Are Geese The Same As Turkeys?

[thaiturkey]

We began raising turkeys a few weeks ago. It's been a fascinating learning curve, not least because we are in a hot climate and some of the rules elsewhere don't apply. We have an opportunity now to acquire geese. The aim would be to have eggs, a security guard or two and perhaps produce specimens good enough to sell on.

I would appreciate some tips, please, from anyone who knows the main differences between turkeys and geese with regard to their incubation, hatching and general care.

We have land for free ranging and can shelter them at night from predators.

Many thanks.

 

[BeccaOH]

Well, they are different.

Turkeys do like to fly and will roost high. Teach them now about where their shelter is and where to come at night. You can clip a wing to try to keep them more grounded if you need to.

Turkey incubation is 28 days. I've had very little trouble hatching my own turkey eggs. Even shipped eggs did okay.

Geese do love water but don't necessarily have to have a pond. The heavy bodied geese will benefit from some sort of water to float on and rest their legs daily. They do need water at least 3 inches deep to keep their nostrils cleaned out.

Goose egg incubation is 28 days. I'm only getting 50% results on my own eggs. It may be a fertility issue. I keep the humidity higher than average, spritz them with water daily, and allow 10-15 of cool down time like a broody goose would.

 

[lilchick]

I raise both turkeys and geese and notice alot of differences in them. Rarely does a turkey become friendly and personable but a goose will interact more with you. Mine will walk up to me and talk and lower their head to ground telling me to feed them! And when they hiss they are mad.... Wings spread and head down coming towards you means i'm gonna get ya! My dogs walk a wide path around them especially when hen starts a nest. the gander will stay close and guard her.
This Feb. I bought 2 male african ganders that were to be x-mas dinner but the owner just never got around to it. So I brought them home and one hooked up with the pr. of chinese and the other with a pr. of black swedish ducks! The gander with the ducks guards them faithfully. Will go everywhere with them and tower over them watching out for them. He also likes my mini horses and will eat at their feeder with them. Kind of neat to look out to hay feeder and see horses eating and a goose in between them..
Geese like to graze on grass and eat grain. I like to supplement their feed with dog food in the winter and my ducks, geese and turkeys love it.
My luck with fertility has been pretty low even tho I see them mate. 2 out of 12 eggs hatched by hen and I checked the ones that did not hatch and they were not fertile.... I have no luck trying to hatch them in incubator....

good luck with yours....

 

[Kim65]

Geese are a helluva lot easier to start and raise than turkeys!!! They rarely have trouble getting going like poults do. It's hatching them that seems to be an issue (at least this year, according to the veteran hatchers). But once hatched geese are much easier, less worry than those poults who sometimes don't know how to eat.

Geese only need a heat source for about ten days to two weeks old, but poults need heat and protection for at least six weeks.

Geese (and ducklings) must not have medicated starter feeds, but turkeys must have them.

 

[OmaBird]

I have been reading David Hollerreads "The Book of Geese" since it has been so long since I have had geese. I also have a order for geese from The Holderread Waterfowl Farm and Preservation Center. http://www.holderreadfarm.com/ I think other than geese needing more humidity, they lay alot less eggs and the fertility is not usually very good at all the first year. A tom turkey can service alot of hens. Where many breeds of geese have a very low gander to geese ratio.

I am enjoying the geese I just got this week. I think the set up I have for brooding them is working. I am using little 2 ounce ball canning jars for water and food that are tucked into the hay. There is no spills and they can get into the water. See the picture I posted below. They are not as messy with this set up. So far they have stayed dry for 4 days this way. They do not require the same heat to raise either.