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

[fowltemptress]

ok, but, Google searches aside...which, c'mon; your recent searches dictate your subsequent results...the data I present is from a 'live' post here (in that the mods haven't taken it down) and one of the most well regarded series of books about all things 'farming'.

I'm not trying to be antagonistic. But, I've have cited the sources for my data and so far, I have gotten no citations from anyone about the 8 foot rule. Just 'pretty much everywhere' and 'I've never seen that low a number before'. That's not data. I'm just asking for sources of the given rule for 8'. I'm not in disagreement: I understand more space is better. Just back up your assertations with citations.

I'm doing my best to get this right and do the best by my birds. The most confounding thing about this journey has been the absolute lack of consistent data. To me, that's really interesting given how long humans have been domesticating fowl.

My search engine results for anything poultry related predominately leads me to these forums, which is where I got the 8 foot rule - it's what I found to be consistently recommended by BYCers. The One 6 foot rule I saw came from a site outside these forums. I was only commenting because I was floored you found a number that low, and on this site, of all places, where I found the 8 foot rule to be practically resoundingly unanimous back when I was looking it up for my own birds. You surprised the heck out of me, is all.

 

[MMelton67]

My search engine results for anything poultry related predominately leads me to these forums, which is where I got the 8 foot rule - it's what I found to be consistently recommended by BYCers. The One 6 foot rule I saw came from a site outside these forums. I was only commenting because I was floored you found a number that low, and on this site, of all places, where I found the 8 foot rule to be practically resoundingly unanimous back when I was looking it up for my own birds. You surprised the heck out of me, is all.

IKR? That thread is the one that popped up top of my google searches multiple times. As it came from here, I just bookmarked it and since it was similar to the Storey's chart went with it.

 

[Jenbirdee]

the textbooks i have from majestic waterfowl sanctuary ( i have their geese book and their duck book too) are very good. majestic also has a newsletter with updated info every month.

 

[Goosebaby]

@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:
View attachment 3753410

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.

They could be mixed but it may not have been a recent cross. Sometimes traits can lie dormant for a few generations until both parents carry a specific gene and then the goslings will exhibit the trait.
Most of my geese are French Toulouse from Metzer. It’s a fancy term for what is essentially just a production Toulouse. Metzer obtained them from Toulouse France and prior to that who knows what their lineage was. I can tell looking at some of mine that there’s a little cross breeding somewhere back in their ancestry.

 

[Goosebaby]

They sleep on the ground and make their nests in corners and private areas of their coop, shelter or yard. A goose house should provide protection from the elements and be full of clean, thick bedding. It should offer at least 8 square feet per bird, more if your geese will be inside frequently due to weather.Feb 28, 2023
https://www.mofga.org/resources/livestock/raising-geese-on-the-homestead/

(this one says 6-8)https://backyardpoultry.iamcountrys...sing-geese-choosing-a-breed-and-preparations/

(minimum of six but more is better) https://opensanctuary.org/building-a-good-home-for-geese/

(4 for ducks at least 8 for geese) https://www.hobbyfarms.com/making-a-waterfowl-coop/

(this one is in metric )
You can keep a single pair of medium or large geese comfortably in a shed that has an area of around 2m2. The most common small garden shed size is 6 x 4ft (1.8 x 1.2m) and provides an area of 2.2m2 and would make a good size, with a little extra space if they end up hatching some goslings. The next most popular size shed is 8 x 6ft (1.8 x 2.4m), giving an area of 4.3m2 and would be big enough to keep 4-5 medium or large-sized geese in.
https://poultrykeeper.com/keeping-geese/beginners-guide-keeping-geese/

(this one says 1 sq meter per goose which is 10.7639 sq feet, and a little extra if they are going to nest) https://poultrykeeper.com/keeping-geese/housing-geese/

(heres one that says 10 feet per bird

Have a simple shelter for your goose pair You should also consider having a 4×5 shed for the geese to go into at night.) https://familyfarmlivestock.com/how-much-space-do-you-need-to-raise-geese/​

(one sq meter per goose for indoor again - remember thats 10.7639) https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/geese-as-pets/

I also saw one that said 3 sq feet per goose at night sorry but that one is the odd man out

there are many more but i have to go to work now

This is just my experience.
My goosies night pens are 10’ x 8’ dog kennels nestled under my 2nd story deck. During the day they’re out and about in the upper or lower yard unless it’s raining cats and dogs or snowing and then they’re in their bed time pens. I keep about 3 geese per kennel. I have one 10’ x 10’ kennel for just two specific ganders for reasons…

8’ x 8’ shed or kennel night pens seems decent for 2, maybe 3 birds, though it depends on what their specific relationships are. I would not go smaller, they don’t like cramped spaces unless they’re nesting and geese are social and don’t like to be alone in a pen which puts you at needing a space big enough for multiple birds. Birds like my ganders Darby and Strawberry are inseparable but also have a stormy relationship and need more room to blow off steam, hence why those two have a 10’ x 10’ bedtime pen all to themselves.

Edit: I just looked at them, actually they’re 12’ x 6’ pens

 

[Goosebaby]

My search engine results for anything poultry related predominately leads me to these forums, which is where I got the 8 foot rule - it's what I found to be consistently recommended by BYCers. The One 6 foot rule I saw came from a site outside these forums. I was only commenting because I was floored you found a number that low, and on this site, of all places, where I found the 8 foot rule to be practically resoundingly unanimous back when I was looking it up for my own birds. You surprised the heck out of me, is all.

6’ x 6’ seems about the size of some of the temporary pens I’ve seen the humane society set up when they had evacuated poultry during our wildfires the last few years here in ca. It’ll do in a pinch but that isn’t a long term solution. I can see how someone if they saw that might think that’s appropriate seeing that the humane society will do that but it’s cramped.

I have seen some keep pairs in a hutch about that size overnight but their lifestyle has them up at 5am and the geese get put back to bed after dark so they strictly are just nighttime pens.

 

[MMelton67]

Over the last week they have been forming nests inside the hutch. I've added a bit more straw everyday to make sure they had enough. The ganders have been increasingly aggressive to the point of leaving bruises with their nips. Today, we were rewarded with the first two goose eggs. I did procure some goose sized fake eggs and at the end of the day, replaced the two I pulled with dummies. FWIW, the geese aren't sitting on the eggs.

Earlier in the day we noticed one of the females was absent from the pen for a long period of time and checked to see her in the nest. Shortly, the first egg was apparently laid and all 4 were strutting around and agitated that we came close to check. So, we left it and when we re-watered and filled feed at the end of day, there was a second egg. At this time, they were not even remotely concerned we were around? Anywho, big omelet in the morning!