cold hardy geese

ridinglizzard

In the Brooder
9 Years
Apr 7, 2010
61
2
41
What would you recommend for a cold hardy breed of goose. I am in Northern Canada and have lots of chickens (silkies, cochins, wynadottes, and australorps) and a pekin duck, who all seem to do fine over the winter in my little insulated chicken house. I am thinking of adding some geese to my backyard flock. What would you recommend?
Thanks!
 
All geese are cold hardy except that the knobbed geese can have their knobs freeze, so I suggest that you don't get those. (Chinese and African)
I don't believe sebbies are cold hardy... at all.....
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My friend has sebastapols that she keeps outside all winter. They have a calf hut to go in to get out of the wind and she keeps it filled with clean hay. She told me that they almost never go inside tho! Last winter here in Northern WI, be had crazy cold temps. Like, -50F for a few weeks straight at night and during the days it rarely got above 10. her geese did fine and only used their shed in the coldest weather. I was shocked! I have American Buffs, Indian Runner ducks and Moscovy ducks. I put them in the garage once it got below zero, but they weren't happy about it. I made them a warm house outside that they could go in and out of, but they never went in it. Instead they would huddle under this tarp I had against the house that I was using to keep snow off a lawn mower. It protected them from the snow, but it was still windy. Once I forced them in the garage I kept them locked in until it was over 20 degrees outside, then I let them out. They would come back in to eat. but preferred to sleep outside. This winter I am giving them the tool shed that has a little door that goes out to my chicken pen. There is lots of natural cover from bushes and hills. I'll keep the food and water in the shed with hay and I guess I'll just let them choose where to sleep. I'm trying to avoid heat lamps this winter as my electric bill was out of control last year. This tool shed is aluminum, which doesn't stay warm, but it does have an insulated roof. Last year it was my chicken coop and even with 2 heat lamps, I did lose some chickens and others got frost bite. I ended up putting a space heater in there. $$$!!! I have since moved the chickens to a warmer insulated wood shed. Since the geese and ducks are much hardier than the chickens, I THINK they will be ok in the aluminum shed. I have one of those outlets that will turn the heat light on if gets bellow 35 degrees and off at above 45. I'll use that if I have to. I'd love to put everyone in with the goats who are now in the garage, but I don't want bird poop on my goats or in their water. I think we should all just assume these winters are just going to get worse, so be prepared for anything! As far as sebastapols tho, I was planning on getting some, but I think I will stick to the American Buffs. They just seem more cold hardy and I don't want to spend the winter all stressed out about the animals and the electric bill again!
 

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