I want to get goslings next year but don't know where to start!

[Berd Man]

Dang. I was hoping that they would be, because my family and I would like to be able to go on vacation and keep them in their run the whole time. Like I was asking KathiQuacks, how do you leave for a while on vacation without having family look after them? It's probably already too much to take care of the chickens for some of my relative when we go away. Then they would have to take care of the geese on top of taking care of my 13 chickens. Are there any breeds that do better in periodic confinement than others?

How was your luck with Meyer? I've been looking at their website for baby chicks but I never knew they had goslings for sale. I've NEVER ordered any poultry online because of the shipping fee and the minimums, and I'm scared of the possibility of some dying! But luckily Meyer Hatchery is pretty close to me so that probably won't happen

I read a tiny bit of that article. Thanks for attaching it! Is there any easier way rather than to weigh the eggs though? Hatching goose eggs sounds almost too scientific for meI hope it's only the article that made it seem like that and I hope it's not like that in real life

Thank you!

So for vacations with geese, it’s easier than with other birds… I leave out a few large troughs of water. And rotate them to a large paddock where they’re behind electric. Then I leave them there for a week. If it’s really hot, the water will need refilling but that’s about it. You can obviously still lock them in somewhere, but then you’ll need to feed them everyday as they’ll eat everything down to the ground within a day locked in somewhere. And when I say confinement I’m thinking like chicken / rabbit cages… if you have a run for them like a dog kennel or something, just put out a large feeder and waterer when you go on vacation.

As for Meyer, I think they’re pretty good. I ordered American Buff and Embden from them. There’s some variation in size and the occasional grey feather leak on the Embdens, but they’re healthy birds and were shipped quickly.

 

[Berd Man]

Yes! Geese, however, take chewing up a notch. It’s wayyy different than duck chewing. My Buff especially chews non-stop and can be quite destructive.

I think it’s best for any birds to have a run so they can be safe without having to be squashed in a coop all day.

I have family over to help out too. That goose run would probably help a lot as well when you go on vacation, so anyone caring for them doesn’t have to wrangle them as much.

By the way, I don’t agree with not having geese cooped up at night.. Geese are big, strong birds, but they can still succumb to predators pretty easily.
My geese are only 8 weeks old, and I’m sure their behavior could change, but at the moment, they follow me and walk right into their coop every single night.

Coops can work if you habituate them to going in. As goslings they’ll imprint and follow you everywhere… once adults they get a bit more independent and wary of small spaces. Just my observations, YMMV. Mine hate going through the door, so I leave them out and they sleep in grass. They’re not “unprotected” they’re behind an electric fence. They just don’t require a building or structure to get along.

When we had that “arctic blast” storm a few winters ago. The windchill was -20 and I went out and my chickens were all roosting in a coop, the geese could have gone in for shelter, but they stayed out in a snow drift and tucked heads in wings and took the storm like stoics.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

I have family over to help out too. That goose run would probably help a lot as well when you go on vacation, so anyone caring for them doesn’t have to wrangle them as much.

Someone told me that they don't do well in confinement....Is that true or does it just depend?

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Coops can work if you habituate them to going in. As goslings they’ll imprint and follow you everywhere… once adults they get a bit more independent and wary of small spaces. Just my observations, YMMV. Mine hate going through the door, so I leave them out and they sleep in grass. They’re not “unprotected” they’re behind an electric fence. They just don’t require a building or structure to get along.

When we had that “arctic blast” storm a few winters ago. The windchill was -20 and I went out and my chickens were all roosting in a coop, the geese could have gone in for shelter, but they stayed out in a snow drift and tucked heads in wings and took the storm like stoics.

Where I live can get very cold. How do geese do in cold weather? What does frostbite look like on geese?

 

[KathiQuacks]

Coops can work if you habituate them to going in. As goslings they’ll imprint and follow you everywhere… once adults they get a bit more independent and wary of small spaces. Just my observations, YMMV. Mine hate going through the door, so I leave them out and they sleep in grass. They’re not “unprotected” they’re behind an electric fence. They just don’t require a building or structure to get along.

When we had that “arctic blast” storm a few winters ago. The windchill was -20 and I went out and my chickens were all roosting in a coop, the geese could have gone in for shelter, but they stayed out in a snow drift and tucked heads in wings and took the storm like stoics.

