How many female geese should you have per gander?

[ChickieBooBoo]

The subject pretty much says it all!

 

[larkflying]

I have heard anything from 1 to 4 females to one male. It is easiest during the first breeding season if they were raised with multiple females, they will tend to accept more than one as a mate. Once they have made up their pairs or trios it is hard to add or switch the geese around. They get attached! It also depends on the breed somewhat.

 

[NYRIR]

Quote:
That's good to know...glad you responded to the OP's thread!

 

[Denninmi]

Oy!!!

What's got me bothered is that I have the opposite situation -- 3 hatched and survived (well, this long, going on 2 months for the oldest), but I've got one goose and 2 ganderlings.

Is THAT situation going to be trouble when puberty hits?

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
YEP they will fight until one proves to be dominate. He gets the goose and usually won't share.

 

[Denninmi]

I had hoped for the other way around, 2 geese and 1 gander. I guess maybe I should work on finding a second goose?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Some sites say you can have 3-5 geese per gander depending on the breed. However, the problem you can come into having so many geese is if the gander chooses a mate. A friend had this problem this past spring. She had a pair of pilgrims who were 2 years old then she had 2 yearling geese she kept from the pair's eggs last year. All 3 girls started laying, but only the 2-year-old's eggs were fertile. The gander paid no attention whatsoever to the 2 younger geese.

I have 11 geese for next year, 10 embdens and 1 chinese (oops!). As far as my sexing is concerned, I have 5 embden pairs. The chinese 'should' be a female, but I'll have to wait and see. If it's not a girl it will be finding a new home...might be anyway, haven't decided yet for sure.

 

[JFreeman]

My feed store has no clue what I am talking about when I ask for an "All-Flock" feed. They insist layer pellets or crumble is just as good, but I'm skeptical since they had no clue niacin was something to give ducklings. They will not order the feed. Should I stick to starter/grower, or are they right? My geese are only 3.5 months old, and the ducks are 6 months old, 2 just started laying. They eat from the same bowls.

 

[mattnnikki]

When do the american buff start laying mine are almost 6 months

 

[Miss Lydia]

When do the american buff start laying mine are almost 6 months

Most geese lay late winter into late spring. some Chinese will lay in late fall.