I am going to add geese to my farm family. I currently have 25 chicks that will be going out to the coop in a few weeks. I have been preparing a place for the geese in an adjoining coop/barn with a really large run and a forage area that is fenced in adjoining that. What I am thinking is getting two pair but I am caught between two breeds. So, HELP... I am looking at either Brown Chinese or Embdens (have given some extra consideration to Grey Saddleback Pomeranians). I want geese that will not be too aggressive (except during breeding season), that will lay eggs and at the appropriate time go broody and sit them, that do not have a tendency to fly. Are any of my choices right or would you suggest something else? Thanks, Jon
American buffs and pilgrims are known to be more docile than other breeds. I have buffs and love them. My gander is not as aggressive as embdens of a friend of mine. I hear Chinese are aggressive and flyers.
Thanks, I will give a gander (pun intended) to the Buffs. I had read about Pilgrims but they seem to be pretty costly.
Just to balance out Flockman, who adores Buffs , I adore my pilgrim-type geese. My ganders are so calm. They´re free-range, and have little tiffs between themselves at breeding time, but no big deal, they really work as a flock, and have never ever been aggressive with anyone beyond a hiss. And I can help myself to the goslings, the parents have that trust, even though they were raised free-range. They are capable of flying, and do a bit in the adolescent stage, then they settle and don´t seem to want to go anywhere else. Ten of my youngsters took off last week, only one went outside the fence, and wasn´t happy, so I had to make a hole in the fence so I could help her back in and they´ve not flown so close to the boundary since. We had a dozen visitors this past weekend, and we took them down to see the geese, no problem. They´re great.
Well, after a little more research, it looks like Pilgrims it will be. Nice, friendly, good layers and mothers, small enough to manage. Now tell me this. I have a "coop" ready for them that measures 10 by 10 with at attached run that is about 20 by 40 and next to that a fenced in forage area that is about half an acre. I plan to include a small pool in their run that I will only fill a couple of time a week. They will be brooded inside my house in the same area that I have been brooding my chicks. I will be covering their run with chicken wire to keep flying predators out as well as them in and will not let them out into the forage area until they are adults. Does that sound like adequate for two pair or would I be better off going with one male and 2 or 3 females? Also, how should I set up their coop? Do they need roost like chickens? When they go broody and nest should I provide a separate nest for that apart from their coop? Thanks, Jon
I´ve found that they´re happier in a couple than a trio. Your arrangement there sounds good. You may find it much easier to just get a pair, let them breed and enjoy them. With two pairs you may need to separate them at breeding time if they get too on top of each other. Or they may be fine. In the forage area you shouldn´t have any problems, but if both pairs decide to nest in close proximity, there´ll be some squabbling. In that case, it may be easier to section off an area for each pair during this time. go with the flow. You could always get a pair this year, get the hang of it, then get another pair next year. The older ones could well adopt the youngsters next year if you should decide to do it that way (instead of them rearing their own the first year). A note on the pool..if you only intend to fill it a couple of times a week, you´ll want to be careful of it getting fouled, as geese poop like mad, even worse in water. Best to chuck the water out the same day that they´ve had a good splash around, or at the latest the day after. Also, geese prefer to mate in water, and it´ll be more successful. Geese don´t roost, they like to stay out in the rain, they don´t sleep much at night, so continually talk quietly to each other and walk about. They like to nest in a depression in the ground, (but I tend to use old oil-drums on their sides, supported by a brick, and filled with hay.) in a quiet hidden-away place. If you only have one pair, the coop will be fine for them to nest. Once a goose has decided on a place, it can be very difficult to persuade her to use a different one. The greatest part of a goose´s diet is grass, so greens are super important. They also need vit B3, niacin in their diet. Enjoy your goslings, however many you get!
Buff african or brown africans will suit you not just because i love them but they are calm nice lay 30 eggs and cant fly at all
