Housing or No-Housing?

[rmonge00]

I am thinking about getting geese and I need to start thinking about housing. I have heard geese need about 15 sq feet per bird, but then I have also heard of people building elaborate shelters and then the geese just sleeping outside. I am in a mild climate, so I am wondering what I can get away with. Should I just build a basic wind shelter or should I build a full-on predator-proof gigantic goose house or maybe just nothing at all? My property is 3 acres and they will get the run of most of it. It is all fenced in and is dog proof. We do have coyotes, raccoons, cougars, etc, in the surrounding forest, but I have never seen any except for a few raccoons. What are everybody's recommendations?

Thanks!!

Ryan

 

[rmonge00]

anyone...

 

[ginormous chicken]

I'm new to the geese thing. I have 1 gander and will have another goose for his mate. I am planning on putting up a dogloo for the pair. They have the run of my acre 1/2. But a lot depends on whether they find the swimming pool or not ( my guess is yes) . I have a pool and it is ungated. I am hoping they will be happy with the kiddy pool, but we'll see. I have heard both. But to answer your questions, I am planning on the dog loo, the kiddie pool, the feed station and probably some fencing and if I need something more elaborate I will build later.

 

[larkflying]

My books say that once geese have all their feathers that they do not want housing. People do shut them in a shed or safe area at night, but if left to themselves the geese will choose to sleep outside rather than in a building. A safe from predators area is good, but a house is optional except for very cold climates, as long as they have shade from the sun. So far, my geese seem to be completely happy outside in our large fenced orchard - there's an open covered area but the only time that they use it is when they think the goslings need to get out of the rain. I think once the goslings are completely feathered out in a couple weeks that they will be happy in the grass. I have heard other people on this site say that they found their geese happy and content out in the middle of snow . . . We have a kiddie pool, and put the supplemental feed into the open shelter to save it from the rain. We also have a perimeter portable electric fence net, and have the geese in a subdivided area inside so we can supplement the goslings/ducklings feed without the chickens taking it. It seems to be working well, except that the geese are eating their grass too fast and we have to move their area once a day.

 

[Yetti]

This is my first time owning geese & ducks. its a bit more work but I put them in a pen in my barn at night. tonight for example the barn is about 85* at 8:30 this evening. so I had to put a fan on the pens to keep the air moving. its just stagnant when its hot in there.
During the day I let the roam the whole place. they don't stray to far from the house, only about 200 feet at the most. the majority of time they hide out in the shade of the decks or in the kiddie pools full water under the trees. I have been very surprised at how adept the ducks are at spotting air born predators. they watch them till they are out of site.
the geese are doing well free ranging. they don't want to be inside now that its warm out. I have only had to put them in for bad weather and night time to prevent predation.

 

[Oregon Blues]

The important thing is to protect them from predators. Also, you will want some sort of shelter to keep their feed out of the weather. It costs too much to let t get spoiled by being rained on.

 

[Goosehaven]

If you are in a mild climate then they won't spend much if any time in housing, so I wouldn't go for anything elaborate if you decide to put up anything. We have two three sided wind shed's for our geese because we have extreme winters. They are nothing elaborate at all. The only time they use them here is if its below zero and the wind is really blowing. Otherwise they are outside sleeping on the ground in the blowing snow, sleet or freezing rain. It doesn't seem to bother them in the least. Another consideration for housing is if you don't have many areas they can get shade. Again, if you have tree's where they can get out of the hot sun, they won't use any housing as a rule. The next thing to consider is where you will keep their food to keep it from getting wet when it rains. Geese are really susceptible from getting sick and some can even die from eating moldy food so if you consider free feeding their supplemental goose food then you will need some sort of cover for it. All the animals you mention are definite predators of geese. I have never had coons bother my adult geese but I had a coon kill one of my goslings a few weeks ago and he climbed into a chain link fenced area to get to it. It is a good idea to have some sort of secure fencing to lock your geese up in at night. I have never had a problem with predators during the daytime hours when they are free ranging all day long.

 

[rmonge00]

So, if I have a 4 ft high fence that surrounds the land, will this be good enough or do I need to build something predators cant get into at night....

 

[Orange Ribbon]

Rmonge00, I'd say have something built that predators can't get into at night. A coyote or bobcat can be pretty brazen about entering your yard at night if it is hungry. If you are like me, those geese just cost too much (and mean too much to me) to take a chance on it. Even if it is just a two or three sided shed with a roof and good fencing on the remaining sides (since they like to be outside). At least you will have peace of mind and a good nights sleep.

 

[rmonge00]

Orange Ribbon - sounds like a good suggestion!! So, if it is only a simple shelter - I don't need 15 sq ft per goose right? Just enough room for them to sleep, say 2 sq ft per bird? Does this sound ok?

Then, I will also have to get them in at night - is this hard to do?

Thanks for the help!

Ryan