Ducks versus Geese -

[Wynette]

So I have a very good friend (who shall remain nameless) who is getting some goslings. She had Runners a couple years ago, and didn't care much for them; they were a bit high-strung.

Now, she keeps making little comments about how much better geese are than ducks....like that geese don't kill all the grass like ducks do, and they don't drill holes all over the ground like ducks do, and they're not as messy....

okay, if all that's true, why are there so many more ducks than geese (at least it SEEMS that way) and why are ducks more popular than geese (again, it seems that way)....and the biggest and most alarming question: AM I DESTINED TO BE A GOOSE OWNER SOME DAY?

 

[Goose and Fig]

Geese have many pros over ducks- they don't instantly turn every water source to mud, they can keep thier house fairly clean, you can brood them inside longer, ....Gosh the list goes on and on. Don't get me wrong- I won't be giving up ducks anytime soon. Geese are just different. They're more like dogs that poop grass clippings. Or toddlers with lawnmowers. They're emotional, hormonal, and the bond you get when you raise them from babies- nothing like it.

 

[Heidi]

Well I was comparing geese with "chickens". Ducks and geese are way easier then chickens.... Disease and parasite resistant which isn't the case with chickens. Geese are easier on the person who doesn't want to be out collecting eggs all summer long as they lay only in the spring. Duckies lay almost like a chicken tho... So if you want water fowl, but want the eggs of a chicken ducks are the way to go. Of course duck eggs are bigger and better then chicken eggs. IMO. I have chickens yet I go and buy duck eggs down the road for baking. I honestly can't say geese are better.... Yet..... As I won't have my goslings from Holderread until next week. Now bonding... That's a whole different story so I've hear.

 

[Wynette]

Sigh. I HAD to ask, didn't I?

 

[Lollipop]

Did I hear somebody say "bonding"? Geese are much different than ducks in many ways. The thing that absolutely amazes me about geese is their family instincts. All the aunts and uncles pitch in to help with the baby rearing chores. An example is my two ganders. Mixed Chinese and Emden and all that is left of the 7 I brought here to the wilderness in "08. Well, I decided to get some females to keep them company, but females turned out to be way hard to locate. Then I see Shellie at CelticOaksFarm has 4 African goslings available. Arrangements were made and they arrived. Lemme tell ya, you would have thought those ganders had died and gone to Heaven. They have mothered those goslings for almost 2 weeks now and you would be hard pressed to find better parents. They did the same thing when one of my free range hens hatched a bunch of chicks in October of last year and they continued to guard those grown chicks until the goslings arrived. There are lots of goose stories and most of mine are very endearing, but I'll save them for another time. Dunno about you, Winette, but everyone should have geese at least once in their life. As for me, I hope I never have to live where I can't have my geese........Pop

 

[Iain Utah]

Geese have many pros over ducks- they don't instantly turn every water source to mud, they can keep thier house fairly clean, you can brood them inside longer, ....Gosh the list goes on and on. Don't get me wrong- I won't be giving up ducks anytime soon. Geese are just different. They're more like dogs that poop grass clippings. Or toddlers with lawnmowers. They're emotional, hormonal, and the bond you get when you raise them from babies- nothing like it.

 

[Heidi]

I'd love to hear your stories "pop". . I'm anxiously waiting for 2 pairs of Blue Americans...

 

[larkflying]

Geese intimidate people . . . ducks do not. So, if you want to add waterfowl, you'd be more likely to add ducks first. Ducks also produce eggs and eat slugs and bugs . . . and they are more available. Very few of the feed stores around here even get goslings once a year. Most of them will get ducklings in a couple times during the spring. Even on craigslist, goslings are hard to find. Geese can be very noisy, depending on the breed and the time of year, although to me, a number of female ducks quacking is also pretty loud. It might be a cultural thing - I think people from other countries are more used to having geese around, where we tend to go the turkey route.

My family had geese when I was a child, and yet I don't remember really doing much with them -- just catching them occasionally. I made pets out of the chickens and taught them to ride in my bicycle basket, but the ducks and geese never made much of an impression. Now that I have raised geese though, they are easily my favorite among all of the birds.

Although, I've caught my geese with their entire head stuck down into one of those duck holes . . so it may not be just the ducks that enjoy making sink holes . . . .

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

NYONE can have a chicken and raise it. However to share your property with a goose or geese is something special.

I have always said chickens are a cake walk to hatch, raise and house. They are common, you ever hear the "oh have I got a chicken attack story for you" like so many have of geese from their childhood.

There are many many, MANY breeds of geese, and varied degrees of aggression comes with these breeds. Super heavy wouldn't think of flying, super ornamental making people go wow what's that.

They are social, they want to tell you about their day, they will bond with and to their owners. They come when called for with or with out a food bucket being shaken.

They are natural seeders, natural lawn mowers, and natural fertilizers.

They don't drill holes next to every water source.

They don't eat as much feed as ducks, and eat far less than chickens (grazing is their largest food source)

They will not turn a freshly cleaned pool into a mud pit in less than 1 minute like ducks do.

They are far supior in intelligence to chickens any day

 

[Oregon Blues]

[[[[.......question: AM I DESTINED TO BE A GOOSE OWNER SOME DAY? .....]]]]]

Goodness, yes, Wynette. Give geese a chance.

And not to be a troublemaker, but if you want a lovely bird to be around, give turkeys a try, too. They are adorable.