Considering geese

[Happy Quack]

I currently have an American buff hen and a super African hen. Mine are housed at night by themselves but free range with my ducks and chickens during the day. Mine have never wondered away. The only time I have had problems were with the ganders during breeding season when the ganders have killed one duck and one chicken. I no longer have ganders.
A great book to have is Raising Geese by Dave Holderread. It is packed with info. This book recommends 10 sq. feet per goose at night more during the day.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I currently have an American buff hen and a super African hen. Mine are housed at night by themselves but free range with my ducks and chickens during the day. Mine have never wondered away. The only time I have had problems were with the ganders during breeding season when the ganders have killed one duck and one chicken. I no longer have ganders.
A great book to have is Raising Geese by Dave Holderread. It is packed with info. This book recommends 10 sq. feet per goose at night more during the day.

Interesting to know. I definitely don't want dead birds.

I had to butcher my last muscovy drake because of chicken aggression. I got him at a swap meet and didn't raise him. So far my young muscovy drakes are behaving themselves. They grew up around the chickens.

I wonder if geese would be the same? I'm now thinking one gander would be enough to begin with until I get more familiar with geese. I will definitely check that book out too. Thanks.

 

[chickens really]

@CanadianSkeptic
She has Buff Geese..

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ganders should not be housed with other birds during breeding season. Even if raised around other birds they just get too ornery. My geese are with the chickens and ducks during the day but at night my geese sleep in their own house. When I had 4 geese they would surround a chicken or duck and pick on it So I had to rehome the youngest and kept my two adults since no one would put up with my Embden ganders behavior but me. I stopped any serious injuries before they happened by rehoming the two. All ganders are fierce protectors of their mates and goslings it's just built into them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Ganders should not be housed with other birds during breeding season. Even if raised around other birds they just get too ornery. My geese are with the chickens and ducks during the day but at night my geese sleep in their own house. When I had 4 geese they would surround a chicken or duck and pick on it So I had to rehome the youngest and kept my two adults since no one would put up with my Embden ganders behavior but me. I stopped any serious injuries before they happened by rehoming the two. All ganders are fierce protectors of their mates and goslings it's just built into them.

Thanks for that information. Sounds like I'm gonna have some fun figuring out a new species of poultry. I like learning new stuff. I have various pens that birds can be put in. Usually I use them for young naughty roosters or chicks. I may start out with a trio and go from there. I could always just keep females if necessary for now until I get more prepared for them.

Do geese require swimming water or just something to bathe in like a kiddie pool?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yep mine are water hogs I keep two pools going once it gets warm because if they only get one the geese will stay in it a lot while everyone waits their turn.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We do want to dig a pond in the near future. Maybe we need to get busy with it.