My new Geese with a couple questions...

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

My neighbor gave me her geese about a month ago and I am a first time owner of geese.. I own lots of chickens but never a goose. At first I tried to put them in with my chickens but they started attacking the geese, so I put them in my fenced in yard which is mostly dirt and weeds and they seem to be happier.

I was also given a showgirl rooster who runs around out there with them... If anyone is in Florida and wants a white showgirl rooster, please get in contact with me.

I was told geese dont eat as much as chickens, I give them about 2-3 cups of layers pellets a day and make sure they have fresh water at all times, which is not always easy to do..lol

I was thinking of giving them a couple dog houses as shelter, for now they sleep under the overhang of my house.

I feel so new to this, but will search the articles but any pointers right off the front would be greatly appreciated.

I think they are between 3-5 months old, one is starting to grow a larger bulb, so I am hoping that means I have a pair of each gender.

 

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

Actually I think I am giving alot more food than that, I just went and looked at the bowl I fill for them and its probably closer to 6 cups

 

[larkflying]

What beautiful geese! Now that we have geese, I have trouble being excited about my chickens. I just enjoy the geese so much . . .

I'd get them on some grass though - they LOVE grass and they need it. It is their main source of food . . . some weeds they'll eat, and some they won't but they love grass, dandilions, clover . . . mine are actually improving the lawn after I move them off of it it grows back like plush - must be all the fertilizer. If you can't put them on grass they need A LOT of roughage - lettuce, watermelon rinds, good quality grass hay -- something.

If there was any way you could fence off a small corner of the chicken yard so that the geese could hang out with the chickens, eventually the geese will figure out that they are bigger. Most people have problems with their geese picking on the chickens! My young geese were afraid of the chickens at first, but luckily I got an adult pair to put out with them, and they did a good job of keeping the chickens away till the geese grew up. They might be younger than you think - they grow so incredibly quickly!

The geese might not need or use a house at all -- most of what I read said that geese prefer to be outside in the elements -- only in long periods of freezing weather, or heavy snows will they use a house. I've seen mine sleeping in the rain while all the chickens were hiding in their house.

Have fun with the geese! : )

 

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

I will have to try to grow some grass for them, We live in a very sandy area of florida... The weeds have no problems but grass seems to be hard... I will try some grass seed and hopefully the geese won't eat the seeds like the chickens would.

I have come accustomed to watching the geese out my Kitchen window. They honk and love going through the weeds. They are quite beautiful to just stare at. I will admit they are smellier then chickens in my opinion.

This time of year I will start with some Rye grass..
Oh and they do gang up on the little show girl rooster when its feeding time.

 

[yoyosma]

They're gorgeous- thanks for posting the picture!
(I just got my 2 geese a week ago, so don't have ANY advice- just my own questions!)

 

[Miss Lydia]

The only problem I could see in letting the sleep out side with out shelter is predators, just because geese are large doesn't mean they can't be killed. I lock my goose and ducks and chickens up at night so i know they are safe. living in Fl. you won't have that harsh of winters but I feel they still need shelter. just my opinon.

 

[Oregon Blues]

You are in Florida, so you won't get any weather that geese can't handle. The shelter yours will need is a way to get out of the sun and protection from predators.

Geese love weeds and broadleaf plants. Grass is their preferred diet, but if you don't have any, then they will get along without it.

I feed 1/2 pound of feed per day per goose, divided into two feedings, and they often don't finish it, so I cut back the next day. Do you have a kitchen scale so you can weigh the feed and see what size contain to use to scoop it out? A 25 pound goose eats about the same amount as a 9 pound duck. They are very efficient at feed conversion. It's better for their health to not let them get too fat.

 

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

No I dont have a scale but can grab one. I agree they need to be locked up at night , we do have some foxes and raccoons in the area. They come running when I am out side to see me, but if I try to reach down to pet them they try to get away from me. Everyone keeps asking me , Why geese? LOL I said they were given to me and just look at them... They are beautiful!

 

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

What kind of Hay grass?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
75/25grass, alfalfa