Topic of the Week - Getting Started, Keeping Geese

[wcbpolish]

This is an amazing time of year for geese, also.
Nest building and egg laying should begin shortly.
I would love to hear what others say about these 2 topics.

Our young Africans (6 females) have laid 3 eggs this monthy (February). Two were frozen, the other is set aside for an attempt at hatching.

This thread is not meant to discuss murdering animals that we raise and bond with as pets. I believe there is a different section on this forum for that topic.

I haven't read in the original post, or any later post for that matter, that the thread is solely for the keeping of geese as pets. It's about "getting started with geese", and slaughtering methods is an important part of that.

I concur... I think that knowing the PRODUCTION abilities of geese is an important part of getting started. I understand that some people keep their poultry as pets, others keep theirs as livestock. I think both sides should be welcome. The thread does not seem to be explicitly related to PET GEESE. I appreciated the commentary on where the best cuts of meat were found, as that will be a part of my second year (this year!) of goose rearing (if all goes according to plan).

 

[Henrik Petersson]

Please do go back and read the OP and follow up. This thread is the "topic of the week" with specific questions posed by moderator that are to be discussed on this thread. The topic is about introducing geese to beginners and geese's basic needs when raising them. The topic is not about murdering and eating them. The other poster, aspiring homesteader, already created a different thread to ask the same exact question about dewlap toulouse as meat birds, which is a more appropriate thread for that discussion. However, no dewlap toulouse owner responded (and I'm not surprised).

The specific questions are followed by "Anything you'd like to add…". And before them: " This week I would like to hear from our geese keepers what we need to know before we get started", which in my mind includes slaughter. I don't see anything saying it's not about slaughter.

 

[poultry person]

Mini Sebastapols ? Is there such a thing ?? WOW you have my interest now ! I did want to comment on the goose & chicken thing though.my geese HATE my chickens, they chase them and heaven forbid they get the chicken cornered.
Thankfully most of the chickens are aware of this and they can all fly up quite well, but I keep the geese and chickens apart in breeding & gosling rearing seasons.
Mini Sebbies sounds awesome !

Oh my gosh same! My geese hate my chickens, they're always chasing them and biting their feathers.

 

[poultry person]

What I am thinking is raising them together when they are small and then having a pen for the geese right next to the chicken run. My hope is that they can all free range together and when they can't free range they can have their separate space. I'm hoping to find mini Sebastopol geese.

I absolutely adore Sebastopols! Those curly feathers!

 

[Miss Lydia]

How many geese do you have? I only had that problem when I had 4 now that I just have the 2 they aren't quite as bad.

 

[PirateGirl]

Ok, so back to "getting started keeping geese".......
How did you decide what breed of geese is best for you? I know a few people on here have mentioned that they have or have had more than one breed. Is there a breed that is considered a good "beginner" breed? and what is it that makes them good for "beginners"?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Pilgrim, Sebastopol, Toulouse, Dewlap Toulouse, American are all pretty mellow for first timers.

Embden, Chinese, Africans for the experienced. lol

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/geese-breed-focus-project.1082517/

There are many other breeds too that are good for beginners.

 

[learycow]

Then we must have many many photos !!

White light frillback mini goose (with a smaller framed standard seb goose for size comparison)

SOme of my mini flock. Curly gander is in the water tub. Others are females

Mini on left, standard on right to show size comparison

Mini curly female

Mini smooth pair I sold last summer, hatched from my flock

Blue frillback gander, hatched last year. Will be paired with curly females this year

 

[Suzi18]

White light frillback mini goose (with a smaller framed standard seb goose for size comparison)
View attachment 1264368
SOme of my mini flock. Curly gander is in the water tub. Others are females
View attachment 1264371
Mini on left, standard on right to show size comparison
View attachment 1264373
Mini curly female
View attachment 1264381 Mini smooth pair I sold last summer, hatched from my flock
View attachment 1264386
Blue frillback gander, hatched last year. Will be paired with curly females this year
View attachment 1264389

Gorgeous

 

[Chickielady]

I haven't read in the original post, or any later post for that matter, that the thread is solely for the keeping of geese as pets. It's about "getting started with geese", and slaughtering methods is an important part of that.

I have to agree here.