I want to get a goose??

[judydunbar]

I have a pet goose and his name is "Bennie." He comes to his name when i call him and he finally has let me pet him. Bennie will be a year old this April (2014). He will let me pet him on his face, neck and back. I think that he thinks that he is a cat. He is very possesive of me, especially when the cats come around wanting fed. He will drive them off with his beak. I also have two bronze turkeys that I have affectionlly called "birdzillas." One weighs around 50 pounds and the other maybe 35 pounds. They are "big birds." We do not have the same relationship as my Bennie and I have. People ask me all the time if I am going to serve those turkeys up for Thanksgiving, ofcourse i say "no" they are my birdzillas.

 

[judydunbar]

Hi, I would get a white goose...I have one now that will be a year old in April. He now allows me to pet him. the kind of goose you wanted to get may end up being mean. I would only get one, as the goose will bond with you and with patience and determination you will make it a really good pet...and yes they poop everywhere.

 

[livininbrazil]

Just thought I'd add. We have been raising a pair of geese we raised from day old ... they were so cute and cuddly, evencuddlier than kittens...BUT THAT DID NOT LAST.
My 6 year old hugged one of them recently and came away with a nasty surface bruise that looked like a hickey. Quite a hard tear-evoking pinch. The goose was 6 weeks old and pretty large already. They do poop everywhere. And A TON. They mow alright... they mowed down my day-lillies!

They get very upset when if kids chase them, and I am sure that someday they won't run... they'll just let them have it. The geese have explained to my cats (any chance they get) and once even my dog that they don't like anyone in their space. Don't get me wrong, we have been enjoying them greatly... better from a distance.

So true!!!!!

 

[livininbrazil]

Thanks for all the information! Sounds like a cat would be a better pet.

I don't like the insinuation that I'd be a bad tenant. I have always paid rent on time and taken good care of my property. Of course I would ask my landlord before getting any kind of pet. I'm still in the planning phase of this whole living-in-a-house-instead-of-an-apartment thing; I haven't even moved in yet. (The house isn't ready.) I'm just throwing crazy ideas out there and seeing what the results could be. Call it my quirky side that thinks outside the box. Call it wanting to be closer to nature. Call it trying to think of interesting options to make life more fun and colorful. Having been raised in a city, I've never done anything like this at all, and I'm just exploring. I always check in with reality before pursuing any of my crazy dreams, hence this post.

Maybe the next ambition should be home ownership out in the country.

Hi Quirky. You did the right thing, and you´re getting some honest answers. I also would not recommend geese in your situation. Geese need plenty of grass, and a small area would look pretty ugly in a short time. Also, your children wouldn´t be able to use the grass area because of ´poop, as well as the geese nipping them. The poop is hard work to clean up. Just thinkhow clean a nice mowed lawn would be for your children, rather than a patchy, goose-poop covered one!I love my geese, but they have 2 acres to wander around in, plenty of water and mud too. We´ve put wire around our sapling trees for protection while they´re small.
What about some guinea-pigs? They´re very handleable if bought young. You could have them in a hutch, but when it´s more convenient for you, you could let them out, or even better, make a small run that´s easy to move around and they´ll soon keep the grass neat. You´ll have g.p. poop, of course, but it´s not as messy as goose-poop. Have fun in your new home with a yard.
Edited to add> If you do get geese one day, it really is best to get more than one. Geese are much happier with their own sort.

 

[ILoveMyAspen]

Have you ever thought about joining a local 4-H clb? THere, you could help expose you and your children to livestock of all diferent breeds and you could get help on what small, backyard pet is the best. Also, if you are really set on getting a goose, the people there could help educate you and dyou would have connections for people to take care of your goose if you ever go out of town. It also helps with a sense of community, and since your children are young, it would also help them grow up feeling comforatable around animals.It would also help them learn new skils in things like leadership, talking, community, money, and interacting with people. I currently have a daughter in 4-H and she has really come out of her shell showing her chickens and ducks. She used to be afraid to go out and play with the other kids and now she goes and sells her own chickens and ducks, arranges the buyers for her chickens for the auctions, and has really grown up. Being in a 4-H club is good for both the kid and the parent/.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Have you ever thought about joining a local 4-H clb? THere, you could help expose you and your children to livestock of all diferent breeds and you could get help on what small, backyard pet is the best. Also, if you are really set on getting a goose, the people there could help educate you and dyou would have connections for people to take care of your goose if you ever go out of town. It also helps with a sense of community, and since your children are young, it would also help them grow up feeling comforatable around animals.It would also help them learn new skils in things like leadership, talking, community, money, and interacting with people. I currently have a daughter in 4-H and she has really come out of her shell showing her chickens and ducks. She used to be afraid to go out and play with the other kids and now she goes and sells her own chickens and ducks, arranges the buyers for her chickens for the auctions, and has really grown up. Being in a 4-H club is good for both the kid and the parent/.

Great advise @ILoveMyAspen Welcome to BYC!

 

[melowdee]

Hey there:
I have 2 goats and they are browsers not grazers. They's rather have your rose bush and trees than your grass. TRUST me. Sheep like grass. But sheep and goats are herd ani,als and need more than one. Get chickens and a chicken tractor. That's keep your grass trimmed. Just make sure no chemicals have been used on it.
Thanks for the heads up on geese too. I really want one. But if they are so skittish...maybe not, I'll get the focus on the chickens first.