Toulouse Geese Thread

[aoxa]

yes and no, once they become teenagers it is easier to house at night solo than when they are little. If you can put in a temp wall of the goose house he could move in there when you move the ducks out to the duck yard. The temp wall would keep him safe at night, but make life easier on you for introductions and merging everyone

Is merging geese usually hard?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

not when you hatch and raise them from goslings (or buy goslings and raise them) around the adult flock. You just have to make sure the youngsters get enough size as to not be hurt by the adults. I will usually sit in the front yard with the youngsters and have hubby herd the adults out so we can both be there as supervisors as they get use to being together. We still house separate at night though until fall when we make our keeper selections.

 

[aoxa]

not when you hatch and raise them from goslings (or buy goslings and raise them) around the adult flock. You just have to make sure the youngsters get enough size as to not be hurt by the adults. I will usually sit in the front yard with the youngsters and have hubby herd the adults out so we can both be there as supervisors as they get use to being together. We still house separate at night though until fall when we make our keeper selections.

I didn't even think the geese had a pecking order.. My chickens harass new comers. Especially single newcomers. It's resolved relatively quickly, but with both the boys I introduced, they took right to one another instantly. I must be lucky.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

remember I am talking introducing small goslings to full blown adults. Adults can defend themselves, its the goslings you have to offer protection to.

 

[aoxa]

remember I am talking introducing small goslings to full blown adults. Adults can defend themselves, its the goslings you have to offer protection to.

What age would you consider them ready?

I enjoy hearing your advice, as I will have to think about this once I start hatching.

My geese are just so laid back. They swam in the kiddie pool with baby call ducks very early. I was terrified they'd step on them, but those calls were never hurt. Again I could have just gotten lucky. I don't know how Walter will fare with new babies.

 

[wildpeas]

My geese only tolerate the ducks when they are all out together. I think it may be because when the goslings were little the ducks would try to attack them through the fence and when we would have them out together supervised, the ducks would chase them all over. Originally I wanted them to be able to live in one yard but it was not to be.

I did some measuring and I can add between 12 and 15 square feet to the existing goose house before running into trouble with the slope. That would give me between 37 and 40 square feet total. They are only in their house at night and outside all day. Do either of you think that is enough room for 4 geese? The house only has one door and I am not sure I would be able to divide it so the moving in together would have to wait until they are well past the gosling stage.

If I got a pair of toulouse goslings, would the geese all stick together or would they pair off into species? I am talking about 3 geese and 1 gander.
Thanks for answering my questions!

 

[Miss Lydia]

My geese only tolerate the ducks when they are all out together. I think it may be because when the goslings were little the ducks would try to attack them through the fence and when we would have them out together supervised, the ducks would chase them all over. Originally I wanted them to be able to live in one yard but it was not to be.

I did some measuring and I can add between 12 and 15 square feet to the existing goose house before running into trouble with the slope. That would give me between 37 and 40 square feet total. They are only in their house at night and outside all day. Do either of you think that is enough room for 4 geese? The house only has one door and I am not sure I would be able to divide it so the moving in together would have to wait until they are well past the gosling stage.

If I got a pair of toulouse goslings, would the geese all stick together or would they pair off into species? I am talking about 3 geese and 1 gander.
Thanks for answering my questions!

I honestly think your girls will warm up to the goslings pretty quick, going by my experience with our gander last year and our ducklings, oh my gosh he was so protective and loving towards them. more so than the mama ducks. Thinking introducing them little by little with supervision and I betcha your girls will go into mama mode. I'm also thinking they will become one gaggle too. But I am only going by what i have seen here. I guess everyone can have different circumstances, I do remember Iain Utah talking about her 2 African ganders adopting her goslings,

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

here I wont leave goslings unmonitored until they are 3-4 months in age. It is based on size and how the flock reacts. 1 goose is much different from a flock of them in how they react to new things, or birds. Even when we move from breeding set up to free ranging together there are a few scuffles before it is one big happy family again.

We do have a couple who are very good with little ones so they get to be babysitters. Our female Pyr also doesnt tolerate scuffles and will stop them.

 

[kiaa]

like

 

[gryeyes]

Well, I am guessing I have two ganders instead of a pair of Toulouse. They're both about 17 months old now. Have never seen any nesting behavior, never found any eggs I could attribute to geese. Kate is very duck-centric; she .....err..... Well, anyway, when the Cayugas hatched last year, Kate guarded the group, assisted the mamma duck with the 14 ducklings as they waddled from place to place, slept, swam, etc.

Angus has taken a dislike to Madge, the MW Tom Turkey (see, I have some difficulty with genders) and is obsessed with keeping him from hand-feeding treat time.

In the last few days, Kate has mounted this or that duck. Kate always stays with the ducks at night; Angus has always gone into the coop at night with the chickens and turkeys.

Yesterday afternoon, Kate and Angus got into quite a row - the at time ever. Neck battles and biting, chasing... No real damage but not just a "move away" argument.

So. I was happy with two geese, but not if they will fight after growing up together. Do I need to get them some girls?