Feeding hay

[Funkhaus Farm]

So the grass has stopped growing at Funkhaus Farm and we've been keeping our geese in the pen for the most part due to the increased predator activity in winter. They will eat cracked corn but they are not enthusiastic about it, and they really don't care for bagged crumbles. What they really like is grass. Does anyone feed hay to their geese?

 

[burdboy]

I don't have geese but my ducks love hay

 

[macgro7]

So the grass has stopped growing at Funkhaus Farm and we've been keeping our geese in the pen for the most part due to the increased predator activity in winter. They will eat cracked corn but they are not enthusiastic about it, and they really don't care for bagged crumbles. What they really like is grass. Does anyone feed hay to their geese?

No...
Geese only like fresh green grass. Not even when it's long. Only short new shoots

 

[Miss Lydia]

No...
Geese only like fresh green grass. Not even when it's long. Only short new shoots

Soft grass hay some do feed their geese. My geese ate it one winter but so did my chickens and one got impacted crop so I had to stop feeding it. Soft timothy is a good one.I found it at Southern States.

@Funkhaus Farm

 

[macgro7]

Soft grass hay some do feed their geese. My geese ate it one winter but so did my chickens and one got impacted crop so I had to stop feeding it. Soft timothy is a good one.I found it at Southern States.

@Funkhaus Farm

Never heard of that!
The only bird which is being fed hay that I heard of is... ostrich!

 

[Percheron chick]

I feed mine alfalfa. They mostly eat the leaves. They don't care for my grass hay. They love Romaine but that get's a little expensive.

Ask your feed store for wheat. It's better for them than corn. Put it in a bucket and cover with water. They'll appreciate the extra work. Pumpkin is a good low calorie filler. I stock up in the fall.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Seasoned geese owners told about feeding soft grass hay to their flocks a couple years ago on the goose thread. @Iain Utah

@RURU I believe were 2 that do maybe others.

 

[hazelbuff]

Mine love barley sprouts, if I have time to do more than soak the grain. Get a sequence of multiple buckets resting after the initial soak. I drilled a circle of holes to drain. It's easier to grow barley than oat sprouts. Find 50 lb bags- feed stores or farmers- definitely Not pearl barley, which is hulled. Soak a few inches of seeds 6- 12 hours, drain, then leave to grow for a few days, with something to inhibit geese from stealing from the bucket.