Geese Questions

[rvenn]

I really hate to say since it's hard for me to tell unless there are certain signs like ganders have very high pitched shrill honk females have low pitched. 

Lets see if @jchny2000
  can guess I lean toward gander. 

Any signs of mating yet? 

no, but the embeden has always kept himself in front of the buff to shield from danger. Would he do that if they were both ganders?

 

[Miss Lydia]

no, but the embeden has always kept himself in front of the buff to shield from danger. Would he do that if they were both ganders?

Lets just agree you have a pair until we hear or see other wise. When I had my Buff I found out at 4 months she was a she because my Embden mated with her big give away lol but my Toulouse gander was much harder to tell it took alot of guesses from those on here that are usually right but in the end at 9 months old he mated with the Buff then we knew. It's really hard to tell at times.

This is a cute video showing the difference between goose and gander
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...se-from-a-gander-in-case-anyone-is-interested

I just saw the good news!! Goose Yay!!

 

[Table4Six]

Probably the reason your already seeing eggs.

Yes, I have two eggs from each female.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

am thinking about maybe raising geese this year or next year and have a few questions maybe some one could help me with
sorry am new to this whole poultry thing just started out with chickens last fall, and now wanting to expand.

so these are my questions

1. are they like raising ducks? i have read many books and articles on ducks and every one tells me there about the same but are they? info on raising geese/videos seem to be quite rare.

2. how are embdens geese? my local hatchery sells them and i was wondering if they are a good bred, (am looking at keeping the hens or what ever you call the females geese or goose right? sorry) and either selling or butchering the males, (i want them as pets but have no interest in breeding them)

3. how are they for guard animals (such as a natural alarm system?) okay this may seem weird but the main reason i would like to raise them (besides being pets) is to keep them around and used them to scare off predators (read other people doing the same thing) and what would be the best breed for this (am looking at embdens right now)

4. how messy are they? am looking at creating a pen for them with a goose house attached to it, (where i live we have way to many coyotes and raccoons to let anything free range) this pen would be maybe 100-200 sq ft and the house maybe 64 sq ft, so the thing is are they messy/smelly to raise or is that just a myth?

thanks for reading this long post and sorry if these questions may sound dumb am just new to this and would love to raise some geese as pets and alarm systems.

its a small farm out

 

[pomnovice]

am thinking about maybe raising geese this year or next year and have a few questions maybe some one could help me with  
sorry am new to this whole poultry thing just started out with chickens last fall, and now wanting to expand. 

so these are my questions 

1. are they like raising ducks? i have read many books and articles on ducks and every one tells me there about the same but are they? info on raising geese/videos seem to be quite rare. 

2. how are embdens geese? my local hatchery sells them and i was wondering if they are a good bred, (am looking at keeping the hens or what ever you call the females geese or goose right? sorry) and either selling or butchering the males, (i want them as pets but have no interest in breeding them) 

3. how are they for guard animals (such as a natural alarm system?) okay this may seem weird but the main reason i would like to raise them (besides being pets) is to keep them around and used them to scare off predators (read other people doing the same thing) and what would be the best breed for this (am looking at embdens right now) 

4. how messy are they? am looking at creating a pen for them with a goose house attached to it, (where i live we have way to many coyotes and raccoons to let anything free range) this pen would be maybe 100-200 sq ft and the house maybe 64 sq ft, so the thing is are they messy/smelly to raise or is that just a myth? 

thanks for reading this long post and sorry if these questions may sound dumb am just new to this and would love to raise some geese as pets and alarm systems. 

its a small farm out  

1) Raising geese are similar to raising ducks in some aspects, and can be very different in other aspects.
2) I hear Embden geese are a great breed, and are docile. They're also decent layers, but it always depends on the goose.
3) They are great alarm animals, meaning you will immediately be alerted to any intruders, as they're wary to strangers. But, don't expect them to be protective, as they have many predators.
4) Geese are messy, as in bedding will go everywhere, they poo every five to ten minutes, and they often make their water muddy. But, it's manageable.

I hope that helped, if you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

1) Raising geese are similar to raising ducks in some aspects, and can be very different in other aspects.
2) I hear Embden geese are a great breed, and are docile. They're also decent layers, but it always depends on the goose.
3) They are great alarm animals, meaning you will immediately be alerted to any intruders, as they're wary to strangers. But, don't expect them to be protective, as they have many predators.
4) Geese are messy, as in bedding will go everywhere, they poo every five to ten minutes, and they often make their water muddy. But, it's manageable.

I hope that helped, if you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

okay thank you. here a few more questions maybe you could help me with?

1. for the alarm animals do you think there honking/hissing at intruders/strangers would scare off say a raccoon or coyote (they would be in a pen but if they predator every tried to break in,)
2. do geese make good pets? am looking more for the females.
3. how cold hardy are geese? where i live (canada sask) it can reach minus 49C or negative 56.2F, like what type of heat would i need to keep them warm (just water heating or heating there whole coop with a ceramic wall heater like my chicken coop i think thats what there called.

but thank you for all the help

 

[pomnovice]

okay thank you. here a few more questions maybe you could help me with? 

1. for the alarm animals do you think there honking/hissing at intruders/strangers would scare off say a raccoon or coyote (they would be in a pen but if they predator every tried to break in,) 
2. do geese make good pets? am looking more for the females. 
3. how cold hardy are geese? where i live (canada sask) it can reach minus 49C or negative 56.2F, like what type of heat would i need to keep them warm (just water heating or heating there whole coop with a ceramic wall heater like my chicken coop i think thats what there called. 

but thank you for all the help  

Hello again! Two geese on my lap as I write this, I find it humorous.

1) Yes and no. They do honk loudly, and hiss. Ganders would more likely fend off predators than females, as it's instincts. It may, it depends on how brave the animals are.
2) Yes, they make excellent pets. Many people have tame house geese that cuddle up to them, and play with toys.
3) Geese are VERY cold hardy, and Embdens would easily tolerate a cold winter, as they're not a breed who get frostbitten. If you feel the need to warm them, you can, but you don't have to.

 

[Table4Six]

1. I don't think so, my favorite goose was I believe killed by a coyote.

2. Some are mean some are nice, it all depends on the goose. I have two female white chinese and one (that I hand raised) is very fond of charging/ attacking people (especially strangers).

3. I think geese are pretty cold hardy, but I'm not totally sure. I live in Florida, so I don't have problems with heat.


I hope this helps.

 

[rvenn]

Lets just agree you have a pair until we hear or see other wise.  When I had my Buff I found out at 4 months she was a she because my Embden mated with her  big give away lol but my Toulouse gander was much harder to tell it took alot of guesses from those on here that are usually right but in the end at 9 months old he mated with the Buff then we knew. It's really hard to tell at times.

This is a cute video showing the difference between goose and gander
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...se-from-a-gander-in-case-anyone-is-interested

I just saw the good news!!  Goose Yay!!

Thanks for the help. I hope they are a pair, but if not I really dont care I have them just as pets.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for the help. I hope they are a pair, but if not I really dont care I have them just as pets.

That's all mine are and no goslings here 2 is a plenty for me and my flock. It's just enjoyable having 2 in my life.