Canada geese question

[Rose4aname]

Has anyone adopted canada geese and raised them to be set free once they were big enough? Is so how did you know it was time to find them a new home? How can you make sure they know how to take care of themselves? Just saying, cause I think it is a felony to have them as pets here and the wildlife rehabilitator seems to think that the DNR needs to step in but they are "eliminating" our goose population and I think that would be worse than a felony charge.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
This very seldom works out well, Human raised birds don't know how, when. or where to migrate. Usually they go with their parents. Since you aren't migrating they are likely to stay with you and suffer through or die of the winter and become completely dependent on you for survial.

 

[Kim65]

I do not have experience here but I'd listen to Goosedragon. At the same time, I ADMIRE your intent

. I would want to do the same exact thing. I would want to have ten thousand Canadas released for every one exterminated. Just a feeling and emotion, not practical of course

I can't conceive of a beautiful creature as a Canada goose as a pest, yet people do. I have a high tolerance for goose crap.

My concern if you DO this, and they DO successfully mature, they will stick around your locality and become victims of the DNR anyway

There are far too many Canadas out there, they are too strong and proliferative

to be brought down. The Goose Soul is a powerful one.

 

[sillysister74]

I would rather deal with goose poo than the bull crap that humans can shovel out!!!

 

[bock]

I don't think that will work out.

That does make me REALLY mad that people can be SO cruel and plain stupid, just because they can't survive with a little digested grass on the sidewalk!

I admire you'r compassion though.

 

[sillysister74]

Quote:
So true Kim, So true!

 

[Rose4aname]

Thanks for all the answers. We found our Douglas and Fern in the middle of a lake after a storm. They were very small and were having a real problem staying afloat. The one was so exhausted she could barely hold her head up. We scooped them up and looked for "Parents". Since they looked to me like they were going to die - no fight in either and they were floppy, I took them home. We put a light on them - warmed them up and they started eating. I didn't know what kind they were or if they were ducks or geese, just that they would die without help. They were doing great and we moved them outside. I built a cage for their safty and all seemed well. The one we called Fern quit eating and died before I knew what to do but Douglas is doing well. We have had him about 5 weeks now and he has feathers on the way. I know the chances of him moving on in the Fall are slim and I know that I may have just become a goose parent permantly but I just couldn't let them die. I work at a college that has a beautiful lake with geese on it and when he has all his feathers we are planning a field trip to see how he does with others. I think that will be the ticket for Douglas. If he wants to stay lots of people feed the geese there or he could find a friend and fly. We are already South so he has a choice. Hope I am doing the right thing. I have a friend in the DNR and he has told me he will give me all the heads up he can on their activities, so thats where we are. Thats my story.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

I've wondered the same since they are offered here . I think there is a permit or something involved saying they weren't obtained from the wild.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Easy to say but suppose 200 geese decide that your lawn makes a perfect rest stop. Here they like to travel at night. So you go out in the morning and the guards notice you and raise the alarm. Do you have any idea of what that would sound like? Now I am a big man but did I decide to chase them off? I did NOT I went back in the house and watched them eat my entire lawn and deposite about 200 pounds of fertilizer (each bird can process 2 pounds each day when well fed) took off about an hour before sunset and I went out and made paths through the poo and came back in to try to find out how long I needed to wait for the poo to break down before I can think about reseeding (Does anybody know?) Watered the heck out of it the next day, that helped with the smell. Anybody have any suggestions? sillysister you claim to deal with it what is my next move?
And yes you need a permit to keep them, if you bought them legally the seller would give you the permit to keep them. If you wish to sell or give away you need a dealer's permit that you get from the Federal government, as usual different states have different rules.

 

[bock]

Goosedragon.......isn't that a little um extreme.