Min space requirements for goose house?

[zooweemama]

We have 2 Brown Africans - male and female. We won't let them hatch any eggs until they are at least 2 years old. But we need to build their house now. We may like a couple more geese in the future (possibly from them). So knowing what goose space requirements help. I know what it is for ducks and chickens. But not geese.

We have a 4x4 (16sq ft basically) sized floor panel done. We would really like to use that but not sure if that is big enough? They are free ranged on 2+ acres, no pen (but our yard is fenced). So from 9-9 they are outdoors basically. Once they get their own house though- we will let them out around 6am instead of 9am (they are temp housed with the ducks).

Thanks!

 

[1MrsMagoo]

ZooWee....

I think I remember seeing 10 square feet per bird in most texts. I think you would probably be alright with the 8 since it is a mated pair, so long as they don't have to remain inside for any reason during the day.

My original pair have a 6x6 house and recently a couple of their offspring have decided to start sleeping with them some nights. I have seen 5 of the geese all cuddled up with each other in that space quite comfortably. However, it looked a little cramped for them when they stood and tried moving around.

 

[zooweemama]

ZooWee....

I think I remember seeing 10 square feet per bird in most texts. I think you would probably be alright with the 8 since it is a mated pair, so long as they don't have to remain inside for any reason during the day.

My original pair have a 6x6 house and recently a couple of their offspring have decided to start sleeping with them some nights. I have seen 5 of the geese all cuddled up with each other in that space quite comfortably. However, it looked a little cramped for them when they stood and tried moving around.

I have read that some people lock their geese up and some just provide a shelter. Do you all lock them up? I really do not fancy anything eating them. I cannot imagine them wanting to hang out in their house much at all. They have access to the duck house now and duck in their to snatch any leftover kibble they can find haha. Then back on to the pond they go. We haven't had a fall/winter yet (we only get rain) so I couldn't say for that...

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have read that some people lock their geese up and some just provide a shelter. Do you all lock them up? I really do not fancy anything eating them. I cannot imagine them wanting to hang out in their house much at all. They have access to the duck house now and duck in their to snatch any leftover kibble they can find haha. Then back on to the pond they go. We haven't had a fall/winter yet (we only get rain) so I couldn't say for that...

All my flock gets locked up each night, they go straight into their houses for me to secure them. Mine wouldn't last a night outside here. Even on a pond they are in still in danger of preds, alot of preds swim. and are very good at it.

 

[1MrsMagoo]

Every bird on my property is safely tucked into their house every night. All my waterfowl, except my juvenile geese led by their ring leader Ozzie the Toulouse, are waiting by the door to their house by dusk for me to put them to bed each night. My chickens are the best behaved: They are all in their coop and on the roosts by dusk. The turkeys I have to herd in, but they are easy to move.

We have foxes, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, barn and barred owls, opossums, and a few other things creeping around on our property. Even though our entire property is fenced in, I would not be able to sleep if they were outside without secure shelter. Those with good livestock guardian dogs may be able to house their waterfowl in open type shelters, but our dogs are more interested in playing in the pond than protecting the birds....so we lock the birds up every night.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

we have live stock guard dogs and still wont ever leave them outside over night in three sided shelters. We do have 2 aviaries with ornamental ducks in them who we dont put up at night. Raised grow out pens and rabbits the dogs watch over during the night, everyone else is out during the day only.

 

[Shorty3735r]

Yes! Coons love them! Last year a coon wiped me out almost. We lock ours up every single night.