Pilgrim Geese??'s pics.. Update pics of geese pg3

[r4eboxer]

scratch'n'peck :

I have a pair of Pilgrim geese, and they are very good tempered. Ganders are not quite like drakes or roosters that mate with each and every female in the flock if they can. They tend to pick one mate to breed and nest with, so you would not want to cull the gander. And the females lay for many breeding seasons. My geese get along fine when free ranging with the ducks, but a divided shelter is not a bad idea. Inbreeding is not as problematic with birds as it is with mammals. They would have to be in bred for a few generations in a row to cause any concern I believe. Geese are even more winter hardy than ducks, you just need to make sure that they have water that stays unfrozen. I like to give my geese and ducks feed that is specifically formulated for water fowl. Always be on guard for spilled feed that might develop mold - those silly water fowl manage to get most everything wet.

scratch n peck I am so glad you posted! Whew

good thing you did. I didn't know they picked a mate so it is just perfect that I have two pair. Geez I want to go get them now.

I have run into a little issue but I think it will be ok. I bought the building to use but I can't get it delivered and set up by Sat. I have an igloo dog house that is a jumbo size. Do you all think it will be ok to put it by the pond with some straw in it for the geese? I should have the building completely set up in a week to ten days.

I hope I can catch some of her guinea's. I hear they are great for keeping bugs and rodents away. She said we would need a net to catch them. I am going to bring my kids minnow net and hope it works.​

 

[jbourget]

Looks like a very good spot to raise some geese and ducks, have fun!! enjoy watching them swim around they are a riot! they will learn to sleep on the water or at its edge for saftey if you free range

 

[r4eboxer]

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Thanks for the compliment! It's good to know they will be safe and can actually sleep on the water.

 

[erinszoo]

We have our geese and duck together. We used to keep them with the chickens and turkey as well but they started attacking chickens so we moved them out. Now they have kind of a lean-to shelter under the rabbit hutches where we close them up at night just in case a coyote or fox happens to wander in. The rest of the time they free range the yard and our yard isn't near as big as yours so you should do fine with them.

I do have to ask if that is a garden where you plan to range them? They will eat everything. Let me restate that THEY WILL EAT EVERYTHING that is growing and some things that aren't growing. My gander has a fascination with wood and unstacks our kindling pile every day and chews on the fencing surrounds for the reptiles enclosures and nibble on the rabbit hutches. Both of my geese have eaten EVERYTHING we have planted and grown in our yard at some point. They even ate our artichokes which are covered in spines.

The other thing we've had trouble with recently is that they have decided they like to attack us ... and we've had them since they were day olds. It isn't too much of a problem because we pick them when they hiss at us or bite us and that settles them down but getting geese that don't know you might trigger some aggressiveness in them that you'll need to watch out for.

Good luck with the birds ... and the green house. We just built one for the first time and love it.

 

[r4eboxer]

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Yes that is a garden, well it's a pumpkin and gourd patch it is fenced in and it's all dying down now. The deer took care of all the pumpkins anyway this year. I will build the fence up higher this year. My veggie garden is on the other side of the stream (not visible in those pics) I have a fence around it too. My chicken coop is at the top of the veggie garden and they range in it after the season.

I do feel your pain when you said the geese ate all your veggies. THAT'S HARD WORK! why don't they understand it was not meant for them?

I have read about geese attacks so I am ready for that. The good thing is we do have a lot of room. The pics show about 5 of the 30 acres so they have room to go about their buisness. As long as I get to watch them and gather eggs I am a happy camper.

 

[r4eboxer]

I picked up my two pairs of pilgrims today. I just got them settled in a newly built coop with food and water. They are stressed but when I put food in they went right to it like they were starved to death lol. I took pics but byc does not support my iPad so I have to transfer them to windows before I can post them. I promise to post them as soon as I get a chance. Right now I am going to spread some hay out for them.

I am keeping them quarantined for a few weeks so they can get used to where home is and so I can be sure they are healthy. I can not wait to get them in the pond. I must say they will be very happy here. The place I picked them up from needed some clean up and they didn't have much water to swim in. I feel like I want to give them a bath but as soon as they get in the pond I think they will clean up then. I gave them goat feed because she said that is what she gave them at times. They will not free range for a week or so. Is there something else I should feed instead?

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[Miss Lydia]

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Never heard of feeding geese goat feed, it designed for goats. Buy an all flock feed like Purina Flock raiser or a Water fowl feed. designed for water fowl. My goose loves grapes split in half and w/w bread as a treat. good way to get to know them. Congrats on your new geese, looking forward to pics.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Congrats on the geese! I want some pilgrims really bad!

 

[r4eboxer]

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Never heard of feeding geese goat feed, it designed for goats. Buy an all flock feed like Purina Flock raiser or a Water fowl feed. designed for water fowl. My goose loves grapes split in half and w/w bread as a treat. good way to get to know them. Congrats on your new geese, looking forward to pics.

I have a full 50 lb bag of flock raiser purina brand too. I bought it for the ducks. I will go pull the goat feed and fill the pan with flock raiser. I don t think this woman ever visited this site she told me to give them cereal for treats.

 

[crossgirl]

As someone else said, geese can and will eat pretty much everything. Nothing wrong with cereal for a treat now and then. Mine were forever trying to get into the goat chow! I know you're going to enjoy them. Geese are great, low maintenace lawn ornaments.