Will geese help with weeding a small creek?

lauren6

Songster
Feb 12, 2010
143
9
151
Roanoke VA
We have a small creek that runs through a grassy area in front of our house that is a PAIN in the butt to keep the grass down with a weed eater. So originally I was going to get a couple of goats to keep the area cleaned up but it's really mucky and wet, I have jumped across it and sunk up to my knee. I am concerned with goats having hoof problems being in the wet area so much and with fencing it securely enough to keep them in since it's right beside my garden. SO my plan is to set up fencing along both sides of the creek and let the geese and maybe ducks have at it. Does my plan sound like it will work? Here are a couple of pics of the creek, it's way overgrown now since we were working on the house last summer and didn't have time to maintain the creek. I'd like to plant some trees and stuff inside there area also since it's the view from the porch. Also how many geese would be needed if my plan is doable?
700

700
 
Sounds like a good plan to me. I'd start with just a few geese. They graze very short and if you put to many in there they'll have it down to a muddy trench in no time. You can always get more later if they don't keep up with it. Ideally you'll want another pasture for them so that you can rotate them in and out of the creek to graze. They don't really care for long grass, just the new green growth. So rotating is the best way to ensure they don't overgraze it into the ground. Under graze and its get to long for them to eat it.
 
Thank you for the reply and advice!! I was thinking of starting with 3 and will probably get a few ducks as well. im starting a orchard so maybe rotating them between those two areas will work so I don't have to weed eat around the trees, I hate weed eating can ya tell :)
 
Sounds like a good plan. I've read several articles of people using geese to weed orchards and vineyards. And ducks being used to eliminate grasshoppers and other pests.
 

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