Weeder Geese not weeding!

[denasfarm]

This is the second time I have owned geese. The first gaggle acted completely different!
Raised similarly from goslings by hand (human as mother goose). The first ones ate grass and just acted like geese. These follow me around the garden and HELP...but its not helpful. If they see me pick peas they chew the peas, They have chewed up the okra stalks, stripped the corn so it looks like bamboo, and are eating all my green tomatoes! (I thought it was my rougue chickens but caught the geese today!!

So my plan was to use them as weeder geese not plant a play ground for them to enjoy!
I didnt think Geese ate these items! Is it because they see me picking and are following my lead? Surely they are not that smart! Anyone else having this issue?

I can post other damage tomorrow.

 

[Going Bhonkers]

Yep! Geese do eat veggies other plants that we dont want them to. The major portion of their diet is grass, and not specifically "weeds". They'll bite and pull anything tender thats green.

 

[SummerChick]

Oh my, I'm sure that is frustrating Dena! I just goslings about a month ago but kinda figured they might eat the garden, plants and flowers. it's strange that your others did not mess with your veggie garden. You might want to fence in your garden. Very cute pictures !!

 

[Oregon Blues]

Geese will eat all sorts of greenery and love broad leaf plants. Just because they will eat grass doesn't mean that grass is all that they will eat.

"Weeder" geese are for tough stemmed plants that aren't tender and are mature enough to not be attractive to geese. They do fine in cotton fields. Cotton is a woody stemmed, large plant.

Mine do a good job in the fruit orchard, as long as I have the trunks of the fruit trees wrapped i wire so the geese can't chew on them.

 

[denasfarm]

I was going to plant some apple trees this fall...now I guess Im going to have to build a goose pen to keep them out of trouble. Never ends does it?? LOL

 

[Going Bhonkers]

We should start a "Geese ate my ____ " thread

 

[NanaKat]

I thought I was going to be able to have the geese in the garden since there are dwarf fruit trees and raised beds...but looks like I need to re-think that....

 

[SummerChick]

That is a good idea Bhonkers!!!

 

[denasfarm]

Glad Im not the only one Nanakat! I "thought" they would be a good addition! Love them and since the last ones behaved (I would have kept them but we temporarily moved to a location they couldnt go and they are so happy where they live now) Im wishing now I had only gotten two instead of five! (less damage)

The Brats(They are only 10weeks old) ate 3 young watermelons yesterday! I locked them in the back yard with two of our dogs. They can stay there until the grass is decimated.

 

[Going Bhonkers]

Thread started!! Here it is, https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/685319/the-goose-ate-my-thread

Denasfarm, I'm sure you're going to have to add some more posts on there