Thinking about getting geese, but have a couple ?s

[queenbeezz]

I just read your post saying that you have only been there 2 months. My best advice to you is to lay back, enjoy your chickens and relax for a while before your get any more birds, geese or guinea. I have gotten so many animals from people that moved into the country and jumped in so quickly with great enthusiasm and then regreted it. Take your time, you will be better for it and so will the animals. Get to know your property and surroundings.

Ask yourself several questions. First, do I want to go away on vacation? Who will feed and water if I do? Secondly, am I ready to commit to many years with these animals? Geese live a LONG time, some breeds 20-30 years. Chickens can live 10 years. Guineas average 15 years and up to 25 for some. Third, Do I have adequate housing and food available before I bring them home? So many people go on impulse and then get home with the birds and have nowhere to put them. Make sure you don't put the cart before the horse. Coming to a new home is stressful for them. If everything is prepared for them before they get there it will be easier on them and on you. Research, talk to other owners about pros and cons. You will be a much more informed owner and the animals will be better for it.

 

[larkflying]

I would totally echo the above post . . . with an emphasis on Fencing First . . . Animals Last. That is our new motto, after we tried goats and spent way too much time chasing the goats . . . Still want some, but AFTER we have a good finished fence for them. I also try to keep to one new type of animal / year . . . notice I said "try." In the years that we've had the chickens, we've learned a lot, relocated the coop at least twice, totally changed coops, used 4 different chicken tractors, found a new type of fence, and so on. We still aren't at a stopping point with the coops. I'm glad we didn't try ducks and geese also. (We got them both this year, but I call it "waterfowl," so I squeaked past the one new type of animal / year rule.

And, our farm has my in-laws, my sister-in-law and her husband, and two close family friends all within a one mile radius . . . and it still can be tricky to find people to watch the animals even for a weekend - especially now that I have geese. I have to educate my bird sitters . . . So that is definitely a consideration . . . although I'd totally take my geese with me if they weren't so big and messy (and I didn't have the car full of kids and suitcases).

But I love my geese, and if you find a nice pair, well, they can be hard to find, especially a pair, so it might be worth it. After they are feathered out all they really need is shade, a kiddy pool, and occasional treats to keep them friendly. We bought a pair of Toulouse geese and they are very nice to deal with right now . . . and they were grown.

 

[RingedTeal]

The only time mine is mean is breeding seeason

 

[BullCreek]

Our geese are a little over 3 months old, and we love them. We have a Toulouse gander, two Toulouse gals, and an African gal. The African is actually the quietest of our bunch, and the sweetest. She talks a lot, but has a lower voice and doesn't honk much. Our smallest Toulouse girl is the loudest, emitting noisy screeching honks for no apparent reason. Good thing we live in the country!

All 4 were hand raised, and they all have different levels of sweetness, aggressiveness, noise, etc. I read a lot where folks swear that one breed or another is nice, or mean, loud, or not. I've also read quite a bit that supports the opposite view (mostly the personality of the bird). My experience with this bunch reflects the latter, though I'm sure that some breeds are more docile, mean, quiet, etc in general. I know our group stopped liking strangers at about 2 1/2 months old. My African girl will tolerate being held by me while strangers pet her, but our other girls run away, and our gander charges strangers. They even know our vehicles, and raise a ruckus if a car/truck they don't know pulls in. They are definitely good watchdogs, and while they can be incredibly noisy when something riles them up, ours are usually pretty silent or just quietly talkative.

Our birds have the entire front lawn fenced off as their pen, with some supervised roaming. They have a hut, as well as a canopy for extra shade. So far, they sleep nearly every night out in the open, regardless of the weather. They have a small tub of clean water at all times (enough to get head and neck, but not body into) and they get the kiddi-pool a couple times a week (pain to dump and clean...).

 

[rouenedmylife]

I have a pair of chinese geese that I handraised and one of them attacks eveyone except me (the female) but the male loves to be pet and is the sweetest thing I wouldnt call them mean by any definition of the word they are more like cats or dogs where if you have any negative feelings towards them they can sense it and will respond with aggression I wouldnt brood them with chickens ever again that was a nightmare (floods tipped over waterers and 25 baby chicks piling up on eachother) not a good time but once the other poultry are mature they could really care less about them except for my ducks which they will fight to the death to protect