Goose lovers – please help!!

[LightningTFarm]

nope, I think it's wonderful and you should do it!!!

Thanks for the encouragement!! We now have horses, donkeys, dogs and ducks, so why not geese?

 

[LightningTFarm]

Geese will NOT protect ducks or any other bird from predators. Geese are just as likely to be killed by a raccoon as a duck is. Dewlap Toulouse need level ground with good grass for grazing, and not large open pastures as they will not use the entire large space. A pair should have a house 4-5' high x 6' wide and 4-5' deep, plenty of ventilation, and a secure door. If you are interested in them please fill out the adoption info form so Iain and I can read it over and one of us get back to you about them. Please know that if you did adopt they would be two ganders, not a male/female pair as thats what needs placed at this time.

I would definitely supply them with a secure house, and a run for those times when for whatever reason it is not safe for them to be out in the pasture. I do have a question about getting two ganders instead of a goose and a gander - if I get another pair of geese, say some Cotton Patch, would those two Toulouse ganders give the goose a hard time during mating season? Will they become aggressive? Maybe I should be thinking of getting a pair of Toulouse hatchlings in the spring to go with the two ganders? Please advise! I have checked out your website and your birds are beautiful, as is your farm.

 

[zooweemama]

Geese will NOT protect ducks or any other bird from predators. Geese are just as likely to be killed by a raccoon as a duck is. Dewlap Toulouse need level ground with good grass for grazing, and not large open pastures as they will not use the entire large space. A pair should have a house 4-5' high x 6' wide and 4-5' deep, plenty of ventilation, and a secure door. If you are interested in them please fill out the adoption info form so Iain and I can read it over and one of us get back to you about them. Please know that if you did adopt they would be two ganders, not a male/female pair as thats what needs placed at this time.

Totally concur. My geese protect one another- and only because they are paired. LOL It's a free for all. The geese boss the ducks around and the ducks AND geese sound off if something weird is going on. But that's it. No protection. A wild mallard was on the pond the other day- pretty little thing. Freaked the heck out of my ducks and I could hear the geese honking in the house so I went to check them out. But even my fatty geese wouldn't go near that tiny little mallard swimming on the pond with them rofl.

 

[LightningTFarm]

Lightning, if you have horses, it is an easy transition to having geese, as they have very similar needs. A pair of grey dewlap ganders would be a wonderful addition to your farm!!

I asked Celtic Farms this question, and maybe you can give me your input, too. I am concerned that if I get a pair of Toulouse ganders, and then later get a breeding pair of Cotton Patch geese, that the Toulouse ganders may harass the Cotton Patch goose during breeding season. Will they, do you think? Also, maybe the thing to do is order a pair of Toulouse female hatchlings for the spring, so that later on each gander has a girlfriend. What do you think?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

If you have two ganders of ANY breed and then add a new pair (male/female) of any other breed you need to be prepared to house them separately to include night house and daytime pasture during the entire breeding season.

We split everyone up here in December and dont let them back together again until mid June. Our first eggs are laid in January (which is not the same for those living up north). Even the Sebastopols are split up into breeding trios and pairs with separate housing and daytime yards. Otherwise it would be a big gander cluster fight around here.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Oh and Donna thanks for the compliments. We greatly enjoy our little farm.

 

[LightningTFarm]

You are very welcome! Would it be best, do you think, to try to get a couple of Toulouse females for the ganders? If I do that, and they are paired off, would it then be safe to have a male/female pair of another kind of geese around? Or would I still have to separate everybody?

I just ordered the Holderread goose book, so I will be reading like crazy once it comes. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to make it work. Would the two ganders be happy to just be together, with no females?

 

[zooweemama]

If you have two ganders of ANY breed and then add a new pair (male/female) of any other breed you need to be prepared to house them separately to include night house and daytime pasture during the entire breeding season.

We split everyone up here in December and dont let them back together again until mid June. Our first eggs are laid in January (which is not the same for those living up north). Even the Sebastopols are split up into breeding trios and pairs with separate housing and daytime yards. Otherwise it would be a big gander cluster fight around here.

For us I read February (west coast- more northern than southern)? How long does a breeding season usually last? We won't be letting Sarah hatch any eggs next year. Any tips on collecting her eggs without getting beat up? LOL

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Two ganders are fine together with no females around.

If you get a pair of geese yes you need to separate.

If you get girls for the ganders yes you should separate any other pairs you get down the road.

Always keep breeds separate during breeding season to avoid fights and cross breeding.

 

[psue]

For us I read February (west coast- more northern than southern)? How long does a breeding season usually last? We won't be letting Sarah hatch any eggs next year. Any tips on collecting her eggs without getting beat up? LOL

if they arent going set... and you collect eggs every day and they're use to you collecting them. You might be ok. I haven't had any trouble unless I didn't collect then as soon as I saw them. But let 2 or 3 get in the nest..... it's not a good thing to chane your mind about who's hatching them.