GOOSE BREEDING THREAD - for breeding, incubating, hatching and rearing.

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks Mama Kitty! They're kept in separate pens right now, since we had our own coop and brought it with us. I've kept our girls in their coop, and the other birds in their coop. They take turns getting to free range.

Thanks for the advice Miss Lydia! Maybe I'll see if I can divide the pen somehow to keep the geese separate from the other birds. This is the set up I inherited from the previous owners, and they said they've always had all the birds together. But I have no idea if they ever had goslings either. The interior of the coop (where the goose is with the eggs) is kind of a mess. The previous owners converted an old greenhouse into the coop, but they didn't do much as far as creating good space for the birds. So I'll see what I can do for them.

All most of us can share is our own experience and I know for a fact my geese could not be penned or housed with ducks or chickens been raised with them too. In the half acre we have fenced they geese tolerate the others as long as the rest of the flock keep a fair distance. But I would not trust my geese with goslings penned up or housed with other poultry. i have to go into my goose house daily and scoop out the poop and i have one brooding on :"fake" eggs. I feel just because they lay doesn't mean they have to hatch. so mine are getting fake ceramic goose eggs. I have to be realistic about how many I can house and feed. The broody pitches a fit the rest come running but I make them stay outside till I am done. I even lift her off the nest to make sure no new eggs have been laid. and yes I do have pinch marks from where the female has bit me, No I won't tolerate my gander biting me but I know if I mess with a broody I'm going to get pinched. It's important they have "as" clean as possible sleeping and brooding quarters for their health and the health of the goslings and those that are in there with them. So if you can separate them into sections that would probably be best. have you thought about what you'll do with the goslings after hatch. keep, sell, eat?

 

[bloonskiller911]

Well my Toulouse started setting yesterday. she is in a dog house facing the pond. she kicked some of the eggs out yesterday though. I just assumed they weren't fertile so I got rid of the first two. then she kicked two more out and I noticed that when she was shifting around she nudged them out by accident. she is very aggressive., not to mention the male!! I was going to put a lip on the inside of the dog house but I don's want to disturb her. my current plan of action is to watch for her to get off the next and lay a 1'"x1" on the inside at the entrance. I also piled plenty of hay at the front so she can build her next up higher. any other suggestions? as soon as I get a chance I will get a picture of the set up.

 

[DanicaDream]

All most of us can share is our own experience and I know for a fact my geese could not be penned or housed with ducks or chickens been raised with them too. In the half acre we have fenced they geese tolerate the others as long as the rest of the flock keep a fair distance. But I would not trust my geese with goslings penned up or housed with other poultry. i have to go into my goose house daily and scoop out the poop and i have one brooding on :"fake" eggs. I feel just because they lay doesn't mean they have to hatch. so mine are getting fake ceramic goose eggs. I have to be realistic about how many I can house and feed. The broody pitches a fit the rest come running but I make them stay outside till I am done. I even lift her off the nest to make sure no new eggs have been laid. and yes I do have pinch marks from where the female has bit me, No I won't tolerate my gander biting me but I know if I mess with a broody I'm going to get pinched. It's important they have "as" clean as possible sleeping and brooding quarters for their health and the health of the goslings and those that are in there with them. So if you can separate them into sections that would probably be best. have you thought about what you'll do with the goslings after hatch. keep, sell, eat?

I'll probably keep them. Or sell them. I was originally going to rehome the geese, but they're kind of growing on me. I'm not sure about the eating part. I haven't even begun to research what that looks like. Are geese like chickens and have to be eaten by a certain age or they get tough?

 

[bloonskiller911]

IMG_2055.JPG All off they hay was to the right. She pulled it to there so far

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well my Toulouse started setting yesterday. she is in a dog house facing the pond. she kicked some of the eggs out yesterday though. I just assumed they weren't fertile so I got rid of the first two. then she kicked two more out and I noticed that when she was shifting around she nudged them out by accident. she is very aggressive., not to mention the male!! I was going to put a lip on the inside of the dog house but I don's want to disturb her. my current plan of action is to watch for her to get off the next and lay a 1'"x1" on the inside at the entrance. I also piled plenty of hay at the front so she can build her next up higher. any other suggestions? as soon as I get a chance I will get a picture of the set up.

