Novice needs help FAST!

[TSOWOATNKC]

I should preface that geese are okay at night behind just a good fence. Locking them up isn’t necessary unless you are unable to put them behind good fences.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I would never leave my geese outside over night they would be killed with the predators we have. They cannot stand up to any predator with teeth and claws.

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

So should I get one drake duck and 3 more hens?

You don’t actually need any drakes if you don’t plan for babies.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So should I get one drake duck and 3 more hens?

That would be a better ratio than 2 drakes or you'll have fighting on your hands from the drakes.

 

[PirateGirl]

So should I get one drake duck and 3 more hens?

That would certainly be a better ratio and should be enough females for him and less drama for you.

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

I would never leave my geese outside over night they would be killed with the predators we have. They cannot stand up to any predator with teeth and claws.

The books I’ve read say that geese vastly prefer not being locked up at night, and prefer sleeping open air. Geese don’t “go to bed” like chickens do. My geese and ducks actually seem to sleep in shifts, taking turns on watch all night.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe so but my geese 11 yrs and 6 yrs have always gone inside their house at night and have never not wanted to be locked up. No they don't go to bed like chickens but even my ducks waddle into their houses at night to sleep I have never been able to let mine sleep out side I have seen the predators we have on our game camera. Maybe if I had a well trained LGD things would be different. I am not say you or anyone else should do this, but this is the only way I can sleep at night knowing all of mine are safe and snug in their houses. I have read way too many sad stories of geese and poultry in general being killed and eaten at night.

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

Ducks and geese can certainly get used to being penned up. Depending upon the coop, in theory they can actually be in greater danger cooped up than in an open fenced area. You corner flightless birds to catch them, in a coop there is basically nowhere to escape.

I live on a wetland, so I see all manner of wild waterfowl on a daily basis. Ducks and geese don’t create dens and warrens like say a Puffin does. They definitely don’t sleep all night like humans even when penned up. We briefly penned them, and I found it sad how awake they were at night. A dog will largely sleep thru the night kenneled. I suspect most mammals sleep long periods at night. I know ducks and geese don’t based upon experience and research.

It’s certainly a personal preference to house or not house them at night. I can’t fault someone for penning up at night. I can say that in the natural habitat waterfowl don’t do anything like that.

 

[Susan12]

Yes three more hens.

 

[Sandy Braman]

Yes three more hens.

And a drake?

Another goose hen?

That would make 5 ducks (1 drake) and 3 geese (1 gander).