Just been given 6 geese, many questions please help!

[am1996]

Hi everyone..
a bit of background: I have 10 acres with a lake with other water birds on it. I have 2 dogs and a few cows, etc. so you can get the picture. 3 days ago, i was given (what i think to be) 3 Toulouse geese and 1 toulouse gander. Then yesterday, i was given a chinese goose and chinese gander - all of the gaggle are about a year old. They are all free roaming and sleep in the lake at night time, and we have a few foxes around but also a rottweiller who keeps the foxes to a minimum i think... are there any precautions I should be taking with regards to predators?
Anyway, I feed them everyday with some bread and feed and they do love it. they are slowly warming up to me, but ultimately i want to be able to handfeed, pat them, have a happy relationship with all 6. Do you think that given their age that I will ever get to this stage? They weren't very involved with people at their old home.
I am also hoping that they will breed, and apparently we have a pretty ideal environment for that. Is there anything i can do to help them during breeding season... and will their susceptibility increase during breeding seasons to foxes? Am I better off to take the offspring/fertilised eggs from the goose and hand raise them until they are big enough to sleep in the water and defend themselves?
Also, what are good things to feed them? I know there are things not to feed a goose, but i dont know exactly what these are as every website says something different. So please tell me exactly what is harmful for a goose to consume. Please help and thank-you all in advance!
any tips and help is greatly appreciated!

 

[RURU]

First off bread is not good for waterfowl it has no nutrician for them at all. If you want to feed them get Kale or romaine lettuce which is much better for them and flaots on water so they can eat it or come out and eat it. They will begin to trust you with the offerings. There are many things that you can offer as treats to them. Tomatoes, some corn, grapes cut in half you put on the ground in front of you so the see it and come out to eat it. Watermelon, apples cut up. Things like that.
The also eat waterfowl game bird feed which is a great food for them.

Also you need an overnight area to be put up from all predators at night. Even on your lake preditors can and will chase them out there and get them.
I have to go now others will chime in to help I know.

 

[BunkyB]

Hi there... as RURU said predators are the main concern for the geese and if any offspring then more dangerous. Being domesticized birds they have no real flight capability to get away is a hurry. Water is their best defence tho. I have many geese here and yes, they like to sleep on the water during the spring and summer. They have never been harmed on the pond YET. Been many years.

I like the fact you are trying to help them out and wishing for the best. If left alone they will possibly be mauled by coyotes, dogs, fox, etc. If you are going to offer them a shelter after getting to know them and build the trust then You have a big step to take in the care part. Being a year old with no real human contact it could be a long road for trust.
So many options running through the head here but can you offer shelter? Do you know any other peeps here at BYC that are in your geographical area that could help out, offer advice. or rehome the geese? Best of luck... Steve

 

[am1996]

I live in Australia, so coyotes, etc. aren't an issue. I obviously do not want to re-home them, they make great pets.
I won't bother building shelter for them until I can get them to follow me into the shelter and stay there for the night, etc. It also does not get too cold here, even in winter, so the lake wont freeze or anything for them to not be able to sleep on
What about food?

 

[am1996]

Also, how should I go about putting them away at night if I decide it is necessary? how do I train them to let me put them in an enclosure?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Also, how should I go about putting them away at night if I decide it is necessary? how do I train them to let me put them in an enclosure?

Only feed them inside the enclousure, start by putting it outside the door then as they get use to eating there you move food and water inside, after they are use to going in at night you can remove the food and water and just feed them during the day out side of their enclousure. You have other kinds of preds so putting them up at night will be best for them, gaining their trust will take patience but geese like treats too so start offering Romaine lettuce, kale and other types of greens again close to where they will be sleeping and they will begin to trust you. It just takes time.

 

[am1996]

Only feed them inside the enclousure, start by putting it outside the door then as they get use to eating there you move food and water inside, after they are use to going in at night you can remove the food and water and just feed them during the day out side of their enclousure. You have other kinds of preds so putting them up at night will be best for them, gaining their trust will take patience but geese like treats too so start offering Romaine lettuce, kale and other types of greens again close to where they will be sleeping and they will begin to trust you. It just takes time.

yes they do love their lettuce! i lure them with a slice of bread that the six of them all get a nibble of, then some lettuce, and then some feed... not too much bread though as i know it isn't great for them...
will give the enclosure thing a go when they trust me a little more!

 

[Miss Lydia]

yes they do love their lettuce! i lure them with a slice of bread that the six of them all get a nibble of, then some lettuce, and then some feed... not too much bread though as i know it isn't great for them...
will give the enclosure thing a go when they trust me a little more!

When mine are out ranging around the property and I want them back inside asap. all I have to do is shake the bread bag. I can have all 31 memebers of my flock, geese/.ducks/ chickens standing on my feet in a matter of minutes. It's a great motivator. especially when in a hurry.

 

[tillyita]

Hi am1996, I'm in Australia too. I lock up all my geese at night - they are in with my chickens at the moment but I'm working on changing that for our breeding season. I originally purchased 13 Pomeranians (or Pom crosses) back in November. I lost one to a wedge tail within the first month but haven't lost any since. They have warned me of foxes at night on several occasions though - and I've had to go out and chase them away. The lady that I got them from was in a very similar situation as you. She got them into her sheleter by herding them. Originally she had to chase them off her pond and then herd them into the shelter. When I got mine I locked them into the chook run for about a week before letting them out. I had to herd them back in the frist few nights (when I did let them out) and now they put themselves to bed. Don't know if that helps or not (but I hope it does).

Also (like Miss Lydia said) because the chickens get scraps - the geese see them getting into something (or see me with the big white bucket) and come running. I also call when I go out with the bucket so most of my animals will now come when I call. Mine only get fed in the pen.

 

[am1996]

Hi am1996, I'm in Australia too. I lock up all my geese at night - they are in with my chickens at the moment but I'm working on changing that for our breeding season. I originally purchased 13 Pomeranians (or Pom crosses) back in November. I lost one to a wedge tail within the first month but haven't lost any since. They have warned me of foxes at night on several occasions though - and I've had to go out and chase them away. The lady that I got them from was in a very similar situation as you. She got them into her sheleter by herding them. Originally she had to chase them off her pond and then herd them into the shelter. When I got mine I locked them into the chook run for about a week before letting them out. I had to herd them back in the frist few nights (when I did let them out) and now they put themselves to bed. Don't know if that helps or not (but I hope it does). Also (like Miss Lydia said) because the chickens get scraps - the geese see them getting into something (or see me with the big white bucket) and come running. I also call when I go out with the bucket so most of my animals will now come when I call. Mine only get fed in the pen.

Thanks tillyvita. I have just begun to hand feed one of the Ganders of the flock. hopefully the trust increases from here! i dont think i will have much luck putting them into a pen yet, they are very quick to hop in the lake so i dont think i could catch them! they are all going great so far though... eating and swimming happily. becoming more and more noisy too which i love (call me crazy.)
What do you think the prospects of them breeding are? will they cross breed? or just intrabreed?