HI,GEESE&CHICKENS

[LORNA]

HI,I HAVE 3 PET CHICKENS CAN ANYONE TELL ME IF I GOT A BABY GOSSLING WOULD THEY ALL LIVE FINE TOGETHER WITH THEM ALL BEING PETS?ALSO I ONLY WANT ONE GOSSLING WOULD THIS WORK?I FIND THAT MY CHICKENS ARE VERY GOOD IN MY GARDEN THEY HARDLY MAKE ANY MESS AND DONT SCRATCH UP THE LAWN-WOULD A GOOSE BE MUCH THE SAME?I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH KEEPING GEESE!!!

 

[Barb Schuetz]

You really should have two if you plan on geese. They should do fine free ranging with the chickens but I wouldn't put the geese in the coop at night. All geese need is a safe place to go in severe weather and lots of water. Otherwise they can just roam about and you don't need to worry about putting them away like you do the chickens.

 

[4H kids and mom]

Geese are, for the most part, fairly easy to keep and can become quite tame. However, they are also quite messy, noisey, and can become really aggressive. A full grown goose is VERY loud. Think of standing next to a semi truck while it blares its horn over and over and over again. Yes, they are THAT loud. Do you have neighbors? If you do, they may not appreciate the loud honking of an adult goose or gander, and then you may be forced to part with your pet once you've become attached.

A full grown gander (boy goose) may decide one day that he dislikes your chickens and could really hurt them. Or, he may attack people that come in your yard. They DO make excellent (and LOUD) watchdogs, but some breeds can be very mean when grown.

They don't eat like chickens, so they souldn't really be housed with them. Geese (and all waterfowl) need water to disolve their food so they can digest it. Because of this, they often slirp, and splash, and soggy all their food and bedding, and spill most of their water when they eat. And as we all know with keeping chickens, a wet and warm place is a real nice breeding ground for all sorts of ickies. Geese are really very hardy, so they avoid most of the sicknesses that can really harm other fowl. Your chickens would most likely not be so lucky, and then you'd have sick chickens to deal with. Also, as stated above, they really do better in pairs or more because (unlike chickens) geese (and ducks) are flock creatures and really need to be with others of their kind. I suppose you could convince a new gosling that the chickens are his flock, but if you dont house them together, then he will still be lonely when they bed down at night.

If you are going to get a goose, get two and build or make them a seperate housing structure from your pet chickens coop. Let them out in the yard to forage as early as their first week (geese NEED greens!) and let them meet your chickens. Be perpared to clean their brooder daily or more (think wet, soggy, mushy food, poop, and spilled water several times a day) and keep them clean and dry. You can put them outside as long as they have a safe place to get out of the elements and lock them in at night until they are grown and can defend themselves. If you can do these things, you will be fine with your geese! They are amazing, and fun to have around (despite all the constant mess!) and are little clowns. Geese love a place to swim or at least wet themselves to keep cool on hot days. They don't need a huge pond or anything. A good size plastic kiddy pool (Walmart $5!) will keep them just as happy! When they are around 3 weeks old, get some fresh minnows from your local bait shop and toss them in the pool for them to dive after! Its great fun to watch! And, a good, healthy snack for them!

 

[Barb Schuetz]

I suppose I was a little vague! Good show 4H, good show!

 

[4H kids and mom]

Nah, not vague. I just don't know when to shut up sometimes! lol

 

[LORNA]

THANKS TO ALL THE REPLYS GOOD INFORMATION AND I WILL THINK LONG AND HARD BEFORE I MAKE A DECISION!!!!!