I need help choosing a species "newbie here"

[Northeastdude]

I would like to raise waterfowl. However I am torn between ducks and geese. What are your recommendations? I would like to know what you guys think is more economical, and a better forager year round.

I am thinking of Pilgrim geese or Welsh Harlequin ducks. But I would like to raise only one of these, as to avoid problems. I know both are good for meat, eggs, calm, etc. But what is cheaper or better to raise, geese or ducks?

Thank you

 

[ShadyGlade]

Which is better depends upon you and your management style, facilities available, personality & aesthetic tastes.
Geese are calmer than ducks usually. In areas with grass year found I'd imagine that they are very inexpensive to keep. Mine would rather eat grass than their dry feed anytime. Once breeding and hatching is done and they go to pasture for the summer I can't even get most of them to walk up to me for a treat. They can have huge personalities and they are good at raising and caring for their own offspring. Mine even foster my artificially incubated babies once they leave the brooder.
Ducks are a little more hyper and not as inclined to enjoy human company. The Muscovy are excellent at rearing their own babies and will raise multiple broods a year. They are comical to watch and a great pick me up when you are feeling down. It is my personal belief that slapstick comedy evolved from watching the antics of ducks.
Both species are cold hardy and relatively easy to keep. Geese are larger and require more room per individual than ducks. You could go with Muscovy and have table ready birds reared by their own moms in about fourteen weeks. If you choose Pekins you'll do the raising but they'll be ready to eat a month or more earlier. Geese take a bit longer to reach table size but not by much. You could have them at about 16-18 weeks or let them grow on pasture until fall. Both provide food for the soul and eye as well as the body. Ultimately asking which is better is answerable only by you

 

[Northeastdude]

So the only difference is that geese are larger and enjoy grass more aside from being calmer and friendlier.

I plan on planting some clover, fescue, alfalfa. I heard that both ducks and geese will graze on these. Alright thanks, I'll think more.

Thank you for the reply.

 

[Wifezilla]

I know my ducks like clover. I used to have a huge patch in the backyard. GONE! LOL

 

[headred]

I am a newbie owner to 7 ducks, 8 weeks old. I find them to be great entertainment! I also agree it will just have to be what you gravitate toward. I started out wanting chickens and the more I read this site I decided on ducks. I'm really happy with my decision. See my website if you need more ;-) Good luck!

 

[Northeastdude]

Thanks for the responses guys

 

[countrybum]

Well, good luck, I cannot answer this question. I have 7 ducks, 2 geese, 5 ducks and 1 goose hatching out now with many more ducks on the way. I use my ducks for eggs, meat and as pets. My geese are just pets and I will sell their offspring.

 

[pascopol]

Quote:Basically Geese are vegetarians, or grazing creatures first, ducks are omnivores and great bug eaters, since their beaks are wider than chickens, they catch mosquitos and other bugs with ease.

Geese are intelligent and smart, Ducks just love to enjoy every moment of life, they'll make you laugh.

If I had a body of water on my property I would raise both Geese and Duckies!

 

[countrybum]

A couple geese, so the Canadian baby has some buddies and 2 of these ducks and 2 of these ducks and I do not have any of these, oh, I do not have 1 that looks like that either.

Oh and look at the cute little chickens in that cage.

 

[shelleyd2008]

You could have both geese and ducks, there shouldn't be any problems with them as long as there are enough females for the males (if you have both sexes). I don't have adult geese, but I do have ducks, I just love to watch them. I did have some baby geese I was caring for for a week or so, and I can't wait till I get mine!!! Baby geese are so loving, it is unbelievable!! I am so not used to baby animals that actually want you to mess with them, and that's what the geese do! They are just the sweetest things! But if you raised ducks and geese together, there shouldn't be much of a problem.

As for the feeding, you would need to feed them most all the time in the winter, since most places don't have that many bugs or worms for the ducks, and the grass is usually icky brown at best. Unless of course, you live in Florida, then they probably wouldn't need much then either