im taking a friends geese for the winter, i don't really know anything about geese, any tips?

[Fays Duck Farm]

So i'm taking a friends geese. i only have experience taking care of ducks.
Should i just do what do i do for the ducks? or is there something else i should do for them?
Winters here aren't the best, last year my male ducks curls froze off.
there's three of them, idk if there all coming.
also will the ducks be ok with them?

 

[Jenbirdee]

what breed are they? what sexes? if a gander is in the group he will be sure to try to murder you.
winter is the start of breeding season and ganders lose their minds.
i love my pilgrim geese but my gander gets aggressive if i turn my back to him he will try to bite me from behind.
i keep my geese separate from my ducks because my goose attacks the ducks.
geese need food and water and shelter just like ducks, yes, and they are fabulous fun pets for people who have the time to spend with them , i sit and play with my geese almost every day for half hour or more, and they have accepted me into their gaggle. but they don’t like anyone else in my family and they don’t like my dogs and they don’t like my ducks and they don’t like my chickens.
edit to add…
A lot of people with geese and ducks and chickens let them all together and they seem to get along. I don’t know how but they do. I’m sure you will get other opinions here, I know I sound so negative, but this is my experience and like I said, I totally love my geese.
it’s extra super amazingly unbelievably kind and wonderful of you to take them for your friend.
i think your friend should give you instructions on how to handle them, especially when they get aggressive.
for one thing, you never run from a goose you stand your ground. I usually hold my arms out big and stand still and stare at them till they cower and walk away.

 

[Goosebaby]

Geese are heavy feeders compared to ducks, especially in colder months. I don’t know what you‘re feeding your ducks but purina flock raiser and nutrena all flock are decent brands for geese and ducks. My geese on average eat about a cup or two of feed each per day. treats like pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, kale, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, apples, tomatoes, cucumber, melon are always nice to boost their vitamin intake.
if you have any layers oyster shell or crushed eggshells will be needed free choice.
geese can handle cold temps but a dry wind free environment is needed. Wood shavings can keep them cleaner and drier. Typically my geese are cleaner than my ducks, a five gallon bucket can help keep a cleaner source of water for the geese that the ducks won’t always be able to get into.

 

[telandra2]

I'm one that keeps my ducks and geese together, however the ducks have an escape path in the coop from bully geese. Here is is an example:

The duck area is to the left. The fencing is a few inches away from the wall off-camera top where there are some low shelves that block geese. They -will - try to squeeze through gaps. The ducks are investigating a goose nestbox. You can see a duck box along the top left (which a goose will still try to cram herself into.) The upside L shaped fence on the far right stops broody goose from constantly chasing everyone out the coop door.

They eat the same duck pellets. I add BSF larvae in winter for extra stay warm protein which they all eat. I tried grass and alfalfa hay, but my geese won't touch it.

It was -19f last winter and everyone was fine. I just add straw for extra snuggling.

 

[Goosebaby]

I'm one that keeps my ducks and geese together, however the ducks have an escape path in the coop from bully geese. Here is is an example:

The duck area is to the left. The fencing is a few inches away from the wall off-camera top where there are some low shelves that block geese. They -will - try to squeeze through gaps. The ducks are investigating a goose nestbox. You can see a duck box along the top left (which a goose will still try to cram herself into.) The upside L shaped fence on the far right stops broody goose from constantly chasing everyone out the coop door.

They eat the same duck pellets. I add BSF larvae in winter for extra stay warm protein which they all eat. I tried grass and alfalfa hay, but my geese won't touch it.

It was -19f last winter and everyone was fine. I just add straw for extra snuggling.

Oooo I bet they love the larva! mine love those too and it’s an awesome nutritional boost.

 

[Fays Duck Farm]

i got the first one yesterday.
there all Saddleback Geese, around 10 yrs old.
were getting three in total (1 female, 2 males)
the one we have is a female, shes pretty calm so far.
they all have to stay in one cage.
she eats cracked corn mainly.
the only thing is she refuses to let the ducks into the straw at the back cage

 

[NevadaEmma]

Geese are heavy feeders compared to ducks, especially in colder months. I don’t know what you‘re feeding your ducks but purina flock raiser and nutrena all flock are decent brands for geese and ducks. My geese on average eat about a cup or two of feed each per day. treats like pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, kale, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, apples, tomatoes, cucumber, melon are always nice to boost their vitamin intake.
if you have any layers oyster shell or crushed eggshells will be needed free choice.
geese can handle cold temps but a dry wind free environment is needed. Wood shavings can keep them cleaner and drier. Typically my geese are cleaner than my ducks, a five gallon bucket can help keep a cleaner source of water for the geese that the ducks won’t always be able to get into.

Do you add any additional niacin? I have been feeding my geese Kalmbach for geese and ducks. It is supposed to have enough niacin, but I add additional Brewers yeast.

I have been looking for an alternative that I can find locally. Most at our local feed store do not have as high a percentage of niacin as Kalmbach.

Happy New Years.

 

[JRies]

I have a large flock so I buy Niacin tablets and soaks them. Then pour over there feed. However if its a small flock Nutritional yeast is great. It covers all the B vitamins. They need thous also. B3 Niacin is most important during there development stage. All the B's are important throughout there life including b3. Basic niacin tablets they are like a aspirin constancy. Stay away from time releases. Buying nutritional yeast can get expensive if you have allot of birds. If you have a large flock I buy flaked peas and nutritional yeast from these folks there all organic https://essentialorganicingredients.com/

 

[NevadaEmma]

Thanks for the info!

 

[Goosebaby]

Do you add any additional niacin? I have been feeding my geese Kalmbach for geese and ducks. It is supposed to have enough niacin, but I add additional Brewers yeast.

I have been looking for an alternative that I can find locally. Most at our local feed store do not have as high a percentage of niacin as Kalmbach.

Happy New Years.

I don’t because my geese generally don’t have an issue unless they have some intestinal ailment and then I give them liquid B complex. My geese generally are fed purina flock raiser or nutrena all flock plus a lot of treats and they seem to do well on it.

Sprinkling nutritional yeast on their feed is an excellent way of adding additional B vitamins like niacin to their diet so that’s a great option also.