Geese Questions

[chickenlover09]

Hi everyone! I'm thinking about getting a goose or two, but I have a few questions.

- What type of goose do you think would be best for me? I live in a suburb area (it's pretty naturous and foresty here though). I can't have a loud goose. And, I don't want the goose to be able to fly.


- Can geese live with chickens? I have 6 chickens, and the goose would be purchased as a baby and would live in a brooder (I don't know how that works...) and then be moved into the chicken coop and free ranged during the day.


- Do geese need a pond? I defiantly don't have a pond in my backyard, but I can buy a doggie pool or something.



- Any other things you think I should know about geese?


- Where can I buy a goose online? I would buy the goose in the next month or so. I looked on Metzer Farms but it looks like they don't hatch them until the end of spring, but.... I "need" them now.


Thanks for any help!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi everyone! I'm thinking about getting a goose or two, but I have a few questions.

- What type of goose do you think would be best for me? I live in a suburb area (it's pretty naturous and foresty here though). I can't have a loud goose. And, I don't want the goose to be able to fly.


- Can geese live with chickens? I have 6 chickens, and the goose would be purchased as a baby and would live in a brooder (I don't know how that works...) and then be moved into the chicken coop and free ranged during the day.


- Do geese need a pond? I defiantly don't have a pond in my backyard, but I can buy a doggie pool or something.



- Any other things you think I should know about geese?


- Where can I buy a goose online? I would buy the goose in the next month or so. I looked on Metzer Farms but it looks like they don't hatch them until the end of spring, but.... I "need" them now.


Thanks for any help!

Not many geese that are quiet so that maybe a deterrent right off, I have 3 different breeds Toulouse, Embden, and Buff and all three can raise a ruckus when they want to so living in suburbs with neighbors you may have complaints, my closest neighbor is across the river and I bet they can hear my geese at times. Most domestic geese can't fly very well but the lighter the better to get off the ground so don't get a Chinese but a member on here has Production Toulouse and his geese have taken flight so living in close proximity to neighbors with dogs or highway[road] may not be ideal either. unless you clip a wing to keep them grounded. Geese can live with other poultry but you'd have to wait till your gosling was large enough to hold it's own with chickens they can be awfully mean to baby poultry of any kind so until gosling was at least 4-6 weeks old would need to be kept inside but you would need to take it outside daily to introduce to the chickens so they could see it and get use to it. Geese do better if kept with one of their own though. They like geese. They don't need a pond, most of us don't have ponds just kiddy pools of various sizes and clean them often. geese are very messy love to splash out all their water but need deep containers to keep their eyes and nares clean and healthy. They can be very good at warning of company coming and also have been known to take a nip out of someone they don't know even those they do so if you have small children you'll have to teach both children and goose[geese] to respect each other. All of this can be done it just takes time and patience. Not trying to discourage just stating facts, they are intelligent and fun addition but not something to jump into without doing lost of research. I'll get you the list so you can read on the different breeds and their personality.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/618185/raising-geese-101

 

[chickenlover09]

Okay thanks so much!

I'm only 21, so no kids and we don't really have anyone at our house except my 13 year old brother who visits often, and the gardner.

lol, I have a whole list of things to report my neighbors about, so they wouldn't dare complain about a goose's noise.

I'm a little interested in the Sebastopol goose. I was looking on a chart on Metzer farm's webpage, and it said they can't fly very well and aren't very loud.

Also, what's the deal with their egg laying? Do goose eggs taste good and how often do they lay?

 

[jtn42248]

First it is pretty unlikely that you are going to find a gosling (baby goose) this time of year...at least in the northern hemisphere. Goose breeding season is pretty much late winter into spring and then it is over for another year. I have 3 Toulouse that I got when they were 4 weeks old and they have bonded with me yet still have an appropriate level of independent spirit. Mine (one gander and two females) are about 20+ pound each already and have wing spans in the neighborhood of 7-8 feet and, even though they are not supposed to be able to they can and do fly. In fact they seem to really enjoy it. I take them out into my big field and they let me walk away from them and then honk and come flying to me. Then I run back to the other side and they fly along side me.

