Geese in backyards.

[MsPony]

I was searching Meyers Hatchery for chicks, and the thought of getting a duck or goose popped into my head. A few customers of mine have gotten ducks, but after research I think geese might be better.

However, how realistic is it to have a goose in a backyard? I have a large backyard, and a 1/3 of it is sectioned off for chickens (or will be this summer...) How big a water pool or trough do they need? Can they sleep with the chickens at night?

 

[Bleenie]

It is ALWAYS best(IMO) to raise them from babies so that you can make sure they are socalized with the other birds you have. I have a 3mo old pair of WC goslings that were raised with ducklings and around the chickens when they were outside in their run during the days so they are very used to them and sleep with them at night.

we've had bad experiences with adopting adult geese though.

 

[farmgirlie1031]

Mine are just fine with the chickens and ducks. I'd get them young. I had an adult pair once that I got as adults and they bit us and the dogs and cats so they had to find a new home but all the ones I have gotten young and raised here get along just fine with us and all of our other critters. I have one that is a sweet puppy dog of a goose that will follow me around, loves to be held, and begs for the remaining drops of milk in the bottle after the bottle goats are done eating.

 

[Kim65]

You ought to consider getting a pair of geese, don't worry about sex. They will bond with your chickens (if you get them as young or hatchlings) but they are happier with the company of another goose. They will stay more "tame" too, easier to manage, at least that was my experience. A single goose will think you are it's mama and will cry for you pitifully and want to be with you 24/7. If you get a pair, they keep each other company.

Two males or two females will get along just fine.

 

[laughaha]

I have two geese that were raised with the chickens- I actually got them to be the alarm system for the chickens (chickens are zombies at night and won't make a peep even if something is killing all of them). Geese are good deterrents for hawks- pigeon racers use goose decoys and move them constantly to keep birds of prey from eating the pigeons. Works great. My two toulouse are real sweethearts.

Oh, and heaven help anything that tries to hurt THEIR chickens, lol

 

[The goose girl]

Definitely get a couple of goslings.

I have one pet gosling - sitting on my lap right now - and it really is a 24/7 job to raise him alone. I have to bring him everywhere, and I literally mean EVERYWHERE. To the bathroom, to the fridge, shopping, to bed, everywhere. Whenever I'm more than 5 feet away from him, he starts crying and searching for me. His cries will only intensify with time, and he is deeply unhappy until he finds me. He won't eat, sleep or drink unless he has company.

Lucky for me I have two good friends nearby who volunteered to goosesit once in a while. He gladly accepts them as good company, so I can take garbage to the dump and do other chores that involve a lot of going to and fro.

I've had two geese at a time before. They will still get very tame and follow you around, if you spend time with them, but they also enjoy and are satisfied with each others company.

 

[The goose girl]

BTW, geese need fresh water to drink. They should also have bathing facilities, but you dont need a large pool for them. Get a toddler sized pool where you can replace the water. They poop up the water really fast, so you should replace it at least every other day.

 

[laughaha]

Quote:
SO TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I use the rigid plastic kiddie pools- get the smaller ones if you aren't physically fit as the largest one is REALLY hard to dump and I'm used to carrying around 50lb bags of feed so I'm probably a bit more fit than the average chick. oh and they also work great for a huge chicken waterer provided you keep the water clean.

 

[Whispering Winds]

Quote:
Could you get a pic of that . . .seeing a goose drink drops of milk out of a bottle just melts my heart.

 

[sydney13]

i keep my chickens with my goose and they all get alone great together. the chickens were raised with the goose and i think they thinks shes their mother so when they cant find her they all go crazy and run around peeping

the goose needs something to dunk her head in and its best if she can swim in it.
who says geese and chicks cant get along?