Sebastopol Geese?

[Ali1010]

Hi there! I haven't been on here in quite awhile...I used to have a small flock of chickens...and then the neighbors decided their dog could just run free....and be locked outside when she's in heat..

And when I confronted them after the first chicken was killed? "Well if you want to go to court blah blah blah!". ANYWAYS-all my chickens are gone now (some..."rehomed" themselves at my neighbors house and some fell victim to wandering male dogs and my neighbors dog). So, I'm working on making a nicer, sturdier run and getting some geese! I'm currently in 4H and FFA, so my plan was to exhibit my geese. But first, I have TONS of questions!

1-What're geese like, personality wise (especially Sebastopols)? I've heard they're great pets, but my only memory of a geese was a wild flock chasing a terrified 8 year old me around a waterpark. xD
2-When do geese honk (i.e randomly or when they're threatened or what)? Does it vary on breed? Does gender play a role in how much they honk? I don't exactly live in a residential area, but I don't want my poor neighbors to be subject to constant honking. (The neighbors have already got 3 roosters, so we're good on noisy poultry!)
3-Can geese defend themselves when full grown? I understand obviously a large dog would probably win against a goose, but are they a little bit less helpless then chickens when it comes to that sort of stuff?
4-Is geese showing the same concept and divisions as with chickens? How does geese showing work? Is there a showmanship class? I can't really imagine trying to show a judge you have control over a loose 14lb goose but...
5-Can kiddy pools do the trick when it comes to their swimming/bathing needs? I don't have a lake or anything, but I want my geese to be happy.
6-How much should I expect to pay for two Sebastopol geese, and how long should I expect to be on a waiting list for? I am looking into more rare colors, but i'm more concerned about finding a really nice show pair.
7-Is an extra large dog crate (The closed ones) an okay house for 2 geese? What're "house geese", do they just wear diapers and walk around the house?

8-What is like raising baby geese? What's a good cage for them? How long do they require a heat lamp for? When can they begin to live outside?
9-Is it easier to buy eggs, day old chicks, or young birds?
10-How smart are geese? I thought up a plan of having a dog crate in my shed (which my mother like to keep immaculately clean.

) and then having them go in a run (i.e maybe a dog kennel or something of the nature) during the day. The only problem is, the site where the run would be is about 15-25 feet from the shed...if the routine was taught early on, could I teach them to follow me up to the shed and into the dog crate to go "to bed"? After all my chickens died via dog/coyote attacks and since I have an unfenced 1 acre, I just dont feel safe letting poultry sleep outside anymore...
11-Will geese stay in the general area? Like, could I let them roam the property when im home? My chickens used to roam where ever they wanted, but they'd always come home at night to go "to sleep".
12-How big should a geese run be? If I can let them roam when i'm at home, do I still need a huge run?


And finally, my most important question-I live in Southern California, and would prefer to go through a smaller breeder with really good flock that I could go and pick up my babies locally. Does anyone know of any breeders in California/local states that fit that criteria? I can ship if I really have to (i'd get more people to go in on an order with me so they'd be warmer), but I'd prefer to actually meet my breeder and know what bird i'm getting ahead of time, etc.

Sorry for that long winded post and the million questions, can't wait to meet all you goose owners!

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Wow, that's a lot of questions!

I'll give you some sources where you can find answers. I like the Metzer farms web site http://www.metzerfarms.com/ It has a lot of great info and a chart on breed characteristics.

Here are a few answers to specific questions based on my experience:

q1: Sebastopols are sweet geese

q2: They honk to greet or if threatened, but not much at night

q3: large dog or group of raccoons still a threat

q5: pool ok, they need to be able to dunk whole head in pool

q4,6,7,8 see website goslings are messier than chickens because they love to splash in their water.

q10: I have heard of people training their geese to go in at night by using treats

q11 yes

q12 don't need a huge run if you let them free range

Have fun. Geese are a blast!

 

[Ali1010]

Thank you so so so much! The Metzer website says they are out of Sebastopols through July 18 (it doesnt say beyond that), would it be wise to place an order anyways?
Thanks,
Ali

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I talked to the folks from Metzer on the phone when I had an order with them and they were really helpful. Their ph # is on the website and they would probably be able to recommend what is best. Another option is to post in the wanted section of this website for Sebastopols just in case there is someone in your area who has hatched any. good luck

 

[Ali1010]

I actually just bid on 6 hatching eggs (1st and 2nd gen. holderread hatchery parents) on Ebay. xD Whoops...i'm semi-hoping someone outbids me, considering i've never ordered hatching eggs (I have a bator and i've hatched chicken eggs, but geese? D

through the mail.

 

[Balbinka]

Definitely give Metzer a call, as the Sebastopol laying season is just about over for most breeders.
I am working on your questions, give me a moment and I'll have my answers posted.

 

[Balbinka]

1-What're geese like, personality wise (especially Sebastopols)? I've heard they're great pets, but my only memory of a geese was a wild flock chasing a terrified 8 year old me around a waterpark. xD

Sebastopols are known for having lovely temperaments, but it is a very individual thing and you never really know.
Ganders of any breed with be ganders and females all have different personalities.

It depends on how the are raised, how many and of what sex you have, and what kind of training you put into the birds.



2-When do geese honk (i.e randomly or when they're threatened or what)? Does it vary on breed? Does gender play a role in how much they honk? I don't exactly live in a residential area, but I don't want my poor neighbors to be subject to constant honking. (The neighbors have already got 3 roosters, so we're good on noisy poultry!)

