can anyone tell me whether geese and hens can rub along amicably? I saw a newspaper article about geese being plucked in china while still alive and was horrified.Just want to do my bit to protect if only a couple of them but don't know if I will be cruel to be kind
Providing you have plenty of space, probably. But like all animals, geese also vary in temperament.
We had 3 when I was a young nipper and they got along fine with some chooks and other small animals they were used to. MInd you, they were hatched under a bantam so were more used to chickens than others. They did not like our dog (B.C.) who only wanted to play with them. They would send her packing and they even send the two sheep on their way.
They do well together here in the U.S (on a cattle ranch... otsa room). We like them since they are almost as good as our dogs for alerting to something ... anything unusual going on around the place...
When I was a kid back in the 50s' my dad always kept geese and chooks, who normally were quite happy sharing the garden though every now and then he got a particularly nasty tempered goose (or rooster) who upset things till they ended up in the oven, and as Clanad says they make a great alarm system.