Preparing for winter

[SouthernPride]

I know it may be a bit soon but since this is my first year with geese I don't want to get caught off guard. Our winters here are usually mild with a few really good cold snaps with 10 degree days. We usually get 2 - 6 inches of snow. I plan on laying lots of straw (not pine) in their coop in the event they need/want to go in there. But what about food? Since their foraging areas will be all brown, what else will they eat other than the waterfowl food I give them? I mix this with corn and wheat bran now, will it help to increase the corn as it gets colder? I've tried roman lettuce, zucchini, and watermelon all of which they refused. The only foot that gets them excited is granny smith apple. Will they eat mixed straw like wheat or alfalfa? Is there any thing else I should prepare for?

 

[CapricornFarm]

Do you have a plan to keep water from freezing for them to drink?

 

[SouthernPride]

No, good thought though. I will get a heated watered from tractor supply.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Grit, don't forget the grit. they'll need it if your going to feed alfalfa. I've only ever feed Purina Flock raiser to my goose besides what he gets while grazing. in the winter I do mix in a 50lb bag of 7 way scratch to a 100lb bag of FR. and when buy a heated bucket make sure it's at least 2 gallon so they can get their heads in to wash their eyes and face.

 

[Olive Hill]

10 degrees is not cold. You do not need to do anything special. Have a wind/snow/rain break available to them if they want it. But don't be surprised if they don't. Feed and water them as usual. You can offer hay to help keep feed costs down and them happy, just make sure you give grit with it. If you don't want to run a heated base for their water dish you can just use the black forteflex tubs, the ice breaks out of them easily and with as little cold weather as you get down there, they're much more cost effective. Just fill them once in the morning and once in the afternoon on freezing days and they'll be fine.

 

[SouthernPride]

Thank you for the responses. When u speak of grit is that different from oyster shells or sand? Right now the eat sand that was left over from the kids sand box.

 

[theron]

Quote:
Yea. Grit is different.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=grit...28&tbnw=94&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0

 

[Olive Hill]

If the sand isn't clean/screened it is probably serving the same purpose and that's okay. Are there small pebbles in the sand that they are eating, rather than the sand itself?

 

[SouthernPride]

No, it is just sand...play sand. I've not had a whole lot of luck finding grit, I will keep looking. About the the hay, do they like/prefer one type over another?

 

[Miss Lydia]

This link will take you to a discussion on hay which i think will answer your question. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=562384&p=2