaggle of geese to protect his property and "sound the alarm" when someone approaches.
He had to escort me to the door and back to my vehicle after the closing so I wasn't attacked by the geese.
Whodda thunk of using geese for protection?

Reply by MistarellaFL on 12/6/05 8:32am
Msg #80530

My Grandmother has told me stories farmers using geese for protection for years. This was the first time I'd heard of it outside of her story!

Reply by Bob_Chicago on 12/6/05 8:36am
Msg #80532

Reminds me of the old song

"Bend right over and touch your toes,
and I will show you where the wild goose goes"
Sorry about that
I think that was from Belle Barth, for those
of you old enough to know who she was
Another one was
"I've got the son in the morning and the father at night"
I gotta go to work

Reply by CarolynCO on 12/6/05 8:45am
Msg #80535

Growing up int he country, under the "Beware of Dog" sign on the gate, we also had a "Beware of Rooster" sign. He would not allow people to get out of their car and was ready and waiting with his wing dragging on the ground if they tried. He could run faster sideways dragging his wing than many people could run straight. More than once he tried to attack a car and was drug out the drive. He would simply stand up straight, crow, ruffle his feathers and go back in guard/attack mode. He was about the size of a wild turkey and guarded/protected us for about 10 years.

Reply by ColleenCA on 12/6/05 9:09am
Msg #80549

Re: Carolyn, I am cracking up!!!

Your rooster sounds like he was a "hoot". We have a chicken named Megan and she is not a watch chicken, but she is definately a trip. She will come in the house through the dog door and hop up on the couch. We can't let her do that because of the poop issue, but she tries to whenever she is free in the yard. She is the sweetest thing and we have had her for 12 years! She will peck the dog when she tries to intimidate her and the dog backs down!

Reply by CarolynCO on 12/6/05 9:20am
Msg #80552

Re: Carolyn, I am cracking up!!!

Colleen, his spurs were about 2 inches long. I still have scars on my legs from those spurs. We don't know what made him so protective/mean. Some friends (who lived in the city) had gotten him for their children for Easter, of all things, and of course couldn't keep him in the city. They had him in a bird cage -- which now thinking of it, probably instilled the meanness in him. Every once in a while, while chasing us outside, the old wooden screen door didn't shut fast enough and he ended up in the house chasing us.

Reply by ColleenCA on 12/6/05 9:25am
Msg #80554

Re: Carolyn, I am cracking up!!!

Carolyn, yes it probably was the cage that made him mean. I can just invision him chasing you through the house! We also got our chicken at Easter as a gift for the kids. When our oldest son came home from college for Thanksgiving break, one of the first things he did was go outside and make sure that Megan was still alive! She continues going strong for such an old gal.

Reply by Bonnie_CO on 12/6/05 8:52am
Msg #80540

We always had geese in the yard! Boy does that bring back memories! They are the best "watchdogs" around, and can be extremely MEAN!
You DO NOT want to get attacked by one! Trust me! LOL

Reply by PA_Notary_II on 12/6/05 10:03am
Msg #80575

How about a goat ?

There was a story goin 'round about a guy who came home from work one day with a goat in his pick up bed. The wife asks, what are we going to do with a goat, for pete's sake ? The hubby says, we'll have goat's milk for free and the goat will keep the grass trimmed so we won't have to mow. The wife says, we have no barn, where's the goat going to sleep? Says hubby, we'll keep it in the house. Wife says...what about the smell?? Hubby says, the goat will get used to it same as I did !

Reply by newlysmomva on 12/6/05 3:15pm
Msg #80686

Re: How about a goat ?

OH ! Must have been a billy goat!
I have geese, by the way, but the guinea birds are the real alarm system! Once they start (and they roost in a tree by the back door) everyone gets alarmed...the geese start and then the dogs!.

Reply by SSEmobile on 12/6/05 4:05pm
Msg #80703

The geese will always be a far better tasting secuity alternative than the rotweilers .........