What do I feed my geese?

[Chikn-Chik]

Today I got some geese, 3 full grown and 2 babies! I'm keeping them up for a couple weeks to make sure they are comfortable with their surroundings and I am needing to know what to feed them. They will be up 24/7 for a while and I know they need food! I'm new to them and I love them already!

I will post a picture of them tomorrow! They were kinda upset this evening, just wanted them to settle down.

 

[Denninmi]

How old are the goslings. One thing I've learned in my now almost 3 month journey into geese is to really watch the protein on young goslings. My oldest started to get droopy wings at around 5 weeks, but they corrected themselves. I've been taping up the youngest one's wings for about 6-7 days now, both wings are extremely droopy without support. One is responding nicely, the other one not so much, because it seems to keep slipping out of the sling.

I started them out very briefly, 3-4 days, on gamebird starter, then switched to a Purina all purpose non-medicated starter that was 20%. It said "geese" right on the label. Too much protein, so fighting angel wing now. Next time, I'll go with something lower, perhaps even making my own blend if I have to. I've read several posts on this forum that recommend staying at around 16% protein.

So, if yours are under about 6 weeks, watch the protein and try to give them as much pasture time to graze as possible.

Basically, you should be able to find a duck/goose grower pellet for older goslings, and a maintainer pellet feed for adults. Supplement with as much grazing and green matter as possible, and you can apparently feed grass hay in the winters. I actually bought a bale of hay today to see if they'll like it.

 

[queenbeezz]

Along with the waterfowl feed give them plenty of greens. Romaine lettuce. collards, kale, cabbage leaves (the green ones are the best). I don't give them any spinach at all. I read somewhere that spinach is not good for the geese so I avoid it. Mine also like grapes, blueberries, cut up apples and especially love watermelon and cantalope. My gander loses his mind over a chunk of watermelon. I go to my local groceries and see the produce manager. I ask them to save me the cuttings of the greens when they clean them up for sale. I get a day and time that is best for pickup and make sure I get there at that time. I have several stores that save stuff for me. My geese like peanut butter bread as a treat also. My vet recommended it as a protien source when one of my girls was sick and it has become a habit. My chickens appreciate my efforts also.

Giving the greens and fruit to them by hand will go a long way towards making them view you as a friend and taming them. Mine run full tilt across the yard when they see me. I don't throw the fruit for them, I make them come to me and take it from my hand.

 

[Denninmi]

Alas, so far, every kind of treat other than traditional salad greens I've given them has been rejected. They are now about 6 to 7 weeks old, so I hope as they grow up, they'll like more things. Treats can be an effective tool in training and taming.

 

[Chikn-Chik]

Thank you both! They don't like people at all, so taming them is going to be a challenge! I have separated the goslings so I can tame them better. It will be easier to do while they are young.

The gander is an African, the white one is Embden, and the other goose is their offspring. So are the goslings.

This is the male gosling.

This is the female gosling.

 

[Rosebud 18]

I just got my geese from Metzers yesterday and on the instructions they sent it says to feed them 21+% protein poultry starter crumbles up to three weeks of age. Grower pellets are perferred from that point on. Green grass and vegetables trimmings can be given at anytime.

 

[Chikn-Chik]

I don't have an exact age on these babies, but I looked it up on the net and they seem to be around 2 1/2 weeks of age. Right now I'm feeding the adults sweet feed and scratch mix, and for the goslings, scratch. I have some gamebird feed, but I heard that it wasn't good for them, so I haven't feed them any.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
They are beautiful. I am kinda partial to Emdens since thats what i have, but love the goslings very pretty match. I feed all my ducks, chickens and goose Purina Flock Raiser, plus they have acsess to alot of acreage for greens. I can't get Water fowl feed here. scratch is not a healthy diet for them especially the goslings they need a very good balanced diet. the adults too.

 

[Chikn-Chik]

Tomorrow I'm going to make a trip to the store to buy some lettuce and apples! Lol it will probably be monday before I can get any feed though..

so I'll make up for that this weekend with garden things. Its hard to find any kind of feed around here besides corn or scratch. That's seems to be all people buy, so that's all they carry. But I'm deffanantly going to get them on a balanced diet asap!

 

[ellenmartin]

Here's what we do and it's working great we have 2 parents / 2 other older geese and 4 goslings that are 7 weeks old. Feathering out and yours are starting to do this. The right feed will help them and the right routine will get them up and grown on a good start which is vital.

Get some Purina FLOCKRAISER 20% crumbles from your feed store or if they cary MAZURI 20% starter or any MAZURI Waterfowl feed buy that! It goes a long way and it is made for geese and ducks! Put feed in a pan with a little cracked corn (not much about like you would sprinkle two good handfuls of bacon bits on a huge salad type thing) and let them and the adults eat it - --- Let them out on the grass to eat all the grass they can - it helps cut the protien intake and they know how much of what to eat. Problem is when people pen them up with protien and they can not manage grass/vs/feed themselves.

Corn - not too much it is like candy and candy is bad. Corn makes them hot at night so in winter it's good to give them a little before bed but in summer/heat I would stick to just a little sprinkle as a treat.

Make sure there are no dogs/ predators/ etc. around and heard them like you would cattle - slowly - let them graze and eat their feed and have a water bucket/tub right next to the feed so they can dip their heads in it and clean their eyes and rinse their mouth and drink - they do this to clean their nostrils and wash feed down - very important to keep that bucket clean water too! Make sure they can dip their heads all the way down into it and the water covers their eyes - this helps them keep their eyes clean too and minimizes eye infections/problems!

Babies need protien for growing feathers/muscle and overall. Corn helps cut it but do not put too much in there, just sprinkle a little. do not let feed get wet and sit all day - check it and change it out. As they get older it will get easier but at that age they require some management and tending just like a baby really. change water twice a day and check/change feed or put in shady location.

DO Not let feed get on ground or pick it up - it will mold and they will find it later and that is death or major problem! keep feed area clean / dry and feed fresh and water clean. Let them graze and you should be ok. They know what to and not to eat in the yard.

Again, this is what we do and it's working great! Watch for angle wing (when a wing turns out or feathers on wing don't lay flat on body) - if that happens let me know I'll tell ya how to fix it in a day or two if you catch it early.

Drooping wings is because they grow fast and goslings muscles are growing too that have to hold those wings up ... letting them run around and graze and flap their wings and play is critical to muscle development they need to use them as they grow so they can get powerful and hold up those feathers and flap/etc.