Breeding canadian geese

[swenson1995]

Does anybody know if it is possible to breed canadian geese their first year. I have a pair that I want to breed this spring but they are only a year old. Thanks

 

[GUNNERMATE]

They don't usually breed until they are 3 years old.

 

[Oregon Blues]

If you are going to be a breeder, you should know what your birds are called. They are Canada Geese, not Canadian.

Some states require you to have a permit to keep them, breed them, and sell them. You'll want to check into that if you don't already have a permit. I'd hate to see you get into trouble over some easy paperwork.

 

[violets812]

No one is born knowing to call Canada geese Canada geese and not Canadian geese. You learn that. I just wish people would be more kind in the way they tell someone, actually they are named Canada geese and not Canadian.

There are several hatcheries (even efowl) that sell Canada day olds. They send the required Federal Migrating Bird permit, which you need to sell or give away a Canada bird or egg.

We had several Canada geese that I bought as day olds and a copy of the permit was sent with them. The first year, I clip their flight feathers. Their second year I didn't. So we had young ones around (we have a large ranch with many ponds in SD) and usually, but not always the two year olds fell in love with a stranger & left in the fall. That was interesting! The wild bird would fly down a little ways away from the house. (The geese stayed close by the house during the day (coyotes & foxes) and I locked them into a large shed meant only for them at night.) When a wild bird would start slowly walking up to the one who caught his eye, our goose would almost always jump straight up! It was funny. Then off and on, our 2 year olds would come back and eat and rest with their new love staying in the background, honking. By fall the 2 year olds would leave with their new husband/wife. I've had actually more than 50% of the returning geese that come back to one of the ponds on the ranch, build nests and hatch eggs. I've seen a few that acted like they were going to, but didn't even finish the nest. So it depends. I'm sure there are other people with land, ponds and a love for Canada geese who would validate this. I know when you google it, it says they usually don't lay eggs & raise them until they are 3 but I've seen more two year olds hatch eggs than not. I spend a lot of time with the geese while they were around our house and they will call back to me from wherever they end up when I yell, Goosie, Goosie - my regular call. A few actually came into the yard and ate but not usually. I clip their flight feathers the first year because they are not old enough to fly off on their own (and get shot or try to stay out at night...) I also put food coloring in their child's water pool so our neighbors knew if they saw a stray pink colored Canada goose, it was ours and they'd usually bring them back.

I would never pinion or recommend pinioning a Canada goose because they live so long. I'm 58 with several health problems and what would happen to the pinioned geese if I died or if the owner moved or was told they couldn't have geese because of an ordinance or something. There are several Canada geese families all over our ranch. I loved it. We have moved into a small town now but those years with the geese were the most fun times of my life. They are quieter and more gentle (if you spend time with day olds) than any domestic goose I've had. (Only Tufted Romans and Chinese) My male Chinese became the alpha one year of all the year old Canadas. That was so funny to watch. He strut off like he was the King of the world and there would be the Canadas plodding after him!