Agressive Geese on a right of way

Hello , not a engineering question but I'm sure somebody on the forum can advise on this. I walk across country on public footpaths and on one of my routes I go by a farm, the farmer I'm sure is not to pleased that the footpath is used by walkers so he has a flock of around eight aggressive geese that attack. I have started to re route my walks but how do I stand,, have I any rights on this.

Sorry this not a engineering question, Alfie

Video them for youtube

carry a walking stick

Take one home for xmas (VERY traditional)

You could scare them off with a packet of Paxo!

Dress up as Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay?

Probably only aggressive as they see a Peacock as a threat

Everything I've read suggests it's not illegal for the farmer to keep them there, though they will have a duty of care to the public regarding their livestock.
One suggestion I've seen several times is effectively to look like a bigger goose.
i.e. run at them hissing loudly whilst flapping your arms.
N.B. the most important thing to check before this course of action, is to whether any of your walking companions are carrying a video camera.

Bill

Also if doing the running & hissing make sure the farmer ain't got a shotgun under his arm.

Steve.

Foster a relationship with them, like this woman has.

I have a solution

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/DoEAAOSwXXJarLIm/s-l400.jpg

There is a current requirement for all poutlry to be kept indoors (another bird flu round) so at the mo' if they;re out you could dob the owner in but that will hardly be a way of making friends with country folk.

I;m not sure about geese but duck used to /may still have the right of way on roads and that may/may not apply here.

Geese are an excellent early warning system link

Or just say 'boo' to them. Why be intimidated - they're only birdies? If they were ostrich capable of gutting you it'd be different...

Back when i was working we had George the swan in a few times - It was understandable when he flew into some ovehead wires and broke a leg (I pinned). But when he flew into a London Bus! Let's face it they're big and red. That time he broke a wing for more fun repair work.

pgk

Our village has a brook running the length of the high street and a significant duck population, it has declined significantly in the last few years, theories of the Red Kites taking ducklings or the Chinese takeaway that opened at one of the pubs reducing the population abound in the village, the ducks certainly think they have the right of way but the number that get flattened on the road would seem to indicate that motorists are not on board with this idea. My son when he was small used to rescue ducklings that fell through the drain grids, a fishing net was ideal for this. We had a duckling rescue last year when the mother of the brood she hatched in our garden disappeared, the ducklings that visited the garden without mum were losing about one a day so we managed to catch 5 of the last 6 and took them to Tiggwinkles to join the other orphans.

Mike

Mmm!! Swans are relatively harmless - normal beaks. Geese have beaks with a serrated edge and can give nasty bites. Take a stick with you? Look very good on the table though.

Edited By Anthony Kendall on 15/12/2020 22:28:48

Option 1. Take a small packet of sunflower hearts with you and scatter them away from where you are walking. They usually find them very difficult to resist.

Option 2. Wait for a week and a half and they will have probably found their way to a Christmas table - problem gone?

Just a few, sort of comical, moments concerning birds.

When I had a Morris Minor, a bird flew into the front of it, and that was the last we saw of it - until many miles further on as we slowed down, it suddenly flew away. We think it must have been trapped on the front valance by wind pressure.

Then there was the cock pheasant, which as I understand it, around late Spring only have one thing on their mind! It determinedly set off walking across the road in front of me whilst I was towing a caravan at around 40-50mph. I was in a queue, and a chelsea tractor was overtaking. Bye bye pheasant.

Coming east out of Highland village along the side of a loch, again whilst towing, a duck appeared on the road side and set off over the road followed by 6 or 7 ducklings all in line. Speed was quite slow so I stopped, put on the flashers and waited whilst the family waddled over the road.

Finally, on a caravan site at the side of the Leeds-Liverpool canal, there was a swan wandering around the site and generally being threatening. I reported it to the site owner who came to have a look, saying that we don't usually get much bother from swans. Couldn't find it, so we went to look in the canal, no swans, but when we turned round, there it was, stood up, neck fully stretched and starting to hiss. The site owner promptly whipped his cap off and started hitting it around the head. Eventually, the swan beat an undignified retreat around a caravan and back into the canal and was last seen paddling furiously away from the site. The owner's last words: "It were going to 'ave me, that thing!". But it also showed that the owner had obviously dealt with them before.

Peter G. Shaw

We had an aggressive gander (with about three females) and it would attack anyone, if threatened.

What it did all of the time was to ‘man-up’ at passing vehicles if it was close to the farm drive. ‘Peck, peck, peck’ as most drove past. I used to drive quite quickly but it would still have time for a couple of pecks.

I used to open the car door, while passing, and give him a headache. He quite soon learned to only peck the passenger side on my car! That was OK for Mister Gander until my brother was a passenger on a few occasions. My Mum would not be ‘so nasty’ to it - and I had to drive rather more slowly, with her on board, anyway.

Reminds me of my childhood a farm we used to walk through at Christmas in Acomb a white building think it's listed now.

Everything houses and supermarkets today.

The farmers wife would be plucking some geese and them that were loose would have a go at you.

My Cousins all went through this like my Granny's pet? parrot we all have scars told it will sit on your fingers, ouch.

Ancient Rome was guarded by the Capitoline geese but it was more to do with the racket they made than ability to attack .

The walking stick advice is correct . Face the geese and swing it left to right repeatedly in long slow arcs at their head height or a bit lower. Geese know that their long necks are vulnerable to damage and will back off . I use this technique with swans when fishing , never fails. Even a long stalk of grass or reed will have them on the run.

Pellets work well , the best ones are made by Webley and Scott who also provide a suitable applicator.

Finaly some professional advice from my ch-effing days. Apple sauce , roast spuds and peas.

Finaly some professional advice from my ch-effing days. Apple sauce , roast spuds and peas.

There have not be many Christmas Day roasts that have not had goose on the plate.🙂 There are two in the freezer at present. Fresh farm items are just too expensive these days.🙁 Much better than turkey, IMO.

You're spot on there, I note that you have 2 and that's good as the yield isn't great. Newbies will also note that you need oven space the size 2 breeze blocks just for the birds.