1 or two goslings?

[Invision]

So I have an gosling on hold and I am going to pick her up this afternoon, do I need 2 or can one suffice? I have 10 ducks that she will be joining in the future but would like to not have two geese... Other option is if I should just grab a duckling to keep her company while I'm at work.

I've seen people place mirrors to help with the loneliness but I don't know if that is adequate please let me know thanks!

 

[Invision]

I also want her to bond with my family and not really with the ducks. She will only be alone for 2 days a week for about 6 hours at a time.

 

[EvenLater]

You will get mixed reviews on this topic here. I can tell you from my experience with just 1 gosling. Cas is EXTREMELY bonded to me and incredibly human friendly. He plays and is quite happy. Cas is my indoor house goose. Many here will suggest that 2 is better, however my good friend got 2 and they bonded with each other instead of her, so she actually ended up re-homing one of them, and is now working to bond with the remaining one.

When Cas can't be out and about, he has soft stuffed toys he loves to snuggle with. Personally, (and this is just MY opinion) he doesn't seem lonely, or sad. In fact just the opposite. He gets excited when he sees me each morning and runs to me when I call his name. He adores my kids and my husband. He just got his diapers too so now he sits happy on our laps and is becoming a real couch potato!

Edited to add a side note: I personally think geese are like any other animal. It depends on how you raise them. If your goal is a pet then you raise it as a pet. If your goal is a farm animal then it's raised as such. If you were getting a puppy or kitten, do you need 2? Or, if you feel you can provide the attention and affection they need, and your goal is a human friendly pet, go with what you are comfortable having, and don't over extend yourself because others might try to convince you it will never be happy as a lone goose. But...that's just MY opinion.

This is Cas, my single house goose, with my oldest kiddo. Just hangin' out watching TV

 

[Carrosaur]

If you cannot give your goose attention 24/7 like normal geese in the wild would, please get a friend.

 

[SometimesCraftr]

I have one gosling with three ducklings, and they are all bonded to each other, but she still wants me. It sounds like you will have a lot of time to be with her, but you could always add a duckling or two for companionship when you're not around. My gosling loves her mirror, too. I was told to get two, but I only wanted one, and it's going just fine for us.

 

[motherquacker]

I am also considering a duck or goose in the distant future. The delay is due to my intense desire to research, and to spend quality time with my current lets, I voiding a rabbit allroaching more senior years.

I want a house duck/goose. I am disabled, so I spend my entire day alone at home. I want a single birb, and it took me more than a year to come to this conclusion.

The question remains: as both are intensely social, thus demanding if the single fowl in the home, and if husbanded by someone who knows the 24/7 hr demands... Where does not obtain a duck or goose? Everyone sells in at least a minimum of two, usually for backyard or farmlife. I am not a farmer, I want a companion who bonds with me before any other animal.

 

[EvenLater]

I am also considering a duck or goose in the distant future. The delay is due to my intense desire to research, and to spend quality time with my current lets, I voiding a rabbit allroaching more senior years.

I want a house duck/goose. I am disabled, so I spend my entire day alone at home. I want a single birb, and it took me more than a year to come to this conclusion.

The question remains: as both are intensely social, thus demanding if the single fowl in the home, and if husbanded by someone who knows the 24/7 hr demands... Where does not obtain a duck or goose? Everyone sells in at least a minimum of two, usually for backyard or farmlife. I am not a farmer, I want a companion who bonds with me before any other animal.

I had a problem finding just one also. So I looked up a local farm poultry swap, and that's where I found Cas. My friend got 2 ducklings, and I got Cas (who for a day I thought was also a duck but quickly realized is really a goose lol). Her ducklings bonded with each other and wanted very little to do with her, so she finally ended up re-homing one of them. Cas on the other hand, has been and continues to be, completely bonded to me and loves any other human he meets. Based on my limited experience so far and the research I've done, if I had to choose between a house duck or a house goose...I'd say goose because they bond (imprint) stronger, in my opinion.

