My neighbor has some Toulouse geese that he'll be hatching eggs from and he asked me if I'll want any free goslings next spring. He keeps his for pets. Is there any economical reasons to keep geese? They grow really fast and so may be good for meat, but I've seen how they get attached to humans pretty easily, but maybe there's a way to raise them without getting attached (yeah right ). I've heard that in olden days they'd use goose down for pillows and stuff (but I think you need to butcher a goose to get the down, right?). What about housing? Are they big enough and smart enough to fend for themselves? We do have a one acre pond in front of the house. Would they eat small fish out of it? Please share all the reasons to get and not to get geese. BTW, as far as poultry goes, we only have chickens and Guinea fowl.
I've always wanted some geese, but respecting my husbands wishes, I haven't gotten any. If you have any sidewalk or pavement it seems that's where they head to poop. A friend who has them on their farm has to wash the sidewalk off every morning because all the poo from them "roosting" there every night. Not a big deal in the summer, but not the easiest thing to do in the winter.
Ok why you should not get the geese. 1. They are soo cute when they are little you cant help but pet them, hold them, and fall in love with them. 2. They are so funny when you go out side and they see you and they come running over to you honking just to follow your around. 3. When they play in the watter it can entertain you for hours on end, just a blast to sit and enjoy. 4. They look so cool these big birds that walk around like they own the place keeping an eye out like guard dogs. They will let you know if something is not right. 5. I just have to mention the cute factor again. I wish I could not get baby geese every year cuz they are so loveable!!!
If you get goslings in spring and raise them for the meat (and yes, they have to be butchered for the meat, too ) they're easy and cheap animals to keep. They prefer foraging over pellets, so if you have enough grass, they only need the pellets as a supplement. When they molt, you should theoretically be able to pluck the loose down and craft your own pillows and comforters. I'd say it takes a very human imprinted goose to be able to pluck from it without hurting it or scaring the wits out of it. I know they pluck live geese in Poland, but the footage I've seen from the process makes it look very much like they harm the geese both physically and mentally. I think it's animal cruelty. It really depends on your personality. As Katy says, you can't be too fussy about the poop - they really do poop a lot. If you're the kind of person who likes animals to do what you want them to, don't get geese. They tend to do anything but. But if you enjoy watching animals, and if you're curious about their behaviour, you should definitely get geese. They're so much fun to watch. They're really hard not to get attached to, because unlike other poultry they interact with you all the time. Especially when they're young, they'll tend to walk in your footsteps and talk to you incessantly - and cry when you leave them. As Jrooster says, there's a humongous cute factor to them. They don't eat fish - or bugs - they're vegetarian. They'll chew anything they can catch or reach, though. They investigate everything with their bills. If you have predators in the area, you should keep them locked up at night. A flock of 200 geese may chase away most predators, but the small flocks most of us keep can't fend for themselves - even though they'll try. When they grow up, they'll seem very aggressive to people they don't know very well. You probably won't succeed teaching them to be nice - in my opinion you can't teach geese anything; instead you can teach yourself and other people how to act around them. Uh, and they do taste very good!
Thanks for all the info! I don't mind the poop very much, and I love having various animals in the yard, but my parents are very touchy about the poop (can't blame them). I recently put a couple flocks of chickens near the house and I have to clean their poop off the carport, sidewalk, and steps regularly. I would imagine that goose poop would be less dry (harder to clean) than chicken poop, correct? And it sounds like they poop a lot and are very people friendly, so they'll spend a lot of time around the house? It sounds like if I lived by myself I'd really enjoy a couple pet geese, but my parents wouldn't. Thanks for convincing me not to get them! Those goslings are SO CUTE!!! Maybe someday I'll get some geese!
I have 11 Geese ( 6 Toulouse and 5 Embden ) and they pooooooo.... it is usually green and very runny and it does smell somewhat - I clean their house out every day as it would be a disaster if I left it for 2 days. They are so wonderful apart from the fact that: 1- They can get aggressive in Spring (Whenever that may be......) 2 - They sometimes attack other fowl - ducks, and chickens ( they do to mine on occasions ) 3 - They can fight between themselves However, on the plus side: 1 - They are SO cute 2 - Great for exercise - they can bite your bum when you are attending to other matters - and you do jump! 3 - They are Geese...... lovable, cuddly and great for warning you of any predators about! Get some and enjoy them
Quote: I don't think I'll get geese... It seems like the main economical use they are to a farm is meat, but they become pets so easily... I've been looking into Muscovy Ducks. They look very interesting. Excellent large meat birds (taste like beef apparently ), natural fly control, and they may become feral and hatch their own ducklings. Why don't more hatcheries carry them?
I heard the reason why some hatcheries don't sell muscovy ducklings is that they don't ship well. Also, it could be that there's new restrictions on owning them, but I think the real reason is the first one I mentioned. I thought about adding geese to my future "flock" whenever I get one, but I don't think I'm a goose person. They bite, are loud, and frustrate me sometimes. But, then again, right after I get really, really mad at them, they do something really cute and loveable.
