Shade for my 2 geese?

[yoyosma]

My white Chinese and Pilgrim are so suspicious of anything new in their daytime area, they are avoiding the shade-cloth-covered place I have for them to get out of the sun. Their daytime area is an electric poultry-fenced lawn- no trees- that gets morning sun; and I need to let them out of their night-time coop early, as it is a small secure box (4X8 feet) that gets too hot in the AM to let them stay in there.
I'm concerned that they'll overheat- although to be honest, "hot" here in the Pacific Northwest coast is 70-75 degrees.
Has anyone had luck with putting up temporary shade for geese?
My girls take days to use their pool, if I move it 25 feet. SO wary of anything new!
Thanks for your ideas-
Robin

 

[Messy]

Our goose is doing fine in 100 degree plus weather. There is a pool and he doesn't use it a whole lot, but it is there if he wants to. I would not worry at temps like you are saying. I am not sure about shy geese though... Ours is so nosy (as was his mate) that they would be inspecting anything new as it went in or up LOL!

 

[Going Bhonkers]

My geese like shaded areas because it does get hot!! Places they've gone under, besides trees, are under our truck, a patio table, a work table made out of 2 sawhorses with a piece of wood on top. A couple of suggestions, maybe put a water container under your shaded area to entice them to go in there? Or maybe the cloth covered area is too low, try raising it higher?

 

[yoyosma]

Messy- that's reassuring about the 100 degrees!
And Bhonkers- I think you're right, the height is a problem - also that the shade cloth moves in the wind, which is SCARY.
I may need to remove other water sources for a day, but I think I'll try the sawhorses and plywood idea, with a bucket of water underneath.
Thank you both!

 

[1MrsMagoo]

If you put up the shade cloth (make sure it is high enough that they cannot stretch their necks up and be able to bite it) and leave it there....they will get used to it: Just give it a couple of days. Try putting their food or treats under it and walk away. My geese pretend they aren't interested until I turn my back. Anyway, they just need time to understand that it isn't going to hurt them. After a few tries going under and coming out unscathed, they should get the point.

Also, as to the temperature. I have 17 geese outside in SE Louisiana. Last week, the entire week, the daytime temps were not lower than 93 and the heat index was over 100 everyday: Almost the entire month of August is like that here every year.

As long as they have water to dip in and drink yours should be find in your weather even without the extra shade. However, it is probably best to get them accustomed to it now, just in case you end up with any abnormally hot weather.

Good luck and enjoy your geese!

 

[yoyosma]

Mrs. Magoo, thank you very much for your reply. I am noticing that even in the afternoon, when the house shades their area, they often are out in the sun. So I'm less worried about them now, especially as I hear from you all who live where it's REALLY hot.
They've had their shade cloth for about 3 weeks now, and still think it's a trap!
I didn't get them until they were 2 years old, and in the 9 months we have them they've very dubious about anything new... and I'm a total poultry newbie, so I get worried easily!
Thanks again for the information and reassurance.

 

[1MrsMagoo]

No problem. Hopefully, given enough time, they will realize that the shade cloth has not killed, tortured, or maimed them and will eventually make their way under it.

It is kind of like what we did when we taught our horse to load in a trailer. We parked it in her field and let her get used to it. Then we opened the doors and let her get used to that. Slowly, we worked up to putting her hay and oats into the back of the trailer and then gradually moved them further and further in; until one day she had to go all the way in to be able to eat. After a few weeks she was standing in the trailer waiting on her breakfast when we went into the field.

It is a good thing your geese are cautious: That is what keeps them out of harms way with predators. You just need to hope it stops there and they aren't paranoid or anything! Good luck!