Well my garden took quite a hit this year, and I think some geese are in order as we really don't want to spray the vegetables for all the nasty little bugs and with the long vining plants, mowing gets more difficult. I want to get baby geese (goslings?) from a hatchery as I want to raise them. So I have some questions and would love any input! What is the best time of year to purchase baby geese? I live in N. PA so it's pretty cold in spring and grass doesn't really start to grow until the end of April. What do you feed baby geese? The breed we are looking at is the American Buff as our area/shelter is a bit smaller so larger geese simply won't fit. Are there any books you would recommend that are kind of a complete guide to geese (from baby to adult, health etc.)? I definitely want to be as prepared as possible so if there are any other pearls of wisdom you could share it would be greatly appreciated.
hi, I found the "book of geese" by Dave Holderread to be very helpful. He is a very respected and well known waterfowl expert and breeder. I don't have experience with buff geese, but we have 2 rescue geese (an embden Crabby Abby and a generic gray goose Lucy Goosy)and a baby sebastapol Elliot, and they really don't take up a lot of space at all. The geese do have higher niacin requirements than chicks so I used a gamebird starter. That book has all the hows, whys, and whens, of feeding to housing and other concerns. The geese as babies and adults really fare best on greens of all sorts, but when our grass is dead, they don't mind a little of the goats alfalfa or some alfalfa pellets. As far as the garden though, the geese are far more likely to eat your plants than the bugs, bantam chickens and ducks really do a better job of pest management with less damage to the garden (with controlled access of course.) Good luck, Kat
Quote:Thank you, I will try to find that book. Interesting, I've been told that chickens will do more damage to gardens, but mine free-range through and of course had to take a couple nibbles here and there, but nothing bad as was projected. I definitely want ducks in the future (Cayugas ) but I don't have a pond for them. Do geese require a sizeable pond ( I am planning on putting a small one in)? Thanks so much for your help!
You could get away with a plastic swimming pool if you want to give them something to swim in. Even a large low side mixing tub you can pick up at tractor supply works well. Cayugas are super cute I just picked up a drake for my female this weekend. I love my Gucks <3 (geese and ducks)