No, that’s fair. I thought about your post after for a bit and wondered if I was misunderstanding what “outside” meant for you. An electric fence is great, and your geese sound very hardy.

I was mainly thinking about my neighbor with geese who truly keeps them outside at night - no fence, no dogs, just a shallow pond for them to cower in. She’s lost many geese doing this and is fine with it. I’m not.

Someone told me that they don't do well in confinement....Is that true or does it just depend?

I’d say it depends. My goslings do fine with confinement, but their behavior could always change as they age.

 

[Berd Man]

No, that’s fair. I thought about your post after for a bit and wondered if I was misunderstanding what “outside” meant for you. An electric fence is great, and your geese sound very hardy.

I was mainly thinking about my neighbor with geese who truly keeps them outside at night - no fence, no dogs, just a shallow pond for them to cower in. She’s lost many geese doing this and is fine with it. I’m not.


I’d say it depends. My goslings do fine with confinement, but their behavior could always change as they age.

Totally get it! I should have clarified that about the perimeter fence. They’re amazing creatures and the down and feathers they have will protect them from most natural weather conditions. A good diet is crucial to get that great plumage that will work for them though.

I confine any goslings that aren’t reared naturally by a goose and later on give them access to the big bird yard. I think geese are smart enough and trainable enough to be put to bed, I’m sure if you work with them it will work

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Totally get it! I should have clarified that about the perimeter fence. They’re amazing creatures and the down and feathers they have will protect them from most natural weather conditions. A good diet is crucial to get that great plumage that will work for them though.

I confine any goslings that aren’t reared naturally by a goose and later on give them access to the big bird yard. I think geese are smart enough and trainable enough to be put to bed, I’m sure if you work with them it will work

The person at the auction that was auctioning her geese off told us that it's as easy as herding them in the coop at night. I hope it is that simple.

 

[LRH97]

Thanks for all the tips and info!
Random question, but are female geese or male geese typically nicer?

Males will typically be more standoffish during the breeding season and females will defend her nest. I have a flock of 14 Toulouse and while the matings are not completely monogamous, there is pairing that tends to happen. One gander will stick close to a particular female and once she nests, he will guard her. Some are die-hard protectors and some aren't too concerned with me. It's the same with the girls. When they're actually on a nest, I can comfortably reach under some to candle eggs and others I have to boot off because she's trying to take my arm off. That's more of an individual thing.

As for pens, mine are penned separated by breed during the breeding season with alternating grazing days and they do fine. They do fine confined to a run-like area so long as it's not cramped and over crowded.

 

[addctd2plnts]

I have Pilgrim Geese which are widely liked for being more docile than other breeds. But I'd still caution you that if you can't tolerate being bitten, geese may not be for you. You have to understand body language and how to hold your space and not be afraid. They are definitely not for families with small children. Geese bites leave you with a good 4" bruise and really hurt! Mine were hand raised and imprinted on humans. They were so sweet it was hard to believe they'd ever bite. Just like clockwork they started biting the first week in Feb. And although they are much less aggressive from Aug-Feb, they are never totally trustworthy LOL Last year at the end of Aug I let my guard down and bent over to put watermelon in their daytime pen. The gander got me on the cheek and it looked like I was in a prize fight for weeks! LMBO

Ducks are much more peaceful and my Indian Runners and Call ducks are truly marvelous. I love my geese but they are not for everyone.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

I have Pilgrim Geese which are widely liked for being more docile than other breeds. But I'd still caution you that if you can't tolerate being bitten, geese may not be for you. You have to understand body language and how to hold your space and not be afraid. They are definitely not for families with small children. Geese bites leave you with a good 4" bruise and really hurt! Mine were hand raised and imprinted on humans. They were so sweet it was hard to believe they'd ever bite. Just like clockwork they started biting the first week in Feb. And although they are much less aggressive from Aug-Feb, they are never totally trustworthy LOL Last year at the end of Aug I let my guard down and bent over to put watermelon in their daytime pen. The gander got me on the cheek and it looked like I was in a prize fight for weeks! LMBO

Ducks are much more peaceful and my Indian Runners and Call ducks are truly marvelous. I love my geese but they are not for everyone.

Oh my gosh that's awful what that goose did!
I already get bit a lot by my puppy, my mean chicken named Bear, and yeah
At least (I don't think) that geese have spurs and run at you with their legs extended
I had one duck once (was a rescue) and she was more work than my 13 chickens lol