New to geese! Not sure about/how establishing a routine.

[Ganspaar]

Hello! After a kazillion years of having chickens our last hen passed away a while ago. I didn't want more chickens, but still wanted some poultry. So...we picked up a bonded pair of Embden geese yesterday, purely to have as pets The goose is 3 years old, the gander 1 year old. I wasn't planning on breeding, just wanted them to have company. We will collect eggs if they lay. Or? Do I need to leave eggs? Dummy eggs?

This is my first personal experience with waterfowl (I do have parrots )..

Despite a lot of Googling, I wasn't quite able to find answers to some of my questions. Hoping the knowledgeable folk here can help.

1. Feeding. I know, roughly, what they eat, but not how to feed them, or what feeding schedule to try first, until I figure things out.

So, for example, should I give them wheat (in water) at breakfast, and or/ hen scratch (dry?)? I bought two different bags of chicken ration, that I need to mix to get the proper protein ratio, should I use that as the go-to? And then free-feed it?

At dinner, just irregular "treats" of veggies?

2. We live in the middle of the Canadian prairies. Winters can be brutal.

I have the coop set up with a straw-filled sleeping corner (which they used immediately). I have a heat lamp set up over the sleeping corner (for when it's needed). The rest of the floor has shavings (easier for me to spot clean). I am also going to set up a "wet" corner, with a heated bucket/bowl for drinking/head dunking. I can set up a second heat lamp over it if needed. Will that suffice?

Should I also feed hay during winter lock-up?

3. How long can I let them out, to what degree of cold temperatures? I read up to -25°C. Is that correct?

4. I'll watch of course, but do they need regular nail trimming?

5. I am hoping to let them wander the yard during times we are home and keep them penned when we are not.

When they are out and about, will they stick close to the coop (and their mini-pool) or will they roam and/or try to fly off? Should I clip their wings?

Sorry for the long post, but none of my Googling was very helpful!

 

[Ganspaar]

Oh! And before I forget...can they eat zucchini? And if so, how? Raw? Cut it in half? Cube it? Feed it in water? Feed it on the ground (we have sand)? Feed it in a pan of some sort? Like the black rubber pans we use for horses?

I could not find an answer to that last night, I swear!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes they can eat zucchini slice it down the middle my female will eat it that way.
I will tell you how I keep my geese. Hopefully, others will add and you can pick and choose.
First I keep feed out during daylight hours only take it up to prevent predators coming around at night.
I don't put water inside either but I do use heated buckets.
I only tried hay once and one of my hens ended up with an impacted crop so I never offered it again by hen I mean chicken. Hay should be soft and be sure to put out grit.
I don't feed goose-specific feed since I have a mixed flock so I buy layer, and 6 way scratch mix 50/50 and offer oyster shell to give extra calcium if needed. This is free-fed during the day.
I also have offered wheat but it's another commodity hard to find around here.
As for veggies I offer them as a treat Romaine chopped tomaotes we grow, Kale chopped. Watermelon is a big treat in summer. If you have pasture? they will eat a lot of grass when available. I use same routine in winter for feeding I just don't offer tomatoes or watermelon just greens.
Geese are very hardy and have down underneath those feathers so they can take cold temps just make sure they can get in out of the wind and cold if they choose. Not many offer heat in their coop, take into consideration if you offer heat and loose power that can be really hard on them. Also fire threat. Nice dry coop with good ventilation up top of their sleeping quarters so the wind isn't blowing right over top.
No nail trimming needed.
My gander is 14 his mate is 9 never had to trim nails.
My Embden gander has never flew anywhere but they will wander looking off tasty things to eat. So good fencing is needed to keep them home. I have heard of Embden flying though. Mine have the largest kiddy pool I could find and they have been very happy with it.
I have an Embden gander from hatch till now. He is a pretty mellow fellow until the breeding season starts getting close. Here it's late Jan into mid-Feb until mid-June during breeding season he turns into bodyguard extraordinaire to his mate everyone is the enemy including me. If he gets a chance he'll nip me good, I can usually read him real good now since I've had him so long. But he still usually gets me a few times during this time. He makes a wonderful papa if you ever decided to let your female sit eggs. They are wonderful to watch when they have goslings. Wonderful parents.
I'll give you this to read over winter.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/geese-training.561849/
please be sure to share pictures of the new family members.

 

[Ganspaar]

Thank you! Very helpful! And I'm happy to know the extra zucchini will go to a good place!

I am working from home still, so I asked hubby to bring some romaine home with him this evening. The goose went for it immediately. The gander is still on high alert, but I think he ate after I left.

They didn't eat very much of the wheat in water. I'll try the hen scratch next.

I'll post some pics of the (minor) coop conversion, but it's still a work on progress.

We can have long spells of -30° to -40°C during the winter. I imagine I will have to keep the geese in during those times. I tried to keep the chickens at at least 0°C and kept the water from freezing. The geese might not need it that warm?

 

[Weeg]

Hello! I don't know much about geese, never owned them or know anyone who does, but You see to be on the right track.
How cold does it get in the winter? I wouldn't ever offer supplemental heat unless it got past -20. Waterfowl like chickens, are very cold hardy. They have thick layers of down under those feathers, and supplemental heat isn't nessasry. It only accumulates them to the warmth, and makes it much much harder to withstand the cold they would normally be used to.
Like mentioned above. Its super cold, maybe close to or below 0. Power goes out, the loose their heat. Its Super hard on them and freezing, and worse case scenario you loose the whole flock.
No nail trimming needed.
Wing clipping wont be nessasary either. They will stay close to home I bet, just make sure you are near by to supervise the free range, because predators will catch on quickly. I doubt they will wander far.
Congrats on your new additions! How exciting!

 

[Weeg]

We can have long spells of -30° to -40°C during the winter. I imagine I will have to keep the geese in during those times. I tried to keep the chickens at at least 0°C and kept the water from freezing. The geese might not need it that warm?

Oh geez! Yes, supplemental heat will be necessary. If you use a heat lamp, be very very careful that its a safe distance from any flammable material, and can't fall. I would also try to find something battery powered, or powered separately from your house power, encase you loose power at night.
How big is your coop? Make sure its plenty big enough for your geese to be comfortable if you have to lock them in. But honestly, if you could just keep the door protected from drafts, and keep the coop warm while leaving it open somehow, thats what I would do. They can explore when they want, and come back to the warmth when necessary.
Try to block off any freezing or super cold water to, that wont be safe for them to have access to at those temps.
Lastly, be very careful of frost bit when letting them out. No super cold water, and as little snow as possible with access to dry paths outside.

 

[Weeg]

Not sure about diet either, but free choice feed is the best option.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I didn't feed wheat as a sole ration just added it into the reg feed. They do like romaine.
Since your geese are adults did you get them from a private seller? if so maybe ask them if they gave heat in winter.

 

[Ganspaar]

I just tossed in a very healthy looking dandelion...the goose ate it immediately!

I took a couple of photos, in case anyone is interested in the set up. I think it is 8 x 10'.

I'm not quite done yet though. More furniture may still need relocating.

The straw is the bed. We used leftover corral boards as the frame.

The other corner is what I'm calling a splash pan. Just 2x4s, and I stapled a tarp to the bottom. I'm going to put their winter water (heated bucket or dog bowl) in the middle somehow. Then if they splash or spill, it won't freeze to the floor. I can remove, defrost or replace the tarp easily. Or, at least that's the plan.

 

[Ganspaar]

And one more!