feeding geese creep feed?

[NorthTexaschick]

I bought a pair of adolescent Pilgrim geese this a.m.

The man I got them from has raised Pilgrims for many years - he had about 100 of them! They were a sight to see! Anyway, he feeds them creep feed, which is for calves, because "it's cheaper." They get it in the morning, then are let out to free range all day. Anybody heard of this? Pros? Cons? TIA

 

[NorthTexaschick]

Anybody?

 

[Eroc1_1]

I got nothing for you. But I will be interested to hear any responses.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
I have no idea of what creep feed is so not much help. I used to free range mine all day and only feed in the evening. Then I locked them up at night. They ate very lettle feed that way when the graze was good. When they couldn't qraze they ate a lot! To be honest I think they only came home to swim and wash up in the pool when the grazing was good. Wild pool parties!
I would try the creep feed in the evening, If he is raising 100 Pilgrims he probably knows what he is doing. You might look into waterfowl food for the mating season if you want stong goslings. The goose can't graze while she is hatching and the gander is likely to hang around close to her.

 

[Denninmi]

I looked it up -- sounds like its as much of a method as of a particular type of food -- "creeping" is when you start offering a calf solid foods early, before it normally would be weaned, in feeders that allow them to eat it as they wish.

Several articles mentioned different types of feeds -- calf/cow pelleted feed, alfalfa pellets, different grain type products, so it doesn't sound like there is necessarily one particular type of feed. I'm sure you could probably walk into a farm supply in the right location and ask for "creep feed" and they would have something specific to sell you.

Sounds weird -- "creep feed" -- there are already enough creeps in the world, we don't need to be feeding them!

http://www.motesclearcreekfarms.com/SABoerGoats/asp/4H/Creep-Feeding-Goat.pdf

http://www.ans.iastate.edu/faculty/morrical/acc/sheep/lambfeeding.pdf

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/400/400-003/400-003.html

 

[goosedragon]

I knew what the method was as I ofter creep feed goslings with starter ration if Mama goose will allow it. There is no need to feed expensive starter ration to adult geese (they love it!). Don't get me wrong I feed Mama and the gander feed because if the graze isn't good around the pool and coop they are likely to walk the goslings to death to get to the grazeing area and there might not be water handy to goslings along the way or in the grazing area. Nothing will kill a gosling faster than lack of water! In fact I often lure the goslings into the creep area with shallow waterers because they need to drink more often than mama (does this sound familiar human mamas?) Some times mama and gander like to keep the goslings close but one or more usually slip away for a drink. and return when called. Parents get tired of hearing I'm thirsty and let them go snd then they start eating the starter while parents eat normal ration.
Sometimes the parents win and the whole family eats starter ration. I would rather have the parents raise the goslings then brood them myself!