New to raising geese need help

[Y0urB0y22]

Hi I bought a “bonded pair” of Toulouse geese in June and have some question. Also I just made an account so I do not completely sure on how this site works yet. My first question is if I am doing this write, so that sounds pretty unspecific but I will explain, so when I first got these geese I had them locked in a large pen with a small shelter that I could fit in, I would walk them down to the dam every morning and let them graze until it started to get dark then we would put them away for the night in fear that they wouldn’t stay in the yard (I live on a farm) but then I started asking people around my town and some people told me that locking them up is not necessary and that they will be content just grazing by the dam so we moved the shelter right by the waters edge and stoped locking them up and have just been leaving them out there to graze and swim. Now I want them to be comfortable around me, from what I have read I have no chance of them ever letting me get close enough to touch them because they were to old when we got them, the guy we bought them from said that they were almost fully grown and that’s all I know about how old they are, is there anything I should be doing differently, and I read that I most likely won’t get any eggs till next spring is that right?

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Welcome!
Try posting your inquiry here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/geese.47/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/geese.47/

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[Y0urB0y22]

Welcome!
Try posting your inquiry here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/geese.47/

View attachment 1498401​

I thought I did that, sorry I don’t know how to do it then

 

[Miss Lydia]

Most people think geese can take care of themselves which is a misconception other than being large how can they protect themselves from a coyote fox wolf badger mink etc that has teeth and is strong ? It’s very important to put them in a secure pen and house before dark. Okay geese are not affectionate to us by nature they are sweet and loving as gosling if raised by us but when grown ganders especially can get out of control with aggression if not trained to respect us. So you may never get to touch them other than forceably if you have to treat one for injury or sickness. My gander is over 11 yrs old and during breeding season is something out of a horror show we’ll not that bad but once those hormones begin pulsing his personality changes dramatically he become the secret service protector of his mate and everyone is preceived as a threat so you give them a wide berth and respect that this is normal behavior but you never let them bite it attack we have training info on the goose sticky’s. So if you want to have a relationship with your geese my advise is to spend time with them enjoying their company and they will begin to enjoy yours as long as you keep your distance lol. I can actually pet my gander on the head when not in breeding season he is. Pretty mellow chap then my Toulouse female is always laid back mostly. She has her moments during breeding season too but nothing like the gander. Oh and if you let her sit and hatch gosling they will be very protective of their babes too as any good parent would be and they make awesome parents even dad helps raise them . Geese breeding season here in US is usually Jan thru May depending on when female starts brooding . Enjoy your geese and Welcome to BYC​