That's what I'd do i had to do it on my goose house I used piece of scrap 2X4 what ever works for you just remember the nest will go higher but hopefully she'll keep the eggs down inside.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'll probably keep them. Or sell them. I was originally going to rehome the geese, but they're kind of growing on me. I'm not sure about the eating part. I haven't even begun to research what that looks like. Are geese like chickens and have to be eaten by a certain age or they get tough?

That I cant tell you as ornery as mine are I couldn't eat one of them

 

[DanicaDream]

That I cant tell you as ornery as mine are I couldn't eat one of them

To be honest, I'm not sure I can either.

 

[Miss Lydia]

To be honest, I'm not sure I can either.

They kind of grow on you don't they.

 

[KWSRetMSgt]

I know for a fact my geese could not be penned or housed with ducks or chickens been raised with them too. In the half acre we have fenced they geese tolerate the others as long as the rest of the flock keep a fair distance. But I would not trust my geese with goslings penned up or housed with other poultry.

Hello Again Miss Lydia,

First question is; How big is your pen you keep them in at night? My ducks and geese share almost 450 sg ft at night.

And even through most of the geese I have, have known most of the ducks since day one of their lives. The new additional four ducks are the exception, it was the geese who accepted them quicker then the original ducks did.
My flock also has about 3/4 of an acre to wonder during the day, and has a small pond to play in. But as I said before "every situation is different". I believe it's all about how their treated from day one.
My eldest male (Merc) was hand raised for almost 9 days before any of his brothers or sisters came along, he almost daily hisses at me now, he tries to get at our new Saint, she just barks at him and the flock and dances around them. But they know if I'm weeding the garden or out in the yard with them if they start squawking and come by I'll throw some weeds to them or go to the porch and get them some corn to eat.
SO... geese you inherit yeah I'm betting it would be some time before you could trust them because their still trying to figure out if they can trust you.
But that's why we're all on here to talk to and learn from others who have or had some experiences with these issues in the past.

Good Luck KWS

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello Again Miss Lydia,

First question is; How big is your pen you keep them in at night? My ducks and geese share almost 450 sg ft at night.

And even through most of the geese I have, have known most of the ducks since day one of their lives. The new additional four ducks are the exception, it was the geese who accepted them quicker then the original ducks did.
My flock also has about 3/4 of an acre to wonder during the day, and has a small pond to play in. But as I said before "every situation is different". I believe it's all about how their treated from day one.
My eldest male (Merc) was hand raised for almost 9 days before any of his brothers or sisters came along, he almost daily hisses at me now, he tries to get at our new Saint, she just barks at him and the flock and dances around them. But they know if I'm weeding the garden or out in the yard with them if they start squawking and come by I'll throw some weeds to them or go to the porch and get them some corn to eat.
SO... geese you inherit yeah I'm betting it would be some time before you could trust them because their still trying to figure out if they can trust you.
But that's why we're all on here to talk to and learn from others who have or had some experiences with these issues in the past.

Good Luck KWS

We never tried to keep our ducks/chickens and geese housed together at night they each have their own house. Now when it was just the ducks and gander all was well other than the drake and gander would get into it. But when we brought the goose in for our gander [it took him a while about 3 months to accept her he was so imprinted on the ducks]They still did much better with the other poultry until last year when we brought in 2 goslings at 2 days old, boy did they change after that, they have and still are very protective of these 2 and they are almost 1 yr old. gander/goose. Now chickens get close the geese grab them and don't let go, ducks have been grabbed by the neck and the other 3 surround her, I don't wait to find out what they are up to. These have all been raised here either from day olds or hatched here. my flock of 4 geese , 9 ducks and 13 chickens have 1/2 acre plus free ranging time most days when I am here they have pools scattered about also. Mine just have superior attitude that they are the reigning Monarchs and everyone else is beneath them. lol they have all been raised with alot of love.It's awesome that your geese and ducks can live together in harmony mine can as long as the geese are given a wide berth.