"Land Geese"

[cindyschicks]

So, I have feather brained Toulouse geese I think.

Yesterday, after watching my pair of geese bath in the kiddie pools I had set up outside the coop I decided it was time to introduce them to the pond across the property from the coop.

I picked them up and carried them, kicking and screaming, over to the pasture where the pond is and set them down on the edge. They immediately swam out of arms reach into the pond. So I thought they would discover their water bird genes and have a good time. Not so much!

As soon as I backed off and sat down on a wall to watch them, out of the water they came and started looking around like "how the hell did we get over here"! After about 20 minutes of watching I gave up and herded them back to the chicken coop where they promptly jumped in the pool to wash off the dust of traveling I guess.

So, how many of you have geese that want nothing to do with large bodies of water? Is this typical of production type Toulouse? Do I just need to buy another kiddie pool so the ducks can have a bath every now and then?

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

It took my geese 2 weeks to get used to the idea of swimming in a pond. I just tossed them in once or twice a day.... eventually they caught on. good luck!

 

[goosedragon]

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Or maybe it is you that is feather brained. Are you sure that the pond is safe?, No gators, snapper turtles or mink hang out there?

 

[cindyschicks]

No gators in the Chicago area. This is a vernal pond so there really isn't any "wildlife" in the pond.

Don't get me wrong, I love my geese, I just think sometimes they are goofy, which is why I love them!

 

[shelleyd2008]

The embden I had last year was scared to death of the pond. He never did really get used to it. But if you continue to take them to the pond (preferably of their own free-will, kicking and screaming is not anyway to get them to like something

) they should eventually figure out that it's just a huge kiddie pool

 

[The goose girl]

It took my goose about 5 or 6 weeks to get in his new pool. He would drink from it from day one but did not wish to go in it. And the pool is right there in the yard, so he didn't even have to get used to new surroundings. I tried to lure him in with treats, but after the first few times he thought it was a trap and wouldn't go for the treats.

That was clearly not the way to go. I also tried just carefully placing him in the pool, but after a few seconds he would panic and rush out, screaming and flapping his wings. I then tried to go in the pool myself (I put on waders, it was November and coooold), but he was still scared of it.

I finally put his old kiddie pool into the new pool, and after a few days of only using the kiddie pool he ventured out in the "open" water. I left the kiddie pool there for a few weeks until he was perfectly comfortable with the new pool. Now he loves his pool and goes swimming every day.

Some geese are more "autistic" than others. I've had geese hiss at my lawn furniture and make a wide berth around it if it had been moved.

Check this thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=396355 for geese vs. new bodies of water. It's hilarious!

 

[goosedragon]

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[cindyschicks]

@goosedragon

OMG, I think I would fall over on my back, arms outspread if I came home to all my ducks/geese like that!

My pond is really just a wide spot in the ditch/creek as it passes through the horse pasture. It doesn't stay long so I was trying to introduce them to it while we still had enough water to make it worth the waddle from the chicken coop. I'll have to try again on the weekend, it gets dark too early after work right now and of course we are back in a cold spell. Lovely Chicago winter. My hubby is from NC and would gladly give it all up up here to be back there!

 

[Lamar Estate]

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Wow, the things we do for our geese!

 

[SunnyD]

My pond is about 2 acres and the 2 Cotton Patch Geese and 3 Peking ducks could see it clearly from there little pool (actually a stock tank.) Then when they were about a year old, they finally I came outside one day when they were all about a year old and they were all in the pond!