You could also try calling your local feed stores. Some of them order chicks and ducklings/goslings and you could get just one. You can also check the forums here to see if someone near you has babies, or look up some farmers around you. I would suggest you find one (whichever you choose) as young as possible (ideally a day old or so) if you wish to have it imprint on you. I'm no farmer either (although I was in the past). I live in the city and Cas lives in the house. He is out and about with us all day and is now wearing his diapers which make that a cleaner experience. When he's put up in his little house (a converted dog house) at night, we take his diaper off and he snuggles with his stuffed animal toys. He's not lonely or bored or sad that he doesn't have another goose to cuddle with. And with him we've actually found that he doesn't like other fowl! He is perfectly happy hanging out with his people and everyone in my house spends time with him.

 

[Carrosaur]

You can check Craigslist, usually they have goslings for sale around this time.

 

[motherquacker]

I had a problem finding just one also. So I looked up a local farm poultry swap, and that's where I found Cas. My friend got 2 ducklings, and I got Cas (who for a day I thought was also a duck but quickly realized is really a goose lol). Her ducklings bonded with each other and wanted very little to do with her, so she finally ended up re-homing one of them. Cas on the other hand, has been and continues to be, completely bonded to me and loves any other human he meets. Based on my limited experience so far and the research I've done, if I had to choose between a house duck or a house goose...I'd say goose because they bond (imprint) stronger, in my opinion.

You could also try calling your local feed stores. Some of them order chicks and ducklings/goslings and you could get just one. You can also check the forums here to see if someone near you has babies, or look up some farmers around you. I would suggest you find one (whichever you choose) as young as possible (ideally a day old or so) if you wish to have it imprint on you. I'm no farmer either (although I was in the past). I live in the city and Cas lives in the house. He is out and about with us all day and is now wearing his diapers which make that a cleaner experience. When he's put up in his little house (a converted dog house) at night, we take his diaper off and he snuggles with his stuffed animal toys. He's not lonely or bored or sad that he doesn't have another goose to cuddle with. And with him we've actually found that he doesn't like other fowl! He is perfectly happy hanging out with his people and everyone in my house spends time with him.

I will look into that. TrackerFarms is the most well-known feed store around, and they also have a policy of two. I'll look at smaller ones.

My other big issue is I am looking for specific breeds. I already know which duck breed I would go with if I went with a duck first. Because of the rate of Swedish ducks shrinking in numbers, I am not too certain I could just easily find a feed store in the area. I may in up doing what I did for both of my dogs by driving a few hours to reach them.

What kind of goose is still up in the air, but as it stands... Sebastopols have my eye. But, I still need to go over goose breeds with a fine comb like I did ducks. I'm looking for the calmest, quiest, harty in cold weather, and good for starters.

I'm a ways away from getting my bird. I got a few years to research. Three pets is my max, so until someone's time to cross the rainbow fridge comes, I give them love and bide my time.

Right now I'm leaning towards sticking with a duck for my first, because they are smaller and good introductions to the family. Plus, I just love me some quackery!

 

[Carrosaur]

I will look into that. TrackerFarms is the most well-known feed store around, and they also have a policy of two. I'll look at smaller ones.

My other big issue is I am looking for specific breeds. I already know which duck breed I would go with if I went with a duck first. Because of the rate of Swedish ducks shrinking in numbers, I am not too certain I could just easily find a feed store in the area. I may in up doing what I did for both of my dogs by driving a few hours to reach them.

What kind of goose is still up in the air, but as it stands... Sebastopols have my eye. But, I still need to go over goose breeds with a fine comb like I did ducks. I'm looking for the calmest, quiest, harty in cold weather, and good for starters.

I'm a ways away from getting my bird. I got a few years to research. Three pets is my max, so until someone's time to cross the rainbow fridge comes, I give them love and bide my time.

Right now I'm leaning towards sticking with a duck for my first, because they are smaller and good introductions to the family. Plus, I just love me some quackery!

Buffs are extremely calm and a lot of people say the quietest breed. I have two buff goslings now and compared to my Embden, Toulouse, and Pomeranians, the buff goslings are the quietest.