I don't know why you "need" geese right away but I think you are going to have to wait at least a couple of months if not more...that or get already adult geese.

Geese need goose companionship. This is best done with a male (gander) and a female (goose) at least. I feel, as to others, that trios are the best ... gander and two geese. Two males or two females will also work as they will have goose companionship without the issue of breeding and hatching goslings.

As for a quiet breed...there really is not such a thing. There are some that are less loud than others but all geese are loud by nature. They do, after all, honk. They do not peep, they do not cluck, they don't even quack quietly...they HONK!!! And it is called honking for a reason. It is like having an old Model T with a stuck horn.

While you may have no problem raising goslings with your chickens you will find that, as they get older, they do not really appreciate the company of any other creature that is not either a goose or you. So, if you get some geese, be prepared to give them their own space within the first 7-8 months in order to avoid any potential problem.

They do not require a large body of water but they do require water that is fresh and deep enough to stick their head into. This is essential to their survival as they need water to clean their nose and help with their eating. A kiddie pool that is large enough for two and deep enough that they can sort of float is best as they also need that type of water in order to breed comfortably.

There are any number of BYC members that will, I am sure, reply to your post. Two or three of them I consider to be very knowledgable (my goose gurus) and who have helped me immensely in my goose adventure. Miss Lydia is one of them and I see that she has posted a reply already. Reach out to these people and listen to what they say. They have years of experience with geese...anywhere from only a few to dozens and dozens.

Good luck if you do decide to go forward with getting geese. But carefully evaluate having them in a small area, your real reason for wanting them and most important, that this is a lifelong committment to a very regal bird. If you get geese and change your mind later, you may find that re-homing them is not an easy thing.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay thanks so much!

I'm only 21, so no kids and we don't really have anyone at our house except my 13 year old brother who visits often, and the gardner.

lol, I have a whole list of things to report my neighbors about, so they wouldn't dare complain about a goose's noise.

I'm a little interested in the Sebastopol goose. I was looking on a chart on Metzer farm's webpage, and it said they can't fly very well and aren't very loud.

Also, what's the deal with their egg laying? Do goose eggs taste good and how often do they lay?

Sebbies probably couldn't fly if they wanted to, lol we have quite a group of Sebbie owners on here so go to the Sebastopol thread and subscribe and talk to them about their geese and you maybe able to get on a waiting list for spring. Not sure where you are in the USA but RURU has lovely geese as well as others I bet you could find just the color your wanting too. Keep us updated.

 

[Carrosaur]

My Toulouse wasn't loud until I got a boyfriend for her... Now they both yell at each other all the time! Poor goose cant get a break when he screams every time a plane flies overhead...

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Toulouse wasn't loud until I got a boyfriend for her... Now they both yell at each other all the time! Poor goose cant get a break when he screams every time a plane flies overhead...

Isn't it funny when jets fly over even way up high they still see them, must look like Rodan to them. The screaming can get pretty bad here especially when I first let them out in the morning, today they have been extremely vocal. I think we have a hawk stalking, I did put up more predator tape.

 

[Carrosaur]

Yes in the morning it's the worst. Pear sleeps inside the cage and if she's not out when it gets light Kiwi gets very upset and starts yelling into her face!

 

[goose4]

We have 10 geese and they are very noisy. They squabble and bicker about almost everything. My mom lives across the field and she can hear them from her house. Her neighbors on the farm down they road from her can sometimes hear them too. Mine don't fly either. I have brown Chinese, white Chinese and Buff. They conduct flying practice at least once a day by running down the driveway but it is rare if anyone gets more than an inch or two off the ground. They all line up in a group then spread their wings and run down the driveway. It is quite a sight to see. I think that they are inspired by the Canadian Geese flying overhead. Don't get me wrong I love my geese but they can be little stinkers. I live out in the country so it isn't a problem.

 

[chickenlover09]

Thanks so much everyone!

I think i'll join the Sebastopol geese thread.


I bet a goose would blend right in with 20+dogs on our street barking at uh anything....


Also, what temperature do geese do well in?

In fall, it's been a little cold for us here in CA (lol it's 68 F today). It can get pretty hot in the summer (between 80 and 90 F), and at night it is usually around 50-60 F.