Need info on American buff geese

[shellchic]

Kiery1105 , I completely enjoyed your post both of them. We are very new to these critters and hungry for as much advice we can get. We have 7 geese consisting of 2 Chinese ( white), and 2 Brown Chinese, 2 American Buff, and last in NO means least 1 African Brown. All very young we got the first in March. They have been just wonderful! The American Buffs are only 3 weeks, and HUGE! We are finding much to our surprise they are not as social as the Chinese whom follow me everywhere wait for me at my front doorstep, come running anytime they see me ect...how can you not love that

O ? I'm fascinated with the American Buffs. I do have a question really many many questions will they cross breed? This isn't something I want please pardon my ignorance if so what's your best suggestion to avoid this? Again thank you for all of this information as we have chickens which is also all just a new to us. We have only had dogs and cats used to breed and show Persians which is all so very different from this. Thankful for that. Lol

Never get just one goose.  They really need the interaction with their own kind.  If you already have some, that might be okay, but you may have to separate them at some point, even with two. 


You've got a better shot at integrating them if you don't raise them wth the ducks.  They'll imprint on the ducks, and that might be great when they're small, but they'll think of themselves as ducks, not geese.  They need to learn how to be geese before they learn to get along with ducks.  Once they grow larger than the ducks, you could have a real problem with the geese bullying the ducks.  Same goes for chickens and other small birds. 


They are far more likely to get along if they're raised in sight of each other, but not in the same flock.  They can be the same sex, but you really need 2 minimum.  Mine seem to be most comfortable in a minimum group of three.  I've also raised guineas with goslings and chicks with goslings.  It was fine for the sibling geese, but both the guineas and chickens grew up thinking they were geese.  We finally had to dispatch both the Guinea Mafia and the Roosters.  The guineas ran the younger geese so badly (one month younger) that they nearly killed one young goose and permanently crippled my biggest gander in that group.  They were my original Buff geese.  The young roosters hit puberty and actually killed 1 gosling the was 2 months old. We thought it was a racoon, but on broad daylight in the afternoon?  I caught them in the act with their second victim.   I really wouldn't recommend it.  They're not like kittens or puppies. They imprint and it sticks for life.  We don't always think through all the ramifications of future behavioral problems when we put them together.  Better safe than.  Oh, sold geese to someone who abandoned them to her chickens.  They had serious problems.  Ruined those geese permanently and lost several chickens in the process.

 

[Mi Ranchito]

Hi! We raise Buffs. We love them and think the world of them. They are calm, easy-going birds, extremely curious, and highly intelligent. I think they make the best pets, too. They also have a sense of humor. It doesn't always jive with mine. The population as currently rated by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy census as "critical", less than 500 breeding birds. My birds seem to be most at ease with one gander to 3 geese. (Some like it the other way around and one goose might have 3 ganders who have eyes for no one else -you just can't always tell!) If you want pets, don't start with more than 3 to 5, but buy them sexed. You will likely be hip deep in geese soon enough. Our original 17 turned into 87 within the first year. The eggs are excellent eating, by the way.

They are not very excitable, but can be noisy because they do love to play and they are much like a bunch of kids at a waterpark when they do. They do everything by committee and discuss everything at length. These don't make good watchdogs, but they will greet you enthusiastically when you go out of doors or return home. They thrive on tranquility and routine (that's the migratory instinct) and they will do things or travel the same way every time, but are quick to learn something different if you teach them. The lesson must be repeated 3 or 4 times. Just make sure it doesn't include "HOW TO open the gate" or that sort of thing. They can also understand simple commands and they learn their names and come or ignore when called.

I have around 38 Buffs right now and only 7 have mated permanently. The oldest will be 3 in June. Geese can live to be 25+, so they are still essentially teenagers and act like it. They also never forget anything, so it is very important that they not be teased, chased, or traumatized any more than necessary. Ours are gentle and affectionate for the most part, personalities of a few are more suspicious than the others. They are all individuals. They have never been treated with anything but kindness and respect, although they will take exception to that because of the Vent Sexing Incidents. (Ask me again about wings.) And talons. They have very sharp talons.

