Geese eat hay?

[Leader Bee]

I wouldn't have thought there'd be enough nutrition in hay for a goose to begin with; I have some in a little doghouse outside as bedding but i'd never intend for them to actually eat the stuff.,

 

[JRies]

I have 2 hay feeders in my goose house with Alfalfa hay free choice (cut slots in 60 gallon rubber trash cans and drop 1/2 bail in each). They get fresh fodder every night wheat and barly grain and since they always seem to be laying, Purina duck pellets.. In there nesting area is a free choice of oyster shell. In the morning I sometimes find fodder left but as for the Alfalfa they go through a full bail every 3 months and there is very little wast. I live in Cow Country so the grass hay they want nothing to do with since it is mostly dry pasture grass but they love it for nesting. My pasture is due to the drought is winter wheat and barley this year they have it mowed (1 acre) to 1/4 inch so that might be why they enjoy the alfalfa. Not sure.

 

[Percheron chick]

I wouldn't have thought there'd be enough nutrition in hay for a goose to begin with; I have some in a little doghouse outside as bedding but i'd never intend for them to actually eat the stuff.,

Most of us can agree that grass pasture is best for geese and can fulfill most of their nutritional needs. Hay is nothing more than cut and cured grasses and legumes. The major difference of the 2 is just moisture content. Pasture grasses are around 85% water vs hay that is reduced to around 15%. Therefore the nutrients are more concentrated in the hay. They will need to eat about 5x the amount of fresh grass to get the same calories and nutrients in the hay. Average good quality grass horse hay provides about .8 Mcals/#, 0.6% Ca and 8% protein. If that's all they eat, they will come through winter underweight and not in breeding shape. They will need supplemental feeding of either a concentrate and or a legume hay. A nice quality alfalfa will provide elevated nutrient values of around 1.2 Mcals/#, 1.3% Ca and 14% protein. A mix of the 2 is a happy medium. Your geese are not eating the hay that you are using as bedding because that's probably all it is. Mature hay is high in fiber, tough and not overly palatable. They will pick at it but that's all. Mine will not touch mature low quality grass hay and with first cutting alfalfa they pick out the leaves and leave the stems. You've got to purchase the hay for them. What works for the horses usually works for the geese but if I come across an exceptional bale, it's put to the side just for the geese.