geese vs winter?

[jarvis]

Hi everyone I have six geese three embden one chinese one " pommerianian" and on looks like a embden but has a top knot like a polish? Anyways this is the first year we'vehad them . I'm worried about how they will do in winter their shelter right now is pretty ... summery.. my grandpa is a carpenter tho and is willinf to help me make a goose house ... I also have five baby (just feathered out) muscovies but they are in my chicken pen ... if I can put the scovies with the geese in the same winterized " house " that'd be what I want to do ... anyone have some suggestions? I've figured I want it to have a floor dont want them on the cold ground . And a hinged roof probably in teo sections for easy clean up. And a closable door so I can keep them in at night or in the nastiest weather bc I'm in missouri and its been a very very wet fall I'm kinda thinking winters gunna be bad ( plus the persimons are all spoons :-\) I'm figuring on horse stall pellets for their beddingalong with straw . Bc the pellet absob and turn to saw dust and really do a wonderfull job in my coop ... I'm figuring on a pvc gravity feeder .. and a hanging watererso they have clean water all winter and less water all over the floor .. grandpa is going to put it in skids for me so I can move it around and probably be able to put a heat lamp in there if it gets to cold at least on the water to keep it from freezing ...

How much floor space will they need? They will be let out to free range as long as its not bitter cold out .. but I don't want them over. Crowded ... ?

What's everyone think ? Should I go with two ? One for them one for the ducks .. or leave the ducks with the chickens untill spring


Help help help

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi everyone I have six geese three embden one chinese one " pommerianian" and on looks like a embden but has a top knot like a polish? Anyways this is the first year we'vehad them . I'm worried about how they will do in winter their shelter right now is pretty ... summery.. my grandpa is a carpenter tho and is willinf to help me make a goose house ... I also have five baby (just feathered out) muscovies but they are in my chicken pen ... if I can put the scovies with the geese in the same winterized " house " that'd be what I want to do ... anyone have some suggestions? I've figured I want it to have a floor dont want them on the cold ground . And a hinged roof probably in teo sections for easy clean up. And a closable door so I can keep them in at night or in the nastiest weather bc I'm in missouri and its been a very very wet fall I'm kinda thinking winters gunna be bad ( plus the persimons are all spoons :-\) I'm figuring on horse stall pellets for their beddingalong with straw . Bc the pellet absob and turn to saw dust and really do a wonderfull job in my coop ... I'm figuring on a pvc gravity feeder .. and a hanging watererso they have clean water all winter and less water all over the floor .. grandpa is going to put it in skids for me so I can move it around and probably be able to put a heat lamp in there if it gets to cold at least on the water to keep it from freezing ...

How much floor space will they need? They will be let out to free range as long as its not bitter cold out .. but I don't want them over. Crowded ... ?

What's everyone think ? Should I go with two ? One for them one for the ducks .. or leave the ducks with the chickens untill spring


Help help help

In the Book of Geese by Dave Holderread he rec 7.5 to 10 sq' of floor space per goose for over night shelter. I'd not put the ducklings in with the geese leave them with the chickens if the chickens are use to them, geese can be hateful and mean to other species and are best housed with their own kind. Chickens can injure young ducklings too so if your ducklings have never lived with the chickens you'll have to watch closely there too. If you type in goose housing in the search box above you'll get some idea on what others of us use as housing. They shouldn't need heat as long as they are out of frigid drafts. I use heated buckets for mine and never keep anything with water inside their housing. Hanging waterers won't work with geese they need to be able to wash their faces to keep their eyes and nares clean. Be sure to post pics when Grandpa gets if finished for inspiration.

 

[jarvis]

Ok so I moved the geese down to the chicken coop and run a dog killed all but three and was killin at the rate of one a day so I had to come up with a quick response ...the dog can'tget to them down here . .. there are just three left I'm pretty sure its one gander and two goose they actually aren't bad to bully anyone .. the ducks give them a wide birth but other than that I keep two pools and about seven water pans down and empty and refill them all at least every other day but usually once a day ( unless they just look terrible)
The geese sleep in the floor and the ducks get on the chicken roost or sleep outside under the stairs the like roosting there for some reason . We are goimg to build a nice big pond in the spring for them and stock it with fish (maybe start a crawdad population in it .. )
Fence the whole area in and make some sleeping huts for them for the cold nights they don't feel like being outside
Should it be a 6 foot fence to keep the musc

ovies where they are safe?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok so I moved the geese down to the chicken coop and run a dog killed all but three and was killin at the rate of one a day so I had to come up with a quick response ...the dog can'tget to them down here . .. there are just three left I'm pretty sure its one gander and two goose they actually aren't bad to bully anyone .. the ducks give them a wide birth but other than that I keep two pools and about seven water pans down and empty and refill them all at least every other day but usually once a day ( unless they just look terrible)
The geese sleep in the floor and the ducks get on the chicken roost or sleep outside under the stairs the like roosting there for some reason . We are goimg to build a nice big pond in the spring for them and stock it with fish (maybe start a crawdad population in it .. )
Fence the whole area in and make some sleeping huts for them for the cold nights they don't feel like being outside
Should it be a 6 foot fence to keep the musc
ovies where they are safe?

I'm sorry about the dog getting your geese, dog still alive? Muscovy's are great flyers the ducks anyway, once the drakes get some size to them unless they have a hill don't think you have to worry about them going over the fence although my drakes 1yr old and younger have flew onto the roof of their coop and it's pretty high. . My girls could probably go over a 6'fence if they want too, so I clip one wing. Muscovy's can fly onto roofs. into trees. etc.Pretty geese

 

[cogoose]

When I first started with geese, I bought so much bedding from Tractor Supply. I think I went overboard and wasted a lot. Now, I use leaves from craigslist and straw. If you smell poo, put down some more straw or bedding of your choice.

What I do now, is I keep my geese in their goose house and the ducks in the duck house. I have a new goose was living in an attachment onto the goose house, but now, he/ she resides with the ducks. (so in answer to your question, you could make it a dual duck/ goose house. Leave a lot of space.) My ducks have a 4 ft by 6 ft crate they reside in. 5 ducks and a goose. The geese have an 8 ft by 4 ft box made from pallets and a crate.

They like to be outside, but they can get frostbitten, so take good care of them.

 

[jarvis]

The coop now is pretty draft free I just have to attach a door so I can keep them in if need be

 

[Miss Lydia]

The coop now is pretty draft free I just have to attach a door so I can keep them in if need be

I could never leave my flock outside over night, we have alot of preds they would be picked off pretty quick.

 

[jarvis]

my dogs keep everything but hawks away and they haven't been around this year

 

[Miss Lydia]

my dogs keep everything but hawks away and they haven't been around this year

Wow no hawks they must have gone south lol we still have the resident hawks around and they keep everyone on the alert. Usually the crows and the rooster let everyone know if they are lurking. Where is potosi?