Geese and chickens?

[Rick5070]

My wife and I are getting a set of pullets and are considering getting some young geese (3 weeks old) will there be any problems raising them together in the same enclosure? Thanks in advance!

 

[larkflying]

Well, that depends . . .

How old are the pullets?

If they are young and small, the goslings could trample them / pick on them. If they are mostly grown, they could pick on the goslings. The goslings need much more water than the chickens, and deeper waterers, and while they don't make as much of a mess as ducklings, they are messier than chickens. Goslings also should have grazing time, or sizeable chunks of grass as they grow --which wouldn't hurt the pullets either.

Goslings do grow quickly, but I think 3 week olds might need supplemental heat for a few weeks at least at night, depending on what nighttime temperatures are where you live.

You also run the risk of the goslings deciding that the hens are good mates . . . I raised ducklings and goslings together, and one drake decided that the girl geese were romantically interesting. Didn't matter so much since the geese were so much bigger, but a gander could really hurt a hen.

As adults though, I'd think they'd get along fine. My chickens and geese pretty much leave each other alone. They have their own areas and their own entertainments (those geese are in the water again -- what is wrong with them?! vs Why are those chickens flopping around in the dirt) and they generally are fun to watch . . . The chickens were all adults when I got goslings and while the goslings were scared of them for a short time, it didn't take them long after they reached full size to stand up to the bossy hens.

Hope that helps!

 

[Rick5070]

The pullets are 1-2 months old. I am getting them from a rescue lady that got them from an owner that didnt want them. She has had them for a couple of weeks and says they are quite friendly. We have decided though that the chickens and geese need to have their own spaces for now so nobody gets hurt. The goslings I have are a little larger than we had anticipated so just by that alone we dont want anyone to bully anyone else.