They are excellent parents. There are some behavioral problems that could arise from this if you have children. They are very hardy, easy to raise, grow anywhere between 12-22 lbs They were originally bred to be meat geese. They are also very large, powerful, and potentially dangerous animals. This is true for all geese. Getting hit by a wing can bruise the dickens out of you or even break your nose. Their bills are sharp for cutting grass and aquatic plants. They can break skin easily. They also chew on EVERYTHING. That is how they keep the edge on those bills. We had to have an electrician put a guarded cable on our air conditioner after they breached the fence and began chewing it. Mercifully, no one was injured but the bank account. They also gnawed holes in 2 satellite cables and tore the phone service out, not all the same day. Let's see? What else should you be prepared for before you get the little darlings? Large Buffs will not be able to fly at all after their 2nd year, however small and medium weight birds can fly short distances. They won't fly away, but they can fly. They are goats with wings, essentially. They can be very destructive, especially if they are bored or have found something that intrigues them (like A/C cables and cat tails). It's mostly natural behaviors coming to the fore with no natural outlet. They are true grazers by nature and will eat grass like hungry locusts. They also seem to have inherent knowledge of what constitutes native growing plants, trees, and shrubs, and those that were purchased. Preferences are comensurate with price.


Hopefully I haven't frightened you completely away from them, but it's not all a fairy tale. They really are like children (days when you love them and days where you could wring their necks)but I wouldn't give mine up for -or in spite of- anything. They're just too cool

Greetings from San Antonio! I really enjoyed reading this post. I am thinking of getting a pair of American Buffs for pets. This post gave me a lot of valuable information. Thank you.

 

[BarredRockGirls]

very informative post! i just got 2 buff goslings - i asked for 2 females and they said they are but im not so sure . for now their names are Lady and Lucy

. and they are 6 days old so far they are charming i think . i've brooded chicks and ducks in a barn but these 2 i have running around in my house w me (just cuz theres only 2 of them and i thought itd be easier/ closer) ... litteraly haha they follow me everywhere . they sit on my feet when i do things . then they explore everything and put everythingggggg in their mouth . im constantly pulling stuff out saying " no thats not for geese!" its too funny it really is like having lil toddlers .

 

[FarmGirl9494]

Depends on what you're planning to do with them and the time of year. I free range and keep all my birds together after the mating season is over. That is to say, when we decide we've had enough. After that, we just pick up all the eggs, sell them or use them ourselves.

They have close relationships with one another, irrespective of breed. Our original birds were both gray Toulouse and Buffs, so they really are "family" to each other. I have a Toulouse and a Buff (sisters, so to speak) that insist on sharing a nest each spring. They must wait until the end of the season when I let them back in together and then foster eggs pipping from the incubator. The Buff spends the most time brooding the clutch, the Toulouse pretty much takes over after they hatch. The hatchabilty rate for the eggs I leave them to set is not good, but those are Toulouse eggs I really don't care to hatch. They're just place-takers for the eggs in the incubator. I was initially afraid that there would be World War III over the goslings when they did hatch, but the girls seem to have an agreement and I don't worry about those two anymore. Don't assume, though. That type of hatch requires supervision until you know just what's going to work out.
Sounds like it might be an interesting combination, Buffs and Sebbies, but if you don't want mixed breed birds, just pick up the eggs. They really are good. You might also consider selling eggs to crafters. They are much easier to work with than chicken eggs.

Life is never dull with geese! They are truly wonderful! I think I spend the bulk of my time conversing with folks that don't know them or have heard bad things about them, that it's really not so at all! They've gotten such a bad reputation from birds that are not socialized (parks, etc.) or kept by people who did not teach them manners. A good knowledge of their behaviors and evaluating the world from their perspective goes a long way toward developing and encouraging a positive attitude toward humans and other species. Enjoy!

ohhhh I know how you feel when you say they insist on setting together and raise them together too! my only difference is the my girls are Muscovy ducks!!! I thought it would be WW III when they hatched too, but it turned out better to keep them together then to separate! but I have had a great hatch rate with them when together, and horrible hatch rates when separated! ahahahaha and ohhh I agree! if anyone else has hatches like this they need to be watched and checked on! I have had good and bad hatches with my ducks who sit together, only my Muscovy's ended up okay to let them them be and not separate!

my question is do you sell hatching eggs? if your girls lay all summer I would be interested in buying some, if not I would love to buy some next year and would like to know your availability and prices!

