Suzi18
Crossing the Road
How awesome that you took her/him in. Maybe she is still too traumatized to eat. Good luck.
Rescued a goose today - can someone tell me the breed(pics)
- Thread starter Kimmyh51
- Start date
I'd def give her time to get settled. Losing the mate is very traumatizing they are bonded for life. Doesn't mean your goose won't bond with another goose but right now she/he is in mourning. My geese eat the same as my ducks and chickens all flock feed and they get greens and 6 way scratch for a treat daily. My Embden gander has very loud shrill voice my Toulouse goose has a low mumbly voice. That's good she is looking for company and getting close to where the ducks are. Means she is wanting company. Bless your heart for caring that had to of been awful for her to witness and then you came along and saved her. Please keep us updated on how she is doing.
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- Nov 16, 2015
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also has anyone had an embden goose as a guard goose (Note: we dont have a lot of the predators that you have overseas here ie no foxes, no badgers, no cougars or other big cats, coyotes, wolves, anything like that.) The main predation threats to ducks here are stoats/weasels ferrets, usually stoats, hedgehogs and rats will go after eggs or ducklings but not adults, and rats will go after eggs and ducklings.
Also we have a small raptor the harrier hawk which prefers roadkill but will occasionally scope out the ducks - the main enclosure pond area is covered in netting for this reason.
I have not seen any stoats here since moving here two years ago, however there has suddenly been a lot of wild rabbits about and I am concerned they might attract stoats, or ferrets
I am also always here at night and most the time during the day- and my man enclosure is about 600m sq and I live inside it as well as the ducks, so when I say guard goose what I mean is a goose to raise the alarm, and necessary, chase off a smaller predator or hold it at bay/make it hesitate long enough for me to (if at night) wake up, find a torch and my dressing gown and come outside and chase the predator off....
This goose so far though seems too afraid (of me anyway) to have much potential as a guard goose - but hoping that if it bonds with the ducks, starts to think of this as home, and learns to tolerate me, lol it may gain some confidence and decide to guard us all?
My biggest fear here is stoats as I have read they can kill lots of birds, get through small holes, climb, swim, etc, and I don't have the resources to stoat proof a 600m sq run - so if a stoat showed up, the ducks would be at its mercy until I was able to trap or shoot it. So wondering whether a goose is able to scare off a stoat without getting hurt itself?
also reading about geese and grass - the grass here is brown hay at this time of year, so wondering how much feed a goose when free ranging needs with that sort of grass. i met a chap a while ago who had come to nz from somewhere in the states, and he and nhis wife had brought their horses with them - and he said that the grass in nz is much higher in sugars than in the states. he was actually intentionally retaining most of the pine trees in their property so that the grass would only be sparse - as i think at least one ofhis horses was unable to eat it due to its much higher sugar content.
Anyway my point is all the googling i have done about geese and feed seems to be from web sites in the states where they seem to feed geese grass most the year- and they say that geese only eat the green grass - we don't have any green grass really in summer, just brown hay...plus if our grass is so different here that imported horses from the us cant eat much of it, maybe its also different for geese....
so I dont know how much of gooses diet our grass would offer especially when its hay not grass? my part of the property (I rent) has not much grass at all thanks to the ducks, however there is currently a paddock adjourning my area, where I can currently let the birds out to forage (the duck are too lazy and don't bother most the time). So I am wondering:
Whether hay grass (IE dried out yellow/brown grass ) is any use as forage to geese
and how much area per goose is needed to provide most their diet and how many hrs a day they need on it?
In terms of getting company - if i keep it and get another id like to get the opposite gender, which means of course i have to figure out what gender this one is....can you vent sex an adult goose? (might be one way to test the waters for guard goose potential lol) Spring is 6 months away.
also how many eggs a year do geese lay if not broody or sitting on eggs?
Also we have a small raptor the harrier hawk which prefers roadkill but will occasionally scope out the ducks - the main enclosure pond area is covered in netting for this reason.
I have not seen any stoats here since moving here two years ago, however there has suddenly been a lot of wild rabbits about and I am concerned they might attract stoats, or ferrets
I am also always here at night and most the time during the day- and my man enclosure is about 600m sq and I live inside it as well as the ducks, so when I say guard goose what I mean is a goose to raise the alarm, and necessary, chase off a smaller predator or hold it at bay/make it hesitate long enough for me to (if at night) wake up, find a torch and my dressing gown and come outside and chase the predator off....
This goose so far though seems too afraid (of me anyway) to have much potential as a guard goose - but hoping that if it bonds with the ducks, starts to think of this as home, and learns to tolerate me, lol it may gain some confidence and decide to guard us all?
My biggest fear here is stoats as I have read they can kill lots of birds, get through small holes, climb, swim, etc, and I don't have the resources to stoat proof a 600m sq run - so if a stoat showed up, the ducks would be at its mercy until I was able to trap or shoot it. So wondering whether a goose is able to scare off a stoat without getting hurt itself?
also reading about geese and grass - the grass here is brown hay at this time of year, so wondering how much feed a goose when free ranging needs with that sort of grass. i met a chap a while ago who had come to nz from somewhere in the states, and he and nhis wife had brought their horses with them - and he said that the grass in nz is much higher in sugars than in the states. he was actually intentionally retaining most of the pine trees in their property so that the grass would only be sparse - as i think at least one ofhis horses was unable to eat it due to its much higher sugar content.
