Goose Pond Not a Big Hit - Suggestions?

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

We bought a 125 gallon pond form last year on craigslist to use for our ducks. Never got around to using it until this weekend my husband felt industrious and started digging a hole to use it for our three Sebastopol Geese. Didn't notice until we filled it that it wasn't level. Oh well, we can adjust that when i pump it out and refill it the first time. There are three sides where we built the dirt up so they could get in. Then i did steps on one side.

So far our geese are acting like we put a monster in the middle of the back yard. The goats are enjoying it as a new drinking hole. i'm wondering if the black color is scaring them, since they can't see the bottom. i've seen them walk up on the sides where the dirt is built up to the edge. They are avoiding the stairs i made out of pavers.

Any suggestions on how i can make this more attractive? Do i need to put steps inside so they can get out? Maybe we need to do a more gradual slope of the dirt leading up to it? Any ideas appreciated. Pics below.

 

[Lamar Estate]

When I place two Step 2 plastic pools in my yard for my ducks and Sebastopol, only the outside ducks went for it right away. Sebastian (Sebastopol) and Gizmo (duck), who live inside, had to be thrown into it. Even then, they would jump right out. It took a few weeks before they felt comfortable enough to swim in it. I think they were just used to the inside bathtub as their "pool."

With your pond, I bet it's just something too new. Once they are inside it, will they be able to jump out easily?

 

[oldiabird]

I think I see the kiddie pool still there and I'm guessing that was their bathing pool before and probably still is, I believe that animals are probably a lot like us ,not necessarily up for a change unless we have to. I started my pair of Sebbies with a cutoff blue plastic barrel, Mortimer and Monique didn't seem to mind, but I wasn't happy, so I picked up a utility tub at Menards that was like $13, holds about 25 to 30 gallons of water (black) , which I have dumped about every other day and put fresh water in and they seem lots happier, but I'd hate to have to go much bigger, and this one seems to get really dirty in two days, but yet isn't too big to dump even when frozen. I bet your's will try the new pool and love it eventually!!!! Good Luck!!!

 

[The goose girl]

Give them time. My goose has actively hated all new pools for weeks, no matter the color. The last one he took about six weeks to get used to. Then it froze for the winter. In spring, he used it for a couple of months, then he got scared of something and just let it sit all summer and fall. He finally started using it again in November, but now it's frozen again.

Just moving his kiddie pool a few feet will take him days to get over.

 

[Lamar Estate]

Give them time. My goose has actively hated all new pools for weeks, no matter the color. The last one he took about six weeks to get used to. Then it froze for the winter. In spring, he used it for a couple of months, then he got scared of something and just let it sit all summer and fall. He finally started using it again in November, but now it's frozen again.

Just moving his kiddie pool a few feet will take him days to get over.

Geese are so funny!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Give them time. My goose has actively hated all new pools for weeks, no matter the color. The last one he took about six weeks to get used to. Then it froze for the winter. In spring, he used it for a couple of months, then he got scared of something and just let it sit all summer and fall. He finally started using it again in November, but now it's frozen again.

Just moving his kiddie pool a few feet will take him days to get over.

That is so funny and so true.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Well, i looked outside late yesterday and saw our oldest goose in the new pond. Went running outside, thinking she had fallen in. She was just lazily floating with the others looking on. She was able to get out, but it wasn't very graceful. Today, they are avoiding it again. i think it would help to put something inside on one end so they can step onto it and out more easily. But my girl sure seemed to enjoy being able to actually float when she was in. Guess this will just take some time.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well, i looked outside late yesterday and saw our oldest goose in the new pond. Went running outside, thinking she had fallen in. She was just lazily floating with the others looking on. She was able to get out, but it wasn't very graceful. Today, they are avoiding it again. i think it would help to put something inside on one end so they can step onto it and out more easily. But my girl sure seemed to enjoy being able to actually float when she was in. Guess this will just take some time.

Have you removed the old pool? it may help them get into the new one if you remove the old one. And then they will probably follow the one in eventually.

 

[gryeyes]

I bought and filled a 300 gallon stock tank for my Cayuga pair. They loved it. Then I moved; it was months befor I got that stock tank up tp my new property and filled it. By then, I had added more Cayugas and a pair of Toulouse geese to my flock of chickens.

The stock tank was set on a lower terrace in the yard so they could just walk into it from the terrace above it, plus I had a wild-life escape ramp set into it. Kiddie ponds, yup, they loved those, but that stock tank was scary! It took over two weeks before the geese got into it, and it was only after my call duck pair "honeymooned" in it first.

Now that stock tank belongs to the geese. If there are ducks in it, they will get out when Kate and or Angus approach. They love floating in it, and flipping bottoms-up at times. However, they can only swim in circles.

So a 10 by 15 pool is being planned.....

 

[crj]

My geese watch everything I do and have to check out the materials so they will nibble on everything. I think they do let the ducks enter first to make sure it's safe. Otherwise they are in the pool. Except for the people pool. My pool broke down, pump isn't any good and so half the water came out and had about 2 ft in it. It's an above ground INTEX pool. I put one of the geese in there and she was not happy. When I walked around in the pool with her she was fine. If I got out she got out. A couple of months later I decided to put steps up to the pool. They went up the steps but wouldn't go in. Finally my brave goose got in and liked it. Then the part that holds the air dried up and cracked letting out what little air was left in the ring. When the geese got in water would leak out. Oh well, it was good while it lasted. Needless to say no more pool. I still have it on the ground and it does have water in that they enjoy walking around in. Silly geese.