6 week old Toulouse goslings in the rain and coop ideas?

[starrymutt]

Does anyone have geese coop ideas? Right now I just have a tractor but they're getting a little big for it and I want to prepare for winter. I have 5 Toulouse geese, different ages

Also my 6 week old goslings, while they have shelter, have been following their fully feathered 6 month old siblings around and it's going to pour rain all day. Should I put them in or will they be okay? they're mostly feathered with the exception of their backs

 

[Goosebaby]

Do the younger and older geese all get along while they’re out together?

As for winter goose shelters that it just depends on what options are available to you. Geese do need somewhere to get dry out of the elements to keep their feathers in good condition, it’s a good idea to have some sort of barrier to block winds also. A shed or small barn is an option, dog kennels are another.
I keep my geese in 3 separate 5’ x 10’ kennels and one 10’ x 10’ under my deck “it’s pretty high off the ground.” And I cover the fronts with a tarp when it’s gusting. Most of my flock are ganders and while ganders can and do bond with other ganders fairly well fights will start up during breeding season and can be nasty between rivals that are cooped up together unable to escape.

Iva also seen other have individual runs with goose hutches that work very well.

 

[starrymutt]

Do the younger and older geese all get along while they’re out together?

As for winter goose shelters that it just depends on what options are available to you. Geese do need somewhere to get dry out of the elements to keep their feathers in good condition, it’s a good idea to have some sort of barrier to block winds also. A shed or small barn is an option, dog kennels are another.
I keep my geese in 3 separate 5’ x 10’ kennels and one 10’ x 10’ under my deck “it’s pretty high off the ground.” And I cover the fronts with a tarp when it’s gusting. Most of my flock are ganders and while ganders can and do bond with other ganders fairly well fights will start up during breeding season and can be nasty between rivals that are cooped up together unable to escape.

Iva also seen other have individual runs with goose hutches that work very well.

They do, for the most part. My gander 'yells' at the younger ones and sometimes one of the 6 week olds goes to bite him (I think it's a gander) but nothing malicious. I did end up putting them in for the day/night since we're having heavy rain and 24mph wind. I feel bad for it though lol

Thank you for the ideas! They free range during the day so I'm only really worried about nighttime. Ideally I'd like a hutch but I'm unsure on the dimensions since I have 5 of them

 

[AGeese]

Even if you're not handy you can pick up some pine 8ft 2x4s and frame up a box with corner braces then wrap it with hardware cloth. The door is the only part that takes a little cutting. Get some sheet metal for your roof and sides you want covered and screw it down. Yes that's a bit more work, but easy.

 

[PatriciafromCO]

the hutch is a great project. Very little wood cutting using the full ply or partical board sheets. and 2x4's to make a box or Aframe style. (The lumber places use to offer instore cutting for customers) . you could use a dog kennel and cover it completely with a large tarp and stake the tarp to the ground ( I like Tpost especially if you live in a high wind area), "having dogs and goats, the geese like the large igloos without the flap doors (just face opening towards a building or your least windy direction for us it's east/south)

mine like the rain and snow. They always go inside when they want to. Geese are a close family group, everyone helps. You have the gosling that hatched first and ready to go, all the other geese (nanny's) bite at the baby to stay in the nest. The ones that just get going while momma is still hatching the rest. My Gander would walk along with the gosling all over the barn "baby sitting" lol.. Geese are tough corrective (bitting, pushing) on their babies and they are all well behaved babies staying with the group. Any fall behind slackers get their little butts nipp by the nanny at the back of the group. lol I can't eat geese because they are such a life long family group..

When I brought my meat geese in, they were just mean, they would grab and toss the goslings of the other geese, they would also drown them punching them down. You will know the difference when you see it. Enjoy...

 

[Berd Man]

You could grab four pallets and brace them in a lean-to style shape, secure with T posts, and throw a bunch of hay on the ground. They will be fine with that as a shelter/windbreak. I’ve raised geese for several years now successfully without any building for them. They sleep in pasture just fine, year round in USDA zone 6. I throw square bales out on the ground and they tuck in when it’s windy.