Goose search'n'

[CountyGal]

O.k. so here is a newbie looking for info on Sebastopol geese and meet geese. I am getting some ducks for the first time this year.

The ducks will be for eggs and bug control, but I would like to get a pair of Sebastopol geese to raise and sell their off-spring. Any suggestions on feed, problems with up-keep, raising, or hatching.

Also what kind of meet goose should I look for? Is there any difference between getting a straight batch or all geese or ganders?

Sorry for all the questions, but I hope some of you may know at least some of the questions.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[noahsgeese]

I can not answer all of your questions but here is a few:

I would feed them just regualar chicken feed, or that is what I use? And I would get ganders for meat because they are bigger;
but they are also a little meaner but I have Embdens so I do not know what sabastopols do?

Hope this helps! And Cottage Rose might be of some help to you!

 

[CountyGal]

Thanks. That get's some questions answered!

 

[noahsgeese]

Sorry that I can not help you on anything else

 

[CountyGal]

Anything Helps believe me! I am literally starting from scratch!

 

[noahsgeese]

Geese are truly amazing and though I have one of the meanest geese I still think that geese are amazing, and I hope that you get all the help that you need.

 

[houndit]

Quote:
Embdens are the most popular meat geese. They are a good choice. Mutt geese are my favorite for meat. Since you are just eating them it does not matter what they look like. They are cheaper to buy that way.
I feed ours chicken feed, but there are some who think that is not good enough. If you are in them big it might be worth changing your feed. Since I am small and our geese have done fine I have not changed their feed. They are very easy to keep.
Congratulations on geese! They are really wonderful!

 

[CountyGal]

Quote:
Embdens are the most popular meat geese. They are a good choice. Mutt geese are my favorite for meat. Since you are just eating them it does not matter what they look like. They are cheaper to buy that way.
I feed ours chicken feed, but there are some who think that is not good enough. If you are in them big it might be worth changing your feed. Since I am small and our geese have done fine I have not changed their feed. They are very easy to keep.
Congratulations on geese! They are really wonderful!

So what places would you recommend to buy Embdens?

 

[WNCUrbanAgrarian]

Hi country Gal,

I too have read that Emden are the best for meat. Geese are vegetarians and grazers tho, so I would not raise geese on just feed, as 1. I think you'd get better meat if they were able to eat grass and greens. If you want to raise Sebastopols for breeding, you definitely want to make sure they get plenty of greens. Also most chick feed is too high in protein for geese. Layena by Purina is a good choice as it isn't as high in protein. Otherwise Duck feed is good. I don't have access to Duck feed. Black Sunflowers are also said to be good, and I do mix that and whole oats in with the Layena. In the winter, when grass isn't much available, I buy lettuce, greenbeans, carrots, and kale for them. Try and stay away from products with soy. Most importantly Geese cannot tolerate MEDICATED food.

I am beginning incubation on Sebastopols this week, so will have goslings late March. If you are interested you can go to my website for ordering information.

http://urbanagrarian.webs.com/

 

[ultasol]

I had great luck with my American Buffs as far as meat geese is concerned. They were excellent foragers, and other than some supplemental feeding during the first few weeks of life (before I turned them out with their parents, who still parented them) they didn't need any supplemental feed until winter. In fact, the first one we butchered was before any supplemental feeding, and I have a pic (please excuse the insectivorous look as I didn't remove the last portion of the wing and I should have)....