Questions regarding preparing for geese to lay for the first time.

[MMelton67]

I have 4 Pilgrim (crosses I think, both males are starting to grow double humped knobs at the top of their beaks and according to Holderead's pamphlet on the breed this means crossbreeding has happened) that are now 9 months old.

Somehow I had been under the impression they would lay till late in their second year but Holderead's reference states they will often lay in their first year.

I'm attaching pics of their hutch area for comments/suggestions. The main part with the metal roof is 4' x 4' and the 'slide-in' section in the front is just under that, call is 3'9" x 4'. I had built the first one when we got them and it was inside another enclosure that was tarped. In December, I moved them to their permanent area with an electric net fencing corral and wanted to give them more dry shelter space. I recently modified the metal roof to hinge for easy access for cleaning and eventual egg removal.

We do not plan to breed. I'm pretty sure these are from the same clutch and assume that wouldn't be a good idea from a genetics standpoint. So, I'll be pulling eggs.

According to the books I have (Storey's guide to raising Poultry, Holderead's Pamphlet on the Breed) I should have at least 3 s.f. per bird. So, I think I'm covered there was almost 32 s.f. under roof.

I keep 4-6" of straw in the roofed area, forking out poop as necessary and replacing as needed.

Is that sufficient for them to nest in? I've read about using large cat litter boxes so they have a specific 'nest'. Just recently they (assuming the girls) are making round depressions in the straw. I could easily put two boxes in each corner at the rear if that would be better.

I've read that they will lay an egg or two a day until they lay the 5-7 eggs they might deliver in a single iteration of a clutch. Should I take eggs as they are laid, or leave 1 until she seems to be done? Or, wait till they are all laid and take them at that point?

Is there a special layer feed for geese? Any supplements? They are on All Flock and since winter set in and the grass is gone; Alfalfa pellets pre-softened with water. They have started consuming about 50% more feed in just the last week or so...and we've just been getting warmer, not colder.

TIA!

 

[Jenbirdee]

If I was a goose I would think that is a splendid lace to lay my eggs, yes!
I have a pair of Pilgrims born May 2020 and the goose started laying in mid march of 2021.
I cant let mine hatch any either for the same reason.
Set out a dish of Oyster shell (crushed or flaked) the girls will take from it as much as they need and the guys may try it but them will leave it be.
You dont want to use a layer feed because you have ganders, the All Flock is ideal to continue. I feed mine Nutrena All Flock Pellets.
The straw you mentioned is great
The space for housing geese overnight is 8 sq per bird not 3 Im assuming you typoed
edit to add
I put a fake goose egg in the nest and always leave that one there when I take the real ones so my goose isnt heartbroken

 

[Jenbirdee]

oh and geese and/or ducks dont need boxes to nest in like chickens. Geese build awesome nests in corners you will be amazed how cool it is

 

[MMelton67]

@Jenbirdee Hi and thanks for the reply.

Not a typo. I got the 3 foot number from this thread on this forum

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ising-geese-and-are-they-right-for-you.78377/

and, fwiw, Storey's Guide to Raising Poultry has a chart on page 23 "Minimum Space Requirements for Housing and Yarding Poultry" that lists 1.5-2 sq. ft. per 'Adult Breeders with outside yard.' and a minimum of 20 sq. ft. of yard space. I have them enclosed by electric net fencing that is 150' perimeter in roughly a 35'x45' space.

what is your source/take on the need for 8 sq. ft.? As it is, they have about 30 s.f. of shelter so I'm close to that number anyway.

re: eggs. I had thought maybe taking all the eggs away daily would maybe be troubling for them. I have fake chicken eggs, I'll get some fake goose eggs. Thanks!

what about mixing the oyster (I have a bag of crushed for my chickens) in the same dish as the alfalfa? or, should it be separate?

Nesting/Straw: Is the 4" or so enough, or should I just make sure there is plenty and let them sort it out?

and, just to show them in this thread:

another reason I think they are mixed is that 1 goose and 1 gander have pink bills. Holderead describes the breed as only having orange bills. Not sure if you can see the bulging at the top of both gander's beaks well in this.

 

[AGeese]

When still had my big mother goose she was a instinctively broody, and would cry bloody murder if I got near those eggs. Now that she's no longer with us rest her soul, her cousin is much more agreeable and gets up and walks off allowing me to take the eggs without trouble.

I use the goose eggs to scramble up for the chickens, the dog, and myself.

 

[MMelton67]

When still had my big mother goose she was a instinctively broody, and would cry bloody murder if I got near those eggs. Now that she's no longer with us rest her soul, her cousin is much more agreeable and gets up and walks off allowing me to take the eggs without trouble.

I use the goose eggs to scramble up for the chickens, the dog, and myself.

right on. still not sure what we'll do with the goose eggs beyond self-indulgence. They were honestly a bit of an impulse. I like them though was disappointed they wanted to kill the chickens as we tried to create a single mixed flock. We did go through a month of habituation through close-but-separate pens and it was two weeks into sharing the same enclosure that they tried to murder-hobo one of the Orpingtons (who survived via Neosporin and isolation) And, the wife want peacocks...I blame my step-mother who has 35 acres of horse farm and free ranges a flock of peacocks...we visited last year and the wife was captivated. I live but to serve.

 

[AGeese]

I live but to serve.

I say this to myself when the geese, chickens, and the dog are all squawking, moaning, and barking at me together as I bring them their food.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Pretty much everything everywhere says 8 feet per goose. 4 feet per duck. Im really surprized anyone would suggest 3 feet for a goose , they could barely move around.
I have 12 ducks in a 48 sq ft house and my 2 geese have about 40 sq feet presently (I have room for more geese yay)

 

[MMelton67]

@Jenbirdee so far, the sources I have, including an approved post here on this forum don't come close to that. I would love to see a source for the 8' rule, please. I'm all for trying to do the right thing but I haven't run across that number yet. Thank you.

ftr, my geese are not 'locked' into their hutch. the can move outside at night, which they do.

 

[fowltemptress]

I've never seen that low a number before, either, but I never dug deep into researching it. If you do a quick search with an online search engine, every source that pops up says eight feet, with a six feet and a few ten feets sprinkled in, which is why it's interesting to see you stumbled onto something different.