Ahhh but I don't want any ganders!

[zooweemama]

I would like to add a few geese (2-4) to my flock but everyone they forces you to buy males. Why do you have to have equal males to females? Won't the ganders hurt my ducks? So in order to have 2 female geese I have to order 4 geese- 2 of which are male? I got lucky being able to re-home 3 of my drakes but re-homing ganders? If there are female geese around will the ganders go after my lady ducks? I also do not want there to be a lot of aggression in my flock and it seems like having ganders would do that.

I will look on CL to see what I can see but I am really hesitant to buy from some unknown flock....what do you all do?

 

[Kevin565]

I would like to add a few geese (2-4) to my flock but everyone they forces you to buy males.



Why do you have to have equal males to females?

What breeds are you leaning towards? The more common breeds like Brown Chinese, Africans, etc can sometimes be bought as just females.




Won't the ganders hurt my ducks?

Mine usually only bother during breeding season.

So in order to have 2 female geese I have to order 4 geese- 2 of which are male? I got lucky being able to re-home 3 of my drakes but re-homing ganders?

I've actually found Geese to be much easier to rehome than other species.

If there are female geese around will the ganders go after my lady ducks?

If female geese are around they should leave your ducks alone.


I also do not want there to be a lot of aggression in my flock and it seems like having ganders would do that.

I will look on CL to see what I can see but I am really hesitant to buy from some unknown flock....what do you all do?


Craigslist is actually a really good place to purchase birds. I've found several good quality breeders through there BUT most do not sex goslings.

 

[zooweemama]

You are so awesome. Thank you so much!

I really only want a couple. I cannot for the life of me manage brooding the minimum of 6 to 8 that most people require you to buy. I brood them in my house. We do not have another area to brood them. So buying a small amount leads me to Metzers since they do allow it BUT it looks like mating season for geese is coming to a close because it's really hard to find places to get geese. I am torn between the Chinese and the African right now. The Chinese are louder (which I would like) so I am leaning towards them.

I am playing with the cart on Metzers and it will only allow me to order equal number of males to females for the African. But for the Brown Chinese- it will only let me buy straight run or 'pairs'. Does 'pair' mean a goose and a gander? Then I am back to having to order ganders.

I am not seeing anything on my CL so far. I *think* I can order some through my feed store and they use Ideal Poultry but honestly- I have 2 runners from them and they are not very runner like. I have 2 runners from Metzers and they are tall and slim, just like they should be. So now I am paranoid to order from them. They are healthy but obviously not as high of quality as the ones I have from Metzers.

I checked Sand Hill but they also do not sex and they require a minimum of 6 in an order. Holderreads I looked at too- and they sell pairs (I assume pair means guy and gal) or straight run.

 

[larkflying]

You are running into the seasonal goose thing -- most geese are done laying eggs until next year. I'd think you'd be okay if you had to order two pairs . . . then you could rehome the ganders (they always are banded so you know which is which) as soon as you got them . . .I had more people want goslings than I wanted to sell . . .

There are also great deals in the fall on mostly grown geese -- everything from 3 to 4 month olds to older birds. I've even seen an ad just this week for some adult ganders. Many times they have been raised with ducks, and most of the time they might even know what sex they are if they are over a year old.

I've had a lot of luck finding birds on craigslist also . . . I'm just careful to go with the people that know how to communicate well, and I use basic safety precautions (go with another adult or older child if possible, meet at public place if possible, etc. Met some great people, and seen some need corners of my county that I'd never had been before . . .

 

[zooweemama]

Thanks! I found almost zero geese listings. A ton of chicken ones, a couple Muscovy ones (which I am debating on checking on lol)...and a couple that are a little ways from me. One listed white geese, more on the way. Has blue eyes. They didn't even say what breed. That was odd to me. The listing sounded like they didn't know and just called them white geese. 1 lone female Sebastopol about 2 hr drive from me for $50. Poor thing would be so lonely if I got her.

Maybe I will hang tight and just cruise the CL ads for a few weeks.

 

[zooweemama]

My husband really liked the Africans. So I ordered a sexed pair (goose and gander) from Metzers. If we love them, next year we will consider more. Thanks so much. I figured worse case we build a little goose house for our couple if they can't get along with the ducks.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Your geese need a seperate nightime house from the ducks. Come next spring they will be of breeding age and will set up a nest and will not let the ducks near it. Build the seperate nightime house now so you don't have to scramble next year.

Our Africans go in our rear pasture with the goats, are very quiet most of the day, but are the first to get hormonal come breeding season.

 

[Kevin565]

My husband really liked the Africans. So I ordered a sexed pair (goose and gander) from Metzers. If we love them, next year we will consider more. Thanks so much. I figured worse case we build a little goose house for our couple if they can't get along with the ducks.

. Your going to love Geese!

 

[larkflying]

I'm always looking at new ducks too . . . There's a pair of Australian Spotted Ducks that I keep seeing pop up in my nearby Craigslist ads, but I really only want one breed. Really . . .

And, I got goslings and ducklings last year -- wasn't prepared for how much we loved the geese. They are everyone's favorites now . . .

 

[wildpeas]

Your geese need a seperate nightime house from the ducks. Come next spring they will be of breeding age and will set up a nest and will not let the ducks near it. Build the seperate nightime house now so you don't have to scramble next year.
Our Africans go in our rear pasture with the goats, are very quiet most of the day, but are the first to get hormonal come breeding season.

Does this apply to all geese or just a mated pair? I have two females and they have a little duck that lives with them. They are all quite attached to each other and we were planning on housing them together.