 

[Silver Spring Waterfowl]

I'm sorry, Farmgirl9494! I'm not on here much. It's best to pm me about requests. I have sold eggs, but do not ship them. I don't like to sell eggs. They're a crap shoot. Contact me next March. Maybe we can work something out.


Kathy

 

[goose4]

Last year we raised 3 Chinese geese and one buff goose. They were raised with ducks also. The three Chinese geese hung out together and the buff goose hangs out with the ducks. Her vocalizations sound a lot different than the Chinese geese. Could there be a language barrier? Or could it be that the Chinese geese are somewhat silly and she has a more serious no nonsense nature? I would like to find her a buff boyfriend next spring.

 

[Kathy48653]

I have a question. We recently got a Buff gander and goose who were not mated but are getting along great. This is our first experience with geese and we love them. We have 5 ponds where they spend most of their time along with 3 mallard ducks. They have learned how to get home and walk up to the house at least once a day to be fed. My question is this.... We have 9 dogs. (All are from a local rescue where we volunteer). The dogs don't bother the geese....however, the gander will go after the dogs if he is near me and they come around. The gander will "goose" all of the dogs EXCEPT our 2 white bull terriers. I think it has something to do with their color. We have black, brown, tan and cream colored dogs that are constantly getting "goosed" but the white bull terriers NEVER get it. In fact, the geese act as if they are somewhat afraid of the bull terriers who are the sweetest dogs. It's weird. Any ideas?

 

[Moe9256]

How do u tell the sex of American Buff geese? What does the male look like, the female, their characteristics, and coloring?

 

[Miss Lydia]

How do u tell the sex of American Buff geese? What does the male look like, the female, their characteristics, and coloring?

Maybe this will help http://poultrykeeper.com/goose-breeds/american-buff-geese I only have a goose in the Buff no gander or I'd show you pics of mine.for comparison

 

[Silver Spring Waterfowl]

How do u tell the sex of American Buff geese? What does the male look like, the female, their characteristics, and coloring?

I currently have about 77 breeding American Buffs. You can't tell for sure without vent sexing them. That is probably not something i suggest you attempt without some experienced help. They will show some changes as they grow, but you can't tell anything until they reach sexual maturity.

There are some generalities that you can use, but these really are only generalities. I have Buff geese of both sexes that defy all of these characteristics. Males tend to be 1-3 lbs heavier, have a coarser head, and a higher-pitched voice. Females tend to be smaller, with more refined heads, and lower-pitched voices. The bone structure of my males tends to be heavier than that of proportionately-sized females.

Covering one another (mating) isn't even 100% reliable because that activity can also be dominance-related. Watch for the male to have a large, pale-colored, corkscrew-like appendage immediately after mating. That goose is 100% male. They will also crow, flap their wings, and let everyone know what they've done.

Watch for females to become more secretive,and wander off by themselves, or be escorted by a male or another goose to a nest. If she lays an egg (and you know which one did), she's 100% female. Most females are normally very reticent about it, but if she has been escorted by a male, he is generally not. He will tell the world. Two females with "an arrangement" tend to be reticent.

Males, especially under 3 years of age, will fight or tussle amongst themselves during breeding season; however, females will also fight amongst themselves over nests and seniority as well. All activities are considered "group", but it is generally the females who are inciting the riots. They egg the males on. Watch for "cheerleaders", especially if one of them has been hanging with any ganders having a tussle. There are a multitude of behaviors and vocalizations that are related to gender, and some are very subtle. If you don't have any that you're specifically wondering about, just look at pictures. There is virtually no difference in their physical appearance. Good luck!