Thoughts on Goose as Pet-seeking advice!/UPDATED WITH ???????s

[ThornyRidge]

I love the look of the large Buff geese and that Sebastopol goose is adorable. I was thinking of some day acquiring a single goose more for my enjoyment/pet. I am wondering how people have faired with them. I currently have a menagerie of chickens and roosters all of which are very tame/docile and a herd of nigerian dwarf goats. Is there a problem with keeping a goose as companion for these animals. The chickens do have their own fenced in coop, however, most get out and enjoy staying in my goat barn! When weather warms the chickens and roosters will be going back to coop with much higher fencing. There will be a couple of my older hens and roosters that stay in barn. The barn is where I would hope to keep the goose. What would recommendations be for keeping a goose? Feed? Is a single goose ok? I do have large ponds that if it chose to go for a dip would have plenty of water available! Suggestions, comments and advice welcomed!!!!!!!

 

[crazyfarmer]

Ive heard that the buff is supposed to be the tamest. I have a friend who has a had a lone gander for years by himself because his mate died. He runs with the goats on his farm and thinks he is one. Not sure the breed of the gander though.

 

[lovesgliders]

A single goose is usually a lonely goose, though there are exceptions, like crazyfarmer stated above me. And my single adult goose, Sushi, lives with my flock of fifteen ducks and watches over them and really seems to love them. That said, I bought her future mate this year because I just couldn't help but feel that she was missing something. I really recommend getting a pair. If you are scared of ganders and/or have no interest in breeding, get a pair of females (Ideal Hatchery sells single sexed females).

A single gosling is nightmarishly needy. Trust me on this one. LOL No matter how much time you spent with it, inevitably you have to sleep, work, take care of your other critters, etc. and man oh man, will that little one scream for you. It's so much easier raising goslings if they have a companion.

As for the "tamest" breed, don't put too much stock in breed descriptions. I have learned that the hard way. I got Silkie bantams because they were supposed to be gentle and calm, and mine were spazzes. I was nervous when I ended up with a RIR rooster (reputation for being aggressive) but he was the best roo I ever had and I still cry when I think about him (he passed away almost a year ago). I got an "aggressive" breed of goose (brown Chinese) and she is the best! So, my advice: get what you like the looks of!

 

[Miss Lydia]

A single goose is usually a lonely goose, though there are exceptions, like crazyfarmer stated above me. And my single adult goose, Sushi, lives with my flock of fifteen ducks and watches over them and really seems to love them. That said, I bought her future mate this year because I just couldn't help but feel that she was missing something. I really recommend getting a pair. If you are scared of ganders and/or have no interest in breeding, get a pair of females (Ideal Hatchery sells single sexed females).

A single gosling is nightmarishly needy. Trust me on this one. LOL No matter how much time you spent with it, inevitably you have to sleep, work, take care of your other critters, etc. and man oh man, will that little one scream for you. It's so much easier raising goslings if they have a companion.

As for the "tamest" breed, don't put too much stock in breed descriptions. I have learned that the hard way. I got Silkie bantams because they were supposed to be gentle and calm, and mine were spazzes. I was nervous when I ended up with a RIR rooster (reputation for being aggressive) but he was the best roo I ever had and I still cry when I think about him (he passed away almost a year ago). I got an "aggressive" breed of goose (brown Chinese) and she is the best! So, my advice: get what you like the looks of!

Very good advise.

 

[Rosie42892]

A single goose is usually a lonely goose, though there are exceptions, like crazyfarmer stated above me. And my single adult goose, Sushi, lives with my flock of fifteen ducks and watches over them and really seems to love them. That said, I bought her future mate this year because I just couldn't help but feel that she was missing something. I really recommend getting a pair. If you are scared of ganders and/or have no interest in breeding, get a pair of females (Ideal Hatchery sells single sexed females).

A single gosling is nightmarishly needy. Trust me on this one. LOL No matter how much time you spent with it, inevitably you have to sleep, work, take care of your other critters, etc. and man oh man, will that little one scream for you. It's so much easier raising goslings if they have a companion.

As for the "tamest" breed, don't put too much stock in breed descriptions. I have learned that the hard way. I got Silkie bantams because they were supposed to be gentle and calm, and mine were spazzes. I was nervous when I ended up with a RIR rooster (reputation for being aggressive) but he was the best roo I ever had and I still cry when I think about him (he passed away almost a year ago). I got an "aggressive" breed of goose (brown Chinese) and she is the best! So, my advice: get what you like the looks of!

Great advice! If you want a goose that is very friendly, that is easy with two! I have two Toulouse goslings who are extremely attached to me (follow me, scream for me, etc) but I do not feel as bad leaving them because they have each other. I can say that I wish I had tried goslings sooner, they have such unique personalities!

 

[flockman]

Great advice! If you want a goose that is very friendly, that is easy with two! I have two Toulouse goslings who are extremely attached to me (follow me, scream for me, etc) but I do not feel as bad leaving them because they have each other. I can say that I wish I had tried goslings sooner, they have such unique personalities!

I agree with all that has been said. I had 2 geese that were raised with ducks. Unfortunately this spring my goose died, leaving my gander all alone. He gets along with the ducks okay but you could tell he was lonely. I bought 2 goslings for him and I hatched some ducklings. He has adopted them and is much happier. A lone goose is quite miserable. I do have American Buffs. I have to be honest no one has been bit by my geese. Boris the gander acts like he might but is a bluffer. Growing up my grandparents had embdens that seemed out to kill you. As Lovesgliders said "tame breeds" don't always know that they should be tame.

It is like with dogs. Pitbulls have been bred to be aggressive. So you may find some very aggressive dogs. You may also find the best dog with children. It all comes down to the breed, strain, the way they are raised and the individual personality of the goose. Until mating season my gander followed me everywhere. The goose did as well but stayed at a distance. She never showed any aggression towards people. My gander now tries to bluff people other than me. Gotta love em!

I posted a picture of my gander with the 2 goslings and the ducklings on the American goose thread.

 

[ThornyRidge]

so leaning toward getting the goose of my choice.. since no apparent temperment issues play a part.. and will look to get 2 hens.. I don't want to mess with babies and fertilized eggs.. I have enough problems shooing broody chickens off nests and finding unexpected hatchlings! So my next questions are general care.. especially food/diet.. My chickens are pretty low maintenance.. have a coop that they are locked in at night or when weather particularly bad but other than that they free range over my yard and woods.. they get a good layer crumble and scratch and occasional treats or things they pull out of vegetable compost pile. I have never provided routine chemicals to my chickens and only treat when an issue arises. So with geese what kind of ration food are we talking and as far as shelter I will hopefully get the goose to stay in my 24X32 goat barn at night... are they good at "coming in" when it gets dark? They will have access to large ponds to swim in if they venture about 30-40 yards down the hill from my barns... looking for any general care advice.

 

[crazyfarmer]

Ive had a set of geese for about a year now and they wont touch anything i give them but grass. so i think if you just let them free range they should be happy. I think they like corn, have seen my 2 nibble at some but that was all