Buying new geese - what to look out for???

[johnwinters]

Hello, I already have some very nice geese, but thinking about getting some other breeds. Is there anything to look for in parent birds or young so I'm not introducing any sickness into my already existing gaggle? Thanks, JW

 

[cbohn80]

i have have chickens and ducks, not geese. however i would say your biggest problem will be keeping the peace until the re-establish a peking order. waterfowl are in general very disease resistant but can be vicious towards one another until they've had a few days or even weeks to learn their role in the flock.

 

[Kevin565]

1. Check for poultry mites
2. If there are any sick birds in the flock there is a good chance the rest are carrying the disease without symptoms
3. If the place they are being kept does not seem very clean I would suggest against buying from there because they are many diseases that can take weeks to develop symptoms.
4. Also make sure to take to see the behavior of the birds you are interested in. If they show any signs of aggression be cautious of buying.
5. Be aware that all the geese you get may not get along with your current birds. Some geese will just never get along with a new flock.
6. Even if all the birds seem healthy you need to quarantine for awhile. It's better to take this precaution then lose some of your birds.

 

[johnwinters]

Thanks! How long should they be quarantined? 2 weeks is what I've heard for chickens. What do you think?

 

[Kevin565]

I usually quarantine for a month just to be safe.