Anyway my point is all the googling i have done about geese and feed seems to be from web sites in the states where they seem to feed geese grass most the year- and they say that geese only eat the green grass - we don't have any green grass really in summer, just brown hay...plus if our grass is so different here that imported horses from the us cant eat much of it, maybe its also different for geese....
so I dont know how much of gooses diet our grass would offer especially when its hay not grass? my part of the property (I rent) has not much grass at all thanks to the ducks, however there is currently a paddock adjourning my area, where I can currently let the birds out to forage (the duck are too lazy and don't bother most the time). So I am wondering:
Whether hay grass (IE dried out yellow/brown grass ) is any use as forage to geese
and how much area per goose is needed to provide most their diet and how many hrs a day they need on it?
In terms of getting company - if i keep it and get another id like to get the opposite gender, which means of course i have to figure out what gender this one is....can you vent sex an adult goose? (might be one way to test the waters for guard goose potential lol) Spring is 6 months away.
also how many eggs a year do geese lay if not broody or sitting on eggs?
You can vent sex an adult goose but probably would be best to have someone hold and the other do the vent sexing. Maybe put a towel over the head.
As for grass we live in the mountains and have very shallow rocky soil so no grass here I've tried it a few times from planting seed but it never lasts long. So my geese and they are 7-12 yrs old have eaten just feed and what ever greens I buy for them at the store. I can find organic spring mixes on sale quite often and romaine lettuce is always a big hit. Geese are def grazers and if given a choice would prefer to graze especially on soft grasses. But not everyone can give that to them but mine have flourished on what they get here. So maybe your grasses aren't ideal but you can supplement and they will do fine.
My geese especially my gander will sound the alarm when anyone drives up including us. But they really can't defend themselves or anyone else from a predator attack. They may try by bluffing and opening their wings looking larger than life but my OEGB rooster was killed by a hawk last sat and only reason I knew something was wrong was my rooster was squawking so loud. My geese were as terrified as everyone else.
As for grass we live in the mountains and have very shallow rocky soil so no grass here I've tried it a few times from planting seed but it never lasts long. So my geese and they are 7-12 yrs old have eaten just feed and what ever greens I buy for them at the store. I can find organic spring mixes on sale quite often and romaine lettuce is always a big hit. Geese are def grazers and if given a choice would prefer to graze especially on soft grasses. But not everyone can give that to them but mine have flourished on what they get here. So maybe your grasses aren't ideal but you can supplement and they will do fine.
My geese especially my gander will sound the alarm when anyone drives up including us. But they really can't defend themselves or anyone else from a predator attack. They may try by bluffing and opening their wings looking larger than life but my OEGB rooster was killed by a hawk last sat and only reason I knew something was wrong was my rooster was squawking so loud. My geese were as terrified as everyone else.
My geese do not like any vegetables other than the lettuce.
I don’t give iceberg for anything other than a treat because there is little nutrition in iceberg . But the spring mix ( salad in a bag at grocery store) or romaine lettuce ( cheapest is at Aldis or Walmart) is the favorite. They don’t like cabbage either , go figure.
Grass cutting don’t get it either. They are particular what grasses they eat in yard. They do like dandelion and Panten leaves but I feed those by hand. The lettuce will get the appetite going and the pellets should follow. Make sure they are close to the water bucket.
They need to be able to submerge their head in the water to clean nostrils and eyes.
When I let my ducks out with geese I just opened the gate and said there you go. They had seen the ducks out in fenced yard for about a week and would challenge ducks thru the fence but once they were all out they were happy the stay a short distance but together as a whole. Now the drake will push the geese right out of the pool .
I don’t think Embden geese can fly away, just up off ground and maybe 20 ft or so . Probably why it was still sitting by it’s dead friend.
Go to store get lettuce
I don’t give iceberg for anything other than a treat because there is little nutrition in iceberg . But the spring mix ( salad in a bag at grocery store) or romaine lettuce ( cheapest is at Aldis or Walmart) is the favorite. They don’t like cabbage either , go figure.
Grass cutting don’t get it either. They are particular what grasses they eat in yard. They do like dandelion and Panten leaves but I feed those by hand. The lettuce will get the appetite going and the pellets should follow. Make sure they are close to the water bucket.
They need to be able to submerge their head in the water to clean nostrils and eyes.
When I let my ducks out with geese I just opened the gate and said there you go. They had seen the ducks out in fenced yard for about a week and would challenge ducks thru the fence but once they were all out they were happy the stay a short distance but together as a whole. Now the drake will push the geese right out of the pool .
I don’t think Embden geese can fly away, just up off ground and maybe 20 ft or so . Probably why it was still sitting by it’s dead friend.
