Want to raise healthy geese for your backyard? Geese are a great choice when it comes to raising poultry in your backyard. The goose is friendly and good at foraging and brings a whole new dimension to your daily chores. Many people think that geese are similar to other waterfowl such as ducks, or even that geese are comparable to raising turkeys or chickens.
However, this is not entirely true. Geese have some unique characteristics and needs and should not be equated with ducks. However, raising healthy geese is not difficult. Take a look at what geese need.
Each goose needs about 3 square feet of floor space in the structure. Since you will rarely want to confine the geese for more than overnight, the house does not need to be very large. Two geese could be very comfortable in a 3 x 6 enclosure.
For added security, you can use snap hooks on poultry house locks. Most foxes cannot figure them out, and raccoons have not outwitted the locks yet.
Note: Do not feed layer crumbles or mash to the geese. They can interfere with the geese's ability to swallow because they get stuck in the upper bill.
Wheat can be provided in a bucket and covered with water. The wheat will sink to the bottom of the bucket. This prevents wild birds, rats, and mice from getting to the wheat. Picking up the feed before bedtime also helps prevent rodent infestation.
If you have sheep that graze the grass first, this will help keep the grass short enough for the geese. If you do not have sheep available, simply cut the grass to an appropriate height before allowing the geese to graze.
The geese will grow significantly larger than your chickens, and you will need to watch for any aggression. Areas large enough for all the animals to move and graze freely provide the best conditions for the different types of poultry to get along.
However, this is not entirely true. Geese have some unique characteristics and needs and should not be equated with ducks. However, raising healthy geese is not difficult. Take a look at what geese need.
Do geese make good guard dogs?
One thing that seems a bit confusing is the idea of using geese to guard other poultry. For the goose, this can be a dangerous misconception. Geese are territorial and protective. They do not easily back away when attacked, which can give other birds a chance to escape. However, no goose is immune to attack by a dog, large fox, or other larger predator.Housing
To raise healthy geese for many years, provide a suitable structure for them to retreat to at night. Geese do not roost on a perch like chickens, guineas, and turkeys. Provide a well-ventilated, stable structure that is close to the ground. Line the floor with dry straw, and the geese will be ecstatic!Each goose needs about 3 square feet of floor space in the structure. Since you will rarely want to confine the geese for more than overnight, the house does not need to be very large. Two geese could be very comfortable in a 3 x 6 enclosure.
For added security, you can use snap hooks on poultry house locks. Most foxes cannot figure them out, and raccoons have not outwitted the locks yet.
Do you need a pond if you are raising healthy geese?
Geese aren't like ducks. They need water, of course, but not to the same extent. The only point that might make a difference is if you hope to hatch goslings with your goose breeding pair. Geese have an easier time mating in water. In any case, geese will not spend as much time on the pond as ducks.Raise healthy geese with the right feed
Geese consume grass. This is their main food source. If you want to raise healthy geese on grass, they must have access to grass every day. The grass should not be too long. Three inches high is a good measurement. The geese will nibble and graze on the grass. All the nutrients the geese need are in the grass. If you do not have enough pasture or grass, you can feed wheat or poultry layer pellets and supplement with fresh greens. Lettuce, cabbage and occasionally cooked vegetables can also be fed.Note: Do not feed layer crumbles or mash to the geese. They can interfere with the geese's ability to swallow because they get stuck in the upper bill.
Wheat can be provided in a bucket and covered with water. The wheat will sink to the bottom of the bucket. This prevents wild birds, rats, and mice from getting to the wheat. Picking up the feed before bedtime also helps prevent rodent infestation.
If you have sheep that graze the grass first, this will help keep the grass short enough for the geese. If you do not have sheep available, simply cut the grass to an appropriate height before allowing the geese to graze.
Housing with other poultry and waterfowl
There is no reason why you cannot keep geese with chickens or other large waterfowl. Each situation is different. Most likely, you will have more than one gosling in the beginning. As the goslings grow, you will find that they are likely to stick to their own flock, while the chickens prefer to stay with the other chickens.The geese will grow significantly larger than your chickens, and you will need to watch for any aggression. Areas large enough for all the animals to move and graze freely provide the best conditions for the different types of poultry to get along.
Geese breeds
- Light breeds - White and Brown Chinese and Roman Tufted
- Medium breeds - American Buff, Pilgrim, and Sebastopol
- Heavy breeds - Toulouse, African, and Embden
