Raising Geese?

[JamesA]

I have never had geese and a friend gave me some white and brown chinese goose eggs to hatch and they seem to be developing so the question is how do I raise them.I have a two year old girl that loves the chickens and she has a few that like her and let her hold them.What is the best way to get the geese to like her and not hurt her.I really want them to work out so what advise can anyone give me.

 

[FLOWERPOT]

 

[Shanay235]

Best thing you can do is let the goslings "imprint" on the little girl. Have her right there with you when they hatch so she'll be one of the first things they see. Both of you need to spend lots of time holding, playing, and talking to the goslings. They love to follow their mama's around so when it's warm, take them for a walk and feed them some grass.

Geese are fairly smart birds that seem to be able to remember things and learn simple behaviors. Since the child is only two, you'll need to supervise the interaction between them at all times. Don't let the goslings bite or bully her. If they do, immediately correct the behavior. Teach her not to run or be frightened of them but also require she be gentle towards them.

The chinese seem to be a little more aggressive than other breeds of geese. During mating season and while brooding their young, both males and females have a tendency to become territorial and protective.

 

[JamesA]

Hopefully by the time they are breeding age they will spend most of their time around the pond.That is what I am hoping for.I would love for me and my daughter to walk down daily and feed the geese.She loves our daily feeding of the chickens.They all run to her when they see it is feeding time.She is not the least bit scared of them.

 

[LarissaBuffMom]

I am about to get some geese in a few days. I am wondering if you have any advise for me since you have had your geese for a little while now...

 

[littledear]

When I first acquired my geese I really didn't know what to feed the babies. Get a wild bird starter and put some greens in your food processor and feed this in it's own bowl. They love all types of lettuces, cabbage, celery leaves, and grass of course. I didn't have any success with mustard greens with mine though. They need lots of fresh water but you don't want them to climb in the water. A small non tip dog's dish with a rock in the center works well for them to be able to wash out their beaks. Geese can't hold water in their bodies and need access to water around the clock when they are small. They also eat around the clock when they are little and require light 24 hours a day until they are older. Once they start feathering out they can go without food or water at night when they are housed. I now pick up a small packet of enzymes and vitamins that go in their water when they first hatch. This seems to give them a good boost. They grow very fast.

Once your geese get large enough to turn out to use your pond you might want to read about how to train your geese so that you are better able to cope with them when they start cycling in the spring and go broody. They will tend to get a little hissy at this time and it is best to be prepared. Just put training your geese in the search bar as there was a very good thread on this subject this spring. Then sit back and enjoy your geese as they are very entertaining.

 

[Oregon Blues]

I'm not so sure about this imprinting business. By observation, the people who have problems with aggressive ganders are all people who raised those ganders as lap pets.

I want my geese to understand that I am so socially above them that they can't even see the top. I am not a goose. They are not human. I don't want them confusing the two and thinking they have a chance to move above me in the pecking order.

My geese have beautiful manners. I can move around their pen, they come to me to chat and for food. They absolutely understand that I am the flock boss and they shall do as I say.

 

[littledear]

Oh sorry, I meant game bird not wild bird.

 

[LarissaBuffMom]

I am so excited to be getting my geese and I have been trying to use all my excitment by getting there home all set up.. I want to be prepared and not overwhelmed when they arrive on the 17th. I am very thankful for any and all advice from everyone , I know that often times people will learn there own little tricks and it is so much easier to listen to advise from them then to learn the hard way.. I was wondering about something, see I have a pond and it is filled with koi fish will the geese eat these ?

 

[larkflying]

I'd think the geese would eat the fish -- or else make the pond so yucky that they won't be able to live. Unless it is a BIG pond . . . but a little decorative pond won't be decorative too long with geese . ..

Oregon Blues -- How do you treat yours as goslings? Do you let the parents raise them? We tried our best not to handle the geese too much as youngsters, and our geese are appropriately friendly but not pushy -- but the ganders are a bit pushy now. Not letting them get away with it, but wonder if there was something else to do . . . if my geese hatch out any goslings I'd like to do a good job with the ones we keep.

JamesA -- I have a tall 5 year old that can go in among the geese with me, when it is not breeding season. They disapprove of him because he moves so quickly, and talks so loudly, but usually they will leave him alone. He's been knocked over by a gander, and wacked with the wings --- he's a tough kid, but the gander scared him - and I was in the pen with him and had just turned my back. He's not allowed in with the geese during breeding season now, even though he's not particularly afraid of them even after being knocked down. My tall 9 year old can go in without me to check waters during the breeding season, but he has to discipline the gander a lot. He's big for his age, and the gander is almost too much for him. He was helping out while my daughter and I were down with the flu, and just went in to help out without me knowing, or I'd have told him to stay outside. My 12 year old daughter feeds the geese, holds them, pets them, and isn't afraid of them at all - and they treat her as well as they treat me. My 16 year old daughter is scared of them, but likes feeding them over the fence. I'd teach your 2 year old basic animal rules -- move slowly, nice touches, quiet voices, don't run away and try to find times where she can feed them over the fence and be involved that way. They are much heavier and harder to deal with than chickens with the potential for scary painful encounters . . . but she'd like petting them if you catch them for her . . . and feeding them - always with a lot of supervision!. I'd wait with other interactions until she is older / taller . . .