Free-ranging toulouse? or geese in general?

[Goose and Fig]

I have 8 toulouse- hatched May 3rd. I have a (temporary) moveable pen for them that I move every day so they have fresh grass to munch on and a pool. Will they ever get to the point where I can just "let them out" in the morning like the chickens and they won't run away? We don't have a fenced yard, but are surrounded by woods. I worry that they may wander down the driveway and get hit by a car or shot by one of the lovely poaching neighbors.

This is them about 1 1/2 weeks ago. I'm getting really tired of moving the tomato stakes every day

They seem happy though- so I'll keep doing it.

 

[Wolfwoman]

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

I have 19 geese both adults and babies that free range each day all day and then they go into barn stalls at night for safe keeping. We live on 9 acres of land they stay near the barn and on the area that is mowed. They tend to stay out the wooded area that is more overgrown with tall weeds & woody brush. I have two baby pools that I re-fill each evening with fresh water and have other water stations thoughout the area they graze. I feed them Flock Raiser by Purnia each evening when they return to the barn. The youngest babies are 2.5 weeks old and have just joined the flock this weekend. The older babies are about 10 weeks old.

 

[Goose and Fig]

jojo@rolling acres farm :

I have 19 geese both adults and babies that free range each day all day and then they go into barn stalls at night for safe keeping. We live on 9 acres of land they stay near the barn and on the area that is mowed. They tend to stay out the wooded area that is more overgrown with tall weeds & woody brush. I have two baby pools that I re-fill each evening with fresh water and have other water stations thoughout the area they graze. I feed them Flock Raiser by Purnia each evening when they return to the barn. The youngest babies are 2.5 weeks old and have just joined the flock this weekend. The older babies are about 10 weeks old.

Oh that's great! I might give it a try tomorrow since we'll be home all day- just to see how they do.

Good thing is- they don't run very fast!​

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

Good...hope things go well for you. I just love watching mine - my favorite form of relaxation! The neat thing about free ranging is they don't tramp down, or over graze my area. They have their little resting stations in the shade...they also like to take naps on the front porch of my barn. Enjoy your day tomorrow - I bet your geese will!

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Why would they run away? Do you mistreat them or is there a dog to chase them? Sometimes if there is a water feature that they like, they will hang out there. Mine know that feeding time is in the evening and they usually are there waiting for me. I refill the pool while they eat and they bathe and usually wander of their own accord into the barn to reserve their place to sleep. If I need to speed up the process the command BARN followed by gentle use of a herding stick has always done the trick. As long as they aren't new to your place this will work for you too.

 

[GoodEgg]

It depends on your setup I would think. You mention that you are surrounded by woods so that may work for you. I have a small wooded area that my geese tend to keep out of. They avoid very tall grass too 4 foot high). But they will wander across expanses of shorter grass. I have an area in the front that runs up against a neighbor's, all mowed grass. They will walk right into the other yard of course, if I let them. The front yard also runs open to the road, though it's a distance. They have wandered that way too and I have to call them back. The good thing is that you don't need much of a fence to contain them vi got a 4' tall by 50' long vinyl mesh fence at Lowe's for about $13 or so. When I'm finished using it for babies I plan to cut it in half height-wise and stretch it along the front and side to keep mine in. I have two fences, so for less than $30 I can fence 200 feet. It won't protect them from dogs so my dog and I will have to watch them but it will keep them out of the neighbor's yard and road.

But if you are surrounded completely by woods, and have no grassy pasture for them to graze along to where you don't want them (or pond, creek, etc that will do the same) you are probably ok in that they shouldn't wander off.

Protecting them from predators is another issue, though fortunately there are fewer threats to geese than much smaller poultry, especially a group of them and especially once they are grown. I have a flock of youngsters the same age as yours and they act like a gang, attacking the goats and large dogs. Fortunately the attackees arecaught off guard and avoid them now, except some of the goats who pretty much ignore them. The geese don't attack animals larger than that but walk around them, thankfully.

good luck with yours!

 

[[email protected]]

Trust me, they will not wander off, they are constantly in a state of looking for you! ;-) I wish my 2 would go down to the pond without me, b/c it's sooo hot, but at 3 mos., they still follow me like stink. They also spend way to much time pooping on my porches. I am surprised when they go 25 ft out into the yard w/o me. Good luck, and when they get a little bigger you will feel more comfortable leaving them outside all day. Then at night they go back into the coup with the chickens. j

 

[Wolfwoman]

Quote:
So if I were to get some of that orange snow fence they would stay inside it??

 

[Goose and Fig]

Well - they've been out since about 6a.m.

There was a bit of exploring, a bit of eating, some swimming, but mostly laying in the shade. It's upper 90s today- yuck! They seem to be doing great though! I'm so relieved! In the future- I may string some of their fencing across the driveway if I have to leav when they are out- but that's about it. No daytime predators to worry about except hawks- and these guys are huge. I have never lost even a banty or a chick to a hawk- so I don't think they'll be bothering these guys.

One strange thing I noticed- no matter where the geese are- every evening they all lay down and face west. Do all geese do that- or is it just because all the people/traffic comes from the west?