Thinking of adding 2 geese to the ducks...

[sianara]

I'd really like to get two female pilgrim goslings this spring and house them with my existing 6 ducks. I was planning to keep the goslings separate but within the vision of the ducks until they were at least as big as the ducks (or even a little bigger) but now I'm wondering if this is a good idea. I know it's not a big deal if they grow up together but how will it work if I'm adding goslings to ducks???

 

[duckyfromoz]

double post

 

[duckyfromoz]

I currently have one chinese goose with my ducks. They grew up together- and while larger Max has always gotten along fine with the ducklings. Max is actually very maternal to the ducklings- even though they are the same age- she has always kept them all in line- and often rounds them all up together if they wander too far from her. I have recently opened up the yard so that my breeders and my babies are all one group and Max has been excepted by the older ducks as just one of the gang.

At other times I have raised goslings on their own- and when big enough- just let them out to all flock together. They would kind of stay in their own groups- but at feed time they would all come together. I never had issues with anyone being picked on- but it can depend a lot on the temperament of the individual birds. Leaving them seperate until they are bigger than the ducks would be a good idea- but after that- it would just be a matter of opening the gate- and seeing how they mingle together- separate them if there is fighting- and try again every few days until they except each other.

 

[Goat_Walker]

I have one brown chinese goose and two white chinese geese that were raised with ducks. When i first got them they were about 3 weeks old and got along just fine with my flock of 50 or so mixed breeds and scovies. When the geese were about 3 months old i had to rehome all my ducks except the scovies and so i started leaving the geese out to free range 24/7. Of course i had trained them to come to my whistle

I happened to have a scovie gal sitting on 6 eggs at the time. And all though my geese hooked up with my older scovie drake and two hens the geese did not get to know my mama and her six babies from the time they began to be incubated till i put mama and babies back out into the duck pen at 2 months old. WHen the geese first saw mama and her gang behind the fence it was attack goose time! I couldnt let mama and her babies freerange unless i was out there to stand between my geese and them. Now though with th babies being 5 months old everyone free ranges together and although i have to make a bunch of seperate piles of corn at feeding time to prevent squabbling they get along great! the geese protect them and the gang all hangs out together. they all fly over as best as the fatties can when they here my whistle and they all sit waiting together by the glass door around dinner time, lol

My problem was the ducks picking on the geese when they were little. But Bernard ( my brown china, and my cuddle bug ) finally decided he would start pecking back and as soon as the ducks found out they couldnt pick on any of the geese without Bernard getting grumpy they stopped. And that let to everyone napping together, lol.

 

[sianara]

Thank you both so much for replying. It's great to hear positive stories from you both.

So now I feel comfortable with my plan to house them separately within the duck run while they are small. When they are a little bigger than the ducks (which shouldn't take too long

) then I can start the slow integration while staying outside with them in the beginning. I'll have it set up so that they can be separated for months if necessary but still see each other.

My DH loves the idea of not having to cut the front and back lawns again

Anyone else who wants to pipe in with more stories of ducks and geese - please do. The more stories the better!

LOVE ALL THE PIX BTW. Especially the running one!

The first one was hysterical, the goose appears to be "guarding" all the ducks

 

[vebyrd36]

here is some of my babies.

Sebbies

Brown leghorns
[

 

[sianara]

vebyrd36,
How many geese & ducks do you have and what breeds??

BTW love the line in your signature "no wonder I'm tired"

 

[vebyrd36]

Oh let me think

Geese

Pomeranian 5

Embden 5

Pomeranian 5

Brecon Buff 5

Chinese 2

Sebastopol 10

Ducks

Cayugas 10

Magpie Ducks 10

Mallards 0ver 30 gone wild in the ponds

 

[sianara]

Quote:
WOW!!! That's a lot of waterfow! How lucky you are. If I had more land I'd have alot more animals. As it is I have to be very choosy about how many and what breeds I get so I don't overpopulate. So far, so good!