Hi, all- I've just had these two adult geese (one white Chinese, one Pilgrim- both female) for a week. They're refusing to leave one tiny corner of their pen; they won't go out the open gate into a beautiful grassy area to graze. If I herd them out, all they want to do is run back in. They seem really traumatized by leaving their old home, which was a large pen with a lot of evergreen trees overheard - (as well as leaving their former owners, of course). The new area is very wide open, no trees, lots of grass (I have electric poultry netting around it). I close them up at night in a predator-secure coop; looks a lot like one I saw here on BYC, for geese, actually. They seem terrified of me while I'm doing it! - but they are eating and drinking OK when they're in there, and sometimes they go in on their own, during the day. Any advice about how to help them feel more at home here? Or should I just wait them out? Thanks, everybody! Robin PS I am brand-new to poultry and have 5 happy Welsh Harlequin youngsters in the next door pen to the geese. But they have access to my veg. garden, and I don't really want the geese in with them.
We adopted four ducks recently and they are still hanging together instead of the flock. Give them time they will come around- its good they have each other. It might also be better to have some quarantine time as well in case they have anything you don't want to spread to you other geese. I just reread your post and it does not look like you have any other geese! Sorry! Anyway, the geese will come around-- they are scared but they will be ok.
Ooh, thanks for that reminder... I've thought about the quarantine bit as I've tracked goose poop everywhere... maybe I should be stepping in some bleach water or something between the two pens?
We got a pair of 18 month old Toulouse geese this summer -- they were raised by a family and were used to people but they were still scared of us at first. We got the dramatic hissing for a long time : ) I think that if you are patient and calm and just spend time around them that they will start to recognize you and then will be calmer. The pair will now eat out of my daughters hands because she is the one that feeds them the most . . . She spent a lot of time sitting in their yard ignoring them with a book so they just go used to her being around. I think it took a long time because they are so intelligent for birds . . . Some of it could just be getting used to the sky too -- mine are constantly watching the sky for predators and they prefer to be near trees, or a building when at rest. I haven't quarantined my birds and have never had a problem, but I know it only takes once. Some people do and some don't. If you haven't been then it is probably too late now and any exposure has already happened.
Thank you! It's encouraging to hear that your geese have settled in... And yes, I think I've missed the time for any effective quarantine. I'll keep my fingers crossed. They sure are funny birds, these geese!
They may never climb in your lap or let you pick them up and hug them, but as they get use to their new home and you they will want to be near you when you are outside. They are nosey so anything you are doing they will want to watch and help if they can. They are a joy to have.
I live on a heavily wooded property but my geese and ducks both like to hang out under the lowest growing trees. When I had some giant branches blow down in the hurricane they made that their new favorite spot to take a nap... until I cut it up for firewood last weekend . You might get them something that they'll be comfortable hanging out under until they get used to having so much sky overhead.