Go to store get lettuce
- Thread starter
- #16
- Nov 16, 2015
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I have watched some videos on sexing them and mine seems to look more like a male (not low to the ground like a female, longer neck) but is smaller in size than geese Ive seen before, and is also quite scared of me, which i read was more behavioral of a female than a male... maybe i have a juvenile gander?
Why cant geese just do the decent thing and have an easily identifiable voice like ducks do, huh?
Why cant geese just do the decent thing and have an easily identifiable voice like ducks do, huh?
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- #17
- Nov 16, 2015
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It could fly - when I pulled over and approached it it flew off over the road and over a fence (not that high maybe a metre) and into the paddock. it cleared the fence easily though and I wouldnt be surprised if it could clear my 6 ft fence to get out if it wanted to - hence why i want to be sure its gonna stay before i let it out of the run - but on the other hand its in a run by itself which cant be helpful to a bird thats already grieving and traumatised...My geese do not like any vegetables other than the lettuce.
I don’t give iceberg for anything other than a treat because there is little nutrition in iceberg . But the spring mix ( salad in a bag at grocery store) or romaine lettuce ( cheapest is at Aldis or Walmart) is the favorite. They don’t like cabbage either , go figure.
Grass cutting don’t get it either. They are particular what grasses they eat in yard. They do like dandelion and Panten leaves but I feed those by hand. The lettuce will get the appetite going and the pellets should follow. Make sure they are close to the water bucket.
They need to be able to submerge their head in the water to clean nostrils and eyes.
When I let my ducks out with geese I just opened the gate and said there you go. They had seen the ducks out in fenced yard for about a week and would challenge ducks thru the fence but once they were all out they were happy the stay a short distance but together as a whole. Now the drake will push the geese right out of the pool .
I don’t think Embden geese can fly away, just up off ground and maybe 20 ft or so . Probably why it was still sitting by it’s dead friend.
Go to store get lettuce
btw what are panten leaves? never heard of those but maybe in nz they have a different name. most the dandelion around here has disappeared now as its late summer, - it goes to seed then the leaves disappear too. i will have a look in the adjourning paddock if any if left just in case, and get some lettuce next time im at the supermarket - but that will be at least a week away.
this morning i noticed its faeces, simply because they are all white (urates - i think) and were not that color before - thats abnormal for a duck and i am guessing for a goose, possibly just a result of not eating...
i dont know how long to let it not eat before i should start to panic...?
I feel so sad for it - it looks so sad - I dont know if i did it any favors taking it...
- Dec 17, 2011
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Poor goose. It takes time to recover and transition. You did the right thing taking it in. The goose will feel much better once with your ducks, and will learn to trust you over time. Bringing it fresh water as much as 2-3 times per day will help speed things along.
As for food, have you tried corn yet? You can get a 50lb bag pretty cheap at the local feed store. I'm sure your ducks won't complain if they get some as a treat, too. I wouldn't worry about grass/hay right now, but if you can find a place that sells horse grass hay by the small bale, it wouldn't hurt to pick one up. Even if the goose does not eat it, it can be used as bedding or nesting box material. If you really want to go the extra mile, get Mazuri waterfowl pellets. It is expensive and may be hard to find where you live, but is extremely palatable and provides complete nutrition.
There is no such thing as a guard goose for predators. If anything, having ducks/chickens just makes life safer for the goose, because the predators will go for them before geese. Sometimes geese will alert you to strangers, but usually the way we know there may be a predator is if the geese get really silent or come running towards the house. But it is not unusual to discover a predator has struck the next morning, long after the fact.
As for food, have you tried corn yet? You can get a 50lb bag pretty cheap at the local feed store. I'm sure your ducks won't complain if they get some as a treat, too. I wouldn't worry about grass/hay right now, but if you can find a place that sells horse grass hay by the small bale, it wouldn't hurt to pick one up. Even if the goose does not eat it, it can be used as bedding or nesting box material. If you really want to go the extra mile, get Mazuri waterfowl pellets. It is expensive and may be hard to find where you live, but is extremely palatable and provides complete nutrition.
There is no such thing as a guard goose for predators. If anything, having ducks/chickens just makes life safer for the goose, because the predators will go for them before geese. Sometimes geese will alert you to strangers, but usually the way we know there may be a predator is if the geese get really silent or come running towards the house. But it is not unusual to discover a predator has struck the next morning, long after the fact.
If the goose is underweight it could probably fly once you get some weight on it probably not. I would keep the goose penned up for a couple weeks till he’s had time to knows he’s home and that he’s safe. Maybe the ducks will warm up to the goose once they get use to him being there. My ducks and geese hang out most of the time. It’s breeding season here so my gander is pretty ornery right now.
teringeorge
Chirping
- Mar 17, 2018
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(Just my thoughts). Sounds like the ducks and goose share neighboring pens/runs. this is good. Watch for the goose trying to peck at the ducks through the wire. If she doesn't peck, I would keep them as they are for a good two weeks and then select 2 or 3 ducks to be placed in with the goose. Watch them carefully and be ready to rescue the ducks if you have to, but I have found that once they get used to each other (through the wire), AND it IS NOT breeding season, they will get along just fine. Hope this helps. Thanks for saving her!
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