Questions about Embden Geese

[User635240]

Hi BYC, poultry person here, so far chickens ducks and quail. Am experimenting with the meat market. Was impressed at how fast the Pekin ducks grew; less impressed with the food-profit ratio of Cornish crosses.

Am thinking of geese as predator deterrents for the ducks on my 1/3 acre pond. Now considering them for sales at Christmas (Christmas goose). Any experience with Embdens? Specifically, would the Hoover's Embdens be of the same quality as Metzer's? How noisy are Embdens? Would they at least warn the ducks of predators?

 

[AGeese]

Can't speak for Metzer's. My Embdens are from Meyer Hatchery and MPC which have been healthy. Embdens aren't particularly noisey until they want to be or if one of them is predisposed to cackling.

I wouldn't count on them as guardians, if they do they do if not then sure they're good look outs with great sight during the day. They can spot planes overhead I'd never have noticed.

 

[Le stylo]

Hi BYC, poultry person here, so far chickens ducks and quail. Am experimenting with the meat market. Was impressed at how fast the Pekin ducks grew; less impressed with the food-profit ratio of Cornish crosses.

Am thinking of geese as predator deterrents for the ducks on my 1/3 acre pond. Now considering them for sales at Christmas (Christmas goose). Any experience with Embdens? Specifically, would the Hoover's Embdens be of the same quality as Metzer's? How noisy are Embdens? Would they at least warn the ducks of predators?

I have two Embden geese and they are amazing, I have to admit I only have geese and no other farm animals.
They are very sweet (if you spend time with them and they get to know you and trust you) Theu very very alert and tilt their heads to the sky when a bird is flying over head. If you get more then three they will be more independent. If you want them to alert/defend your flock of ducks or chickens then I would suggest one or two. I believe I have a goose and a gander and my gander is the sweetest, cutest and quietest one. He's a soft spirit so he would be perfect for a guard goose job. It depends on the personality.

 

[Le stylo]

Can't speak for Metzer's. My Embdens are from Meyer Hatchery and MPC which have been healthy. Embdens aren't particularly noisey until they want to be or if one of them is predisposed to cackling.

I wouldn't count on them as guardians, if they do they do if not then sure they're good look outs with great sight during the day. They can spot planes overhead I'd never have noticed.

At night they don't have good sight, but in the day they are pretty good. It depends on the personality of the goose, some might not be a good fit and other embdens would be great.

 

[Le stylo]

So today one of my Embdens is missing. I have two Embdens a goose and a gander and my goose (Lucy) just vanished! She's a goose who cried wolf so when I heard her honking I didn't think much of it until I went outside to feed the a snack and she was gone. My gander is
always inn her shadow and he's so outgoing and easy, I don't know what he's going to do. He doesn't seem upset or anything. I thought maybe she was attacked but we're in a little valley and there aren't really any predictors. On Vancouver Island here there is snow and no trase of her foot prints anywhere. I thought she might be broody somewhere but it seems to early. Any advise?

 

[AGeese]

So today one of my Embdens is missing. I have two Embdens a goose and a gander and my goose (Lucy) just vanished! She's a goose who cried wolf so when I heard her honking I didn't think much of it until I went outside to feed the a snack and she was gone. My gander is
always inn her shadow and he's so outgoing and easy, I don't know what he's going to do. He doesn't seem upset or anything. I thought maybe she was attacked but we're in a little valley and there aren't really any predictors. On Vancouver Island here there is snow and no trase of her foot prints anywhere. I thought she might be broody somewhere but it seems to early. Any advise?

Sorry to hear about Lucy, I had a similiar situtation with my goose Big Sissy who was also very vocal. I wasn't around, but did find a clump of feathers in the neighboring cornfield separated by some tall grass. There were no prints, just a small bit of blood. We have coyotes and bald eagles, and at the same time my neighbor had mysterious losses too.

I've thought of just about everything. I don't think it was a human, and being as there were no discernable prints in the soft earth I assumed an eagle, but when I found the feathers in the cornfield that didn't really make sense either with no prints.

 

[Le stylo]

Sorry to hear about Lucy, I had a similiar situtation with my goose Big Sissy who was also very vocal. I wasn't around, but did find a clump of feathers in the neighboring cornfield separated by some tall grass. There were no prints, just a small bit of blood. We have coyotes and bald eagles, and at the same time my neighbor had mysterious losses too.

I've thought of just about everything. I don't think it was a human, and being as there were no discernable prints in the soft earth I assumed an eagle, but when I found the feathers in the cornfield that didn't really make sense either with no prints.

Thank you. I think today we should expand our search. I think it would be better to atleast know what happened, if she's still alive. My poor gander is walking around aimlessly (Lucy was the boss and the leader) so Ricky doesn't know what to do.
We're in a forest so we can't really look much in there since there is just so much to cover and a lot of brush, but we'll try.
Do you have any advise if she doesn't come back? I was thinking of another goose but our friends (the ones we got Ricky and Lucy) think they only have geese and no ganders so... Then I thought we could get a couple chicks? I can't fit a lot in my little goose house.

 

[AGeese]

Thank you. I think today we should expand our search. I think it would be better to atleast know what happened, if she's still alive. My poor gander is walking around aimlessly (Lucy was the boss and the leader) so Ricky doesn't know what to do.
We're in a forest so we can't really look much in there since there is just so much to cover and a lot of brush, but we'll try.
Do you have any advise if she doesn't come back? I was thinking of another goose but our friends (the ones we got Ricky and Lucy) think they only have geese and no ganders so... Then I thought we could get a couple chicks? I can't fit a lot in my little goose house.

Good luck in the search. I would think Ricky would probably want another female goose. I don't recommend chicks, goslings if you are willing to wait for them to grow if he doesn't accept them. If you can find a goose that needs rehomed or locally for sale that's probably the quicker way to go.

 

[Le stylo]

Good luck in the search. I would think Ricky would probably want another female goose. I don't recommend chicks, goslings if you are willing to wait for them to grow if he doesn't accept them. If you can find a goose that needs rehomed or locally for sale that's probably the quicker way to go.

Ok, I was outside with Ricky and I heard a Lucy sound and I searched around a little and FOUND her in a hole all dirty. My mom was trying to comfort her while I went to get a shovel and then she just flew out!
She's fine just a little dirty and probably hungry. She was out there all night! She's so dramatic.

 

[AGeese]

Ok, I was outside with Ricky and I heard a Lucy sound and I searched around a little and FOUND her in a hole all dirty. My mom was trying to comfort her while I went to get a shovel and then she just flew out!
She's fine just a little dirty and probably hungry. She was out there all night! She's so dramatic.

You're kidding! How long was she in there?