What do I feed my geese?

jynxster said:

JTN sounds very knowledgeable about the questions here too but heres my two cents LOL
As stated before, geese chicken and ducks are different animals. Geese and ducks have different needs especially for the first 10 to 12 weeks of life than chickens. Chickens have multiple choices for feed usually medicated chick feed when small however I feed my geese NON medicated chick feed when small, they do not need the medication that's in chick feed. Also GEESE NEED GRASS throughout their entire lives. They are grazing animals, grass is their main source of food and the feeds should be secondary at about 10 weeks you will see they prefer grass to any other feeds. I know ducks like grass too but usually picking and looking for bugs. Chickens will look for bugs too but not the grass. It is inhumane to put geese in an area where there is no grass to forage. In the winter if all grass is covered they still need the greens is essential for their health. I live in southern CA there is always grass for my geese. I no longer have the chickens or the ducks. Geese are the BEST I think. Smart funny and interactive. For ducks and geese I use MAZURI WATERFOWL feed to supplement their grass, at night when I pen them (we have coyotes and raccoons who go after the geese) I feed them the feed I do mix it with chicken scratch they really like that too but as babies they have different needs. WATER WATER CLEAN water ALL THE TIME for geese and ducks essential. I have several cheap plastic cement mixing pans that I empty two times a day morning and evening. 4 geese 4 plastic mixing pans and they do just fine but remember they drink bathe clean out their eyes and sinuses all in the same water so essential to keep water clean to avoid any diseases.

chicks= chick feed medicated as adult chicken scratch
ducklings=non medicated chick feed or specific waterfowl starter feed as adults waterfowl feed
goslings=non medicated chick feed with access to grass as adults waterfowl feed and absolutely access to grass.
CLEAN WATER ALL THE TIME ESSENTIAL FOR GOOD HEALTH FOR ALL MORESO FOR ADULT GEESE AND DUCKS.
I don't really promote one brand over the other as different brands are available in different parts of the country.



These guys are the three I kept from my clutch of 7 that hatched on Easter Day this year 2015. The one on the right is an overly friendly male the other two his sisters. They are Mom is purebred Cottonpatch and dad is a Toulouse. Such good babies and very friendly (not imprinted just friendly).


This is momma Miss Ruby with the three little ones at about two days. She is a great momma watches after them even to this day.

Click to expand...

Beautiful geese, love those babies

Well, first off, major thanks to everyone for their helpful answers! X3 I mean WOW! Ya'll are so cool! I definitely feel welcomed, so thank you for that as well. Also, I have seven and a half acres of land, gardens to grow things in (which I have been since early Spring ^_^), and a large lake-like pond in my backyard and a kiddie pool I clean every day to every other day depending on how dirty the ducks get it, as well as changing the water every day and keeping everything clean by cycling old straw and cedar chips for new stuff and so on. Also I've been feeding my fluffy little fowls (chickens, ducks, etc.) greens that I grow in my garden since I got them, along with other things I grow like radish greens, lettuce, cabbage, grass, and so on. I've had chickens on and off since I was about 5 and have always feed them greens, but this is the first time I've ever had ducks so I wanted to be sure I did it right and apparently I've been doing good so far. I let them out to graze on my property and herd them around so they'll learn where to go. They're a lot more fun to herd than chickens due to all the funny quacking XD. They're just too cute! And to Jynxster, your geese look cool! I can't have colorful ones when I do get them because I don't want hunters around here mistaking them for wild geese or anything. Plus, I know the Romans used the white ones especially because they were the best guard dog type geese and are great at protecting your property. X3
Thanks again everyone! I'm so relieved to know I have a place to find helpful answers. ^_^

Oh, hey, just wondering, but do you use the Purina Flockraiser for complete feed maintenance or do you need to add any extra feeds or supplements for them besides the free choice of oyster shells? For example: is this like a start to finish and onward type of feed or is this just for babies? Because I went to the Purina site and it says that after it reaches a certain number of weeks to start them on Purina Layena, so I was wondering if this is in combination WITH the Flockraiser or is the Layena what you feed them all AFTER you're done feeding the Flockraiser? I know you have to give the chickens Scratch and that the ducks and geese will eat it too if they find it because I read that somewhere on here, but I do like to be thorough when it comes to the health of my flock. :3 I've been feeding my ducks and chickens Southern States Chick Start-N-Gro. On the back it says it's for all bird types and even has Niacin in it and says it's good to feed them until they are 16 weeks old, and after that I'm guessing I start on the Layena that they sell here if it is for all bird types as well.

UPDATE: Sorry, never mind my question about what they need after that. I just went and checked with the people at the store and they informed me that the feed I've been getting them is what they need, so I'm good now. LoL Go figure! I thought it was just for the first 16 weeks but apparently it's all they need, besides some scratch and greens for treats. X3

I was fixing to ask this very thing! I ran out of feed yesterday and have no clue what to give them in the mean time :-( Mine graze during the day anyways but my goslings, ducklings and chicks have feed and water at night. Im letting them graze longer since im out of food. I hope they will be ok, after all they arent scratch feed in the wild. Also we uave cracked corn but i think they are roo small to eat it but they are getting in the big feed. (2weeks-6weeks)

Does anyone know if this is a duck or a Gosling , my nabor brought him to me yesterday I don't think he is very old , he was injured under his Eye know mom or nothing around . I still trying to get him to eat .