Embden Geese?

[EmAbTo48]

Who owns a pair? Are they nice? I have 4 ducks, but am thinking of getting a pair of geese. What's the difference of owning geese compared to ducks? Will they leave the ducks/chickens alone? Do they need a seperate coop or can they sleep with my ducks???

Any advice on raising geese would be great!

The pair I am looking at our adults already will this make it harder for them to accept the other birds?

 

[chickenlady08]

Hi there

I just got my first Embdem geese last year. I bought them unsexed and was hoping for a girl and a boy, but I have 2 girls. (which I am fine with) They were raised with my chickens. They get along fine with the chickens, it is just that they like to pull out their feathers. I used to let them sleep in the same coop as the chickens but some of my hens are still naked on the behind area due to the picking. I have 2 ducks (both boys). The ducks love my Gwendalyn and Delilah. Mother's Day I got 2 more unsexed geese and then was giving a 3rd baby. The only thing I have noticed about the ducks is that they like to run off the new geese babies, I am not sure of their sex yet so maybe they maybe boys and they don't want them around their girls. My ducks however did kill my baby goose Charlie for no apparent reason, so now I am have 2 adult females and 2 almost 4 month old babies that are as big as the Mommas. Oh yea my Gwen proudly took them in and rasied them herself and Delilah kept the ducks away. I do however let my ducks sleep with my chickens at night instead of my geese so they don't harrass the 2 yonger ones.

I am thinking that the geese may not except anything other than themselves. I was told that my geese would only bound with the chickens but that was certainly proved wrong with them raising the babies this year. I know it may work out with adult geese but I am sorry that I don't know for certain. I know that if you add to them later that you may want to get babies and then they could have their own little flock.

I love my Embdens so much and always plan on having this breed. I hear such stories of how they turn bad or what not but mine are so very sweet and loving and very good mommas and I couldn't of asked for a nicer breed.

Good Luck!

 

[EmAbTo48]

Thanks! I was hoping to get a few more responses on this board. I am thinking I will hold off till next spring( I live in wisconsin so winters creeping in). I did find a pair though on craigslist and think the adults would have a better chance with my ducks or they would just leave each other alone.

 

[brownysfp]

Who owns a pair? Are they nice? I have 4 ducks, but am thinking of getting a pair of geese. What's the difference of owning geese compared to ducks? Will they leave the ducks/chickens alone? Do they need a seperate coop or can they sleep with my ducks???

Any advice on raising geese would be great!

The pair I am looking at our adults already will this make it harder for them to accept the other birds?

I've an Embden pair and a Toulouse pair. Until yesterday (30.08) there were seven Toulouse plus the Embdens and they did not get on. I sold five Ts - and the Embdens mated almost as soon as the buyer drove away. Later the T pair mated - a surprise as I thought they were both female - and this morning there was an egg.

Anyway, Embdens: lovely birds, that crisp white feathering and the ice-blue eyes...They are also much calmer and quieter than the others.
One difference I've noticed is water: the geese don't seem to foul their water whereas the ducks'll turn it into a cesspit as soon as look at it.

The Ts were a pain with the chickens but I've not seen any aggression from the Embdens. They all have separate coops though. At the height of the "troubles" the Embdens were in the chicken coop and passed the night plucking rooster tail feathers! I don't think they'll be a problem with the ducks; I guess trial and error will sort it out.

Hopefully, you won't regret getting a pair. I wish I'd got more Embdens instead of the Toulouse.

 

[queenbeezz]

I have a mated pair of Embdens and two female brown chinese. They graze with the chickens but sleep in the middle of the pond. I have not had very much fighting between the chickens and geese. Occasionally there may be a squabble between my gander and one of the roosters but it has never resulted in injury.

 

[erinszoo]

I have a pair of Embdens as well. They are beautiful birds and full of personality. The female is a bit of a teenager ... doesn't like to be touched, screams at everyone but me, pulls the feathers on the chickens, refuses to eat anything we give as treats except ice, etc ... but she isn't aggressive or mean at all. The male is a sweetheart and definitely the leader of the bird flock which consists of chickens and a duck and a turkey. Wherever the geese go, the rest of the birds follow. It makes it simple to put them away at night because all we have to get in the pen is the geese and everyone else comes along at a trot.

We do keep all of our birds in one house although we are considering seperating the water birds from our chickens as we are getting more chickens and the geese and duck make a big mess with their poo. Not sure yet how that will affect the flock.

Our one duck is a lot less of a mess than our two geese who poo everywhere in copius amounts, which one would figure given they are much bigger birds. They are also a lot noisier. They are kind of like dogs in that respect as they honk at every strange noise they hear and really honk and hiss at strangers. We we let them out of their pen in the mornings we are serenaded for about ten minutes with what must be takes of everyones dreams and complaints about the night before. They go on and on and on ... but eventually settle down to graze.

If we are outside with them, they follow me around wherever I go and will sit by me and pull at my clothes and hair and nibble on my hands or chair. They can bite pretty hard but usually don't unless they think I have food and mistake my finger for the food. Normally it's just soft little nibbles or pulling on my shirt or shorts.

At four months, I can still hold them and pick them up (they are heavy) but they won't let my husband or kids pick them up at all. Our female screams bloody murder if anyone else even attempts to hold her.

This has been our first experience with geese and ducks too, so my info is limited to this one pair that I have. Hope it helps.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I have 5 pair of Embdens, 1 Chinese goose, 15 ducks, and numerous guineas and chickens. For the most part the geese leave the other birds alone, but they really seem to hate the ducks. If they find a duck nest they destroy the eggs and Heaven forbid there happen to be a duck on it at the time because they'll harass her to no end. They pretty much leave the chickens and guineas alone unless it's feeding time, then it's every bird for himself. The geese are #1, period, and they will make sure to let everyone else know.

I have 4 ganders and 1 goose who are adults (2-3 years old) and 1 gander and 4 geese who are 'babies' from this year. The only one that is 'friendly' is the baby gander, the rest of them pretty much avoid me. But, having had a 'pet' emdben gander who turned into a jerk when his hormones kicked in, I'd rather have them not be too friendly

 

[Poultry Mama]

I have 5 pair of Embdens, 1 Chinese goose, 15 ducks, and numerous guineas and chickens. For the most part the geese leave the other birds alone, but they really seem to hate the ducks. If they find a duck nest they destroy the eggs and Heaven forbid there happen to be a duck on it at the time because they'll harass her to no end. They pretty much leave the chickens and guineas alone unless it's feeding time, then it's every bird for himself. The geese are #1, period, and they will make sure to let everyone else know.

I have 4 ganders and 1 goose who are adults (2-3 years old) and 1 gander and 4 geese who are 'babies' from this year. The only one that is 'friendly' is the baby gander, the rest of them pretty much avoid me. But, having had a 'pet' emdben gander who turned into a jerk when his hormones kicked in, I'd rather have them not be too friendly

We have 5 Emden Geese. One bites me at almost every chance. Thinking it may be the male. I think he will be dinner very soon. I have had enough.