Yes, gender tends to play a role in the amount of noise a goose makes. Ganders tend to be on the louder end of the spectrum.

Breed also plays a role. So far, no breed has beat the noise of the African breed (from my point of view).

Honking is the way geese communicate their feelings, so yes your neighbors will hear honking. Balbinka (my Sebastopol) peeps at me whenever her emotions change. There are a lot of things that can trigger emotion for a goose. Threats, something they want, something they see, something that is different, shadows, light, warmth, cold, happy feelings, sad feelings, fighting, angry feelings, etc. can all trigger a goose to honk.

3-Can geese defend themselves when full grown? I understand obviously a large dog would probably win against a goose, but are they a little bit less helpless then chickens when it comes to that sort of stuff?

Only slightly (depending on how respectful the dog is to poultry), considering geese are more delicate and have much more "appendage" for predators to grab.
As goslings, they do not defend themselves whatsoever.
A goose will however, give you more warning prior to being attacked. They will honk loudly and let the rest of their flock know that something is approaching.

4-Is geese showing the same concept and divisions as with chickens? How does geese showing work? Is there a showmanship class? I can't really imagine trying to show a judge you have control over a loose 14lb goose but...

I have no idea! But I certainly wouldn't want to place any of my birds in a show. Every show I've been to besides the most prestigious has had several lice-filled chickens brought along by immature, bratty 4-Her's who care more about the ribbons then the well being of their animals. Of course, this can apply to any show of any species.

5-Can kiddy pools do the trick when it comes to their swimming/bathing needs? I don't have a lake or anything, but I want my geese to be happy.

Yep!

Geese need to bathe frequently, but swimming water is not necessary.

6-How much should I expect to pay for two Sebastopol geese, and how long should I expect to be on a waiting list for? I am looking into more rare colors, but i'm more concerned about finding a really nice show pair.

You cannot show colored Sebastopol geese (relative to your previous question).

If you want a nice show pair, find someone who breeds with Holderread genetics.

When you pick up your birds, make sure to evaluate the parents of the birds to make sure you've at least got a chance of them developing into show material. Balbinka has show quality parents- both white and beautiful. But she hatched out into a blue splash (so we think) she cannot be shown. Just because a goose has show quality parents does not mean they will grow to be show quality. If you want show geese, go for an adult pair that you can evaluate right off the bat.

7-Is an extra large dog crate (The closed ones) an okay house for 2 geese? What're "house geese", do they just wear diapers and walk around the house?

My favorite question!
Balbinka is a house goose. I use a cardboard box to house her as a large dog crate could snap a goose's neck if it managed to poke it's head through.
Yes, she wears a diaper and walks around the house. The diaper needs to be changed every 1-2 hours. As adults, every 3-4 hours.

You still need to allow your goose to bathe and have some play time outdoors.

Geese need to get used to diapers as babies. Balbinka threw a fit when she first wore hers (and she is... about 2 weeks old now?)
She gets better with it every day, but it is not a natural thing for them.

8-What is like raising baby geese? What's a good cage for them? How long do they require a heat lamp for? When can they begin to live outside?

Noisy.
No sleep.
Extremely rewarding.

Cages aren't such a goose option for geese because of their delicate necks.
Cardboard boxes are better. LARGE boxes.

Depending on the weather, they need supplementary heat for about two weeks.
Balbinka did not need extra heat after the first week (I live in northern California)

They can begin living outside when it is warm enough and you have an industrial-strength coop ready for them.

9-Is it easier to buy eggs, day old chicks, or young birds?

I bought hatching eggs, Binka is my first goose.
3/6 eggs hatched.
It would have been easier ordering day old chicks, but after watching a video on the horrendous treatment of hatchery chicks, I am grateful that I purchased hatching eggs.

10-How smart are geese? I thought up a plan of having a dog crate in my shed (which my mother like to keep immaculately clean.

) and then having them go in a run (i.e maybe a dog kennel or something of the nature) during the day. The only problem is, the site where the run would be is about 15-25 feet from the shed...if the routine was taught early on, could I teach them to follow me up to the shed and into the dog crate to go "to bed"? After all my chickens died via dog/coyote attacks and since I have an unfenced 1 acre, I just dont feel safe letting poultry sleep outside anymore...

Most definitely!
Geese are INCREDIBLY smart. I swear Balbinka is psychic!

And if made into a routine, they would learn quickly.


11-Will geese stay in the general area? Like, could I let them roam the property when im home? My chickens used to roam where ever they wanted, but they'd always come home at night to go "to sleep".

If they like their home, yes.
Geese are smarter, messier, smellier, and a lot more work than chickens though, I hope you and your mother are prepared for that.

12-How big should a geese run be? If I can let them roam when i'm at home, do I still need a huge run?

Unless you are literally outside watching them, I wouldn't let the geese roam all day.
It would make me nervous to leave Balbinka outside.

A run would definitely be a better option. And the bigger the better. Cannot be too big- coops or runs.

And finally, my most important question-I live in Southern California, and would prefer to go through a smaller breeder with really good flock that I could go and pick up my babies locally. Does anyone know of any breeders in California/local states that fit that criteria? I can ship if I really have to (i'd get more people to go in on an order with me so they'd be warmer), but I'd prefer to actually meet my breeder and know what bird i'm getting ahead of time, etc.

I picked up my eggs personally from Freestep farm. However her geese are no longer laying and she does not have babies anymore from what she told me.
As for SoCal, I am not sure. Try a Craigslist ad.