Geese Logistics Questions

Hi there! I originally posted in the "Geese Questions" thread, but nobody has responded for 3 days so I'm posting a new thread.

I've raised geese before when I was a kid--we had a pair of Embdens, and they were ever so helpful that I had to distract the geese while my dad worked on the car so they wouldn't nibble his feet and steal his tools while he was under 2 tons of metal. Our neighbor's Weimeraner got out and killed them when they were only 5 months old. (To this day, I still hate Weimeraners.)

Now I have property of my own, and I'm looking at getting some geese. I loved my Embdens, but my roommate wants standard Toulouse, and I think I can oblige. (Has anyone kept both? How do they compare?) I have chickens, turkeys, and guineas running around my 5 acres in various places. I'm thinking of building them a coop to rest/nest in and enclosing it in a 10'x10' chainlink fence with a canopy to keep it dry and safe from predators. I saw pictures of a 55-gallon barrel chopped in half lengthwise as a wading pool, and I would probably give them one of those in their enclosure. They would get a chance to free-range on a fairly regular (nearly every day) basis, and be locked up at night.

I want to get them for many reasons. The guineas are my watchdogs in the back yard, and they would be my watchdogs in the front yard. They like to nibble young tender weeds, and I need all the help I can get on weeding. I want to keep breeders as spoiled pets, and raise offspring for food. It's just myself and my roommate, and I know a goose can make a lot of meals, so I would be looking to raise about 6 goslings a year. My main goal is to be sustainable--the geese can feed themselves on my 5 acres, and I can feed us on the geese as well as using their feathers. I have incubators and I have hatched a wide variety of eggs before, so I could collect and hatch eggs. Any extra goslings could also be a small source of income.

On feed--I have dandelions, clover, and chicory seeded into my lawn, and I can supplement with shattered/split alfalfa hay leaves from my goats. I plan to have a sprouted fodder setup soon, and I will be able to provide a steady ration of barley, alfalfa, and lentil/bean sprouts to the geese. I would provide a broody goose with supplemental feed, but with these options, is a daily ration of flock grower necessary?

So my questions--how many Tolouse geese should I get to produce some extra goslings for food? A pair? A trio? How big should the coop be for those geese? If their coop is in close proximity to the chickens and they are free-ranged together, will they treat the chickens as neighbors or will they be aggressive? Has anyone used sprouted fodder to feed their geese?

Thank you for your input!

You don't need more than two to start I think. You can always grow out more later. I am no expert and I am a coward. I meant to eat the boy geese and keep the girls (because I sell eggs) but so far I have not had the courage. I have no problem with chickens, but the geese are more personable I guess.

If they are not raised around chickens it can be a problem.I got 3 geese back in October,and even thought they were raised around chickens,they did bite them,but it was generally over feed and water,other then that as long as everybody keeps out the way,there is no problems.

I always heard not to raise chicks with waterfowl... I will have some 2-week-old chicks at the time I order my geese--should I put a chick or two in the brooder with them to get them accustomed to chickens? Can chickens outrun geese if they do get aggressive?

They will be free-ranged with the chickens, but they will have their own run--the 10'x10' chainlink I mentioned earlier. Is that big enough for 2 geese? I assume they will need something like a coop for chickens to get them out of the wind and the wet, to give the goose a spot to nest, and to keep them away from any predators who might try to reach in. How big should I make their covered coop for 2 geese?

Any information on feeding? Of course I will raise them on the proper food, but once they are adults can they be maintained on fodder, alfalfa leavings, and my lawn seeded with high protein/high nutrient plants as I mentioned earlier?

Do not put them with the geese. The geese grow quicker then chicks and could stump them (I thought that was ok too),feed the geese all flock baby feed. If you are going to free range, I would not worry a whole lot about space. My dog cage that I keep mine in it is probably about 6 feet across or lower I think, Unsure,but it is big enough for them to spread their wings, and stretch for the little bit of time their in there.

Okay, I didn't think geese and chickens could be raised together. As for free-ranging, I think my hens can outrun a goose pretty well. My roosters, well, they are big boys but if they were sufficiently motivated they could get out of the way of a gander freight train.

I think I'm not being clear on the coop part. I get that a 10'x10' enclosure will be big enough, but within the enclosure I want to put a covered coop (see sophisticated reference drawing). It would allow for a roof, enclosed sides, and a nesting area for the goose. What dimensions should I make the coop part of their layout? I need to know fairly soon, as I will need to construct it from scratch.

I raise geese and ducks. I raised chickens and had geese years ago together. Some goose breeds do better and are gentler than others as a whole. (Africans are very gentle...my Shetlands occasionally are bullies to some of the ducks. Most bullying goes on over feeding time (just give them some space). My tufted romans were a bit fiesty too. If raised "next to" chickens they should 'bond' to a degree. If free ranged with plenty of space, they will be fine. You need about 10 square feet per bird for a night pen for an average goose (please put rock chips or mats in for drainage or you will regret it) Waterfowl need some shade, they do not need a house (they will usually ignore them). You can provide a nest area (A frame type or 3 sided protection ) they need good ventilation, not heat! You can use a tarp or some shadecloth or a partial roof for some protection in really nasty cold wet weather.(shade sails are good).The goslings will need some heat for a couple weeks , but not as much as chickens...once feathered on top they are good to go in most any weather. I use kiddie pools or cement mixing pans from HD. They do need a water bucket to be able to dip heads in to clean out their eyes or nostrils .