WHY do you have geese?

[Frogdogtimestwo]

I really hope my gander is somewhat friendly when he is grown, right now he is the first to greet me and not scared. I hate to admit this but I was terrified of geese as a kid, seemed I was always getting bit in the butt. I hope this experience is better as an adult

You guys are scaring me.....Abuse, two faced, alarming, and we can still be friends?

 

[Kim65]

My exhusband tossed me a cardboard box on day with two goslings in it. That was five years ago. I had a period of a year or so when I didn't have geese. It was horrible. I need to have geese, my life is not complete without them. I have no idea why. I never get tired of them, irritated or bored. I've been brutally abused by them, too, but aside from the blood blisters, bruises and broken glasses, I can't imagine life without them. My greatest challenge in life is not to get ANY MORE. Or allow the ones I have to breed.

When hand raised and imprinted, and the flock is very small (mine is only two), they are affectionate and attentive pets. They love you. They are beautiful yard art. They keep the grass down. They holler when "intruders" come in, and yes, they are excellent deterrents for hawks or single dogs wandering by. They are intelligent and have highly developed brains for relationships with each other and you. They are easy and cheap to feed. They rarely get sick with decent living conditions. Their poop is excellent fertilizer and washes off the back porch steps easily. Unless I let it dry on there for a month. It has no odor (poop outside). They follow you dedicatedly, everywhere. And they never had bad breath

or fleas.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

I love to watch them grazing and wadering at their leisure. They bring me total and complete peace. I enjoy them more than any other poultry I've kept or currently keep. Although, I do like watching my little pair of Call Ducks, too.
I enjoy watching my geese care for their young - and their adopted young. Some of the best, most caring parents in the animal world are geese - LOVE THEM!

Joni

 

[cassiadawn]

I saw an ad for Pilgrim eggs on a classified site. Didn't end up getting any of the eggs (sold out), but it got the idea of geese roaming around the acreage into my hubby's and my brains. XD Then I went to a small animal auction and some Embden geese came up. Totally not a breed I was thinking of, but... they were so cheap! Now one of them is broody (on 4 of her own eggs and 3 I bought to add to her nest), and I've bought one older Pilgrim gosling and 4 American Buff goslings as well. Mainly I want to breed the pure geese and raise their goslings as food, perhaps sell some goslings in the future.

I'm not sure what I think of the "geese as watchdogs" thing. The only time my geese make a racket right now is when they see me coming into the yard... because they hope I have treats!

 

[fowltemptress]

Initially I wanted ducks, but research led me to conclude geese would be far less messy and cheaper to feed, and much more personable . . . which, if memory of my past ducks is correct, has proven true with these geese. I release them into the garden every now and then to nibble at weeds and poop out some goose-brand fertilizer, and they manage to keep the grass in a section that is terribly hard to get at with a weed whacker nice and short. I did, at some point, think they would scream-honk at unusual things, but they only do that for me. I'm not sure whether that makes me feel loved or like a walking, talking treat bucket.

But most important, I can plop them in my lap and bury my face in their feathers, and they act as though it's a completely natural thing for me to be doing. Nothing beats a living lap pillow.

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

I went out and played with them this evening and they are so personable, they ran over to me and made cute noises and are just adorable right now, Thanks for all the insight into what I just had to have. You guys are the best!
Fowltemptress are you sure they eat less, man these guys can really put away some feed.
The new additions to our ever growing animal list.

 

[marathonmultiplesmom]

Quote:
They will eat a lot less Feed if they have regular access to Fresh Greens like grass, clover and weeds. Thats all free for the most part and really good for them. I have some in the brooder right now and I give them the weeds I pull from the garden and also have feed available and they eat mostly greens that I picked free.

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

Unfortunately I live where a lot of natural greenery is not available year round, Costco produce will be their greenery, I wish that was free

I miss the northwest where blackberry bushes were considered pesky weeds and mowing the lawn was nesessary!

 

[OmaBird]

Quote:
I think your shaming me into getting my fresh stuff to mine too. I think greated carrots, zuchini, potatoes and yams bring the cost down some. I am finding I need to get the food processor out. Gratting my hand is getting old fast. I do have a 5 acre orchard that is having my first year of fruit. So I will have apples, peaches, plums and pears later this year.

 

[sillysister74]

Because "Crazy Cat Lady" title was taken by the woman across the street.

It started with an Embden gander off of Craigslist, he had a best friend chicken, I coukd not fit the needs of chickens so I got him a girlfriend. She laid eight eggs but would not sit on any, he fixated on the goosehouse and the eggs so I tried to build an incubator. The temp could not be controlled so it got so high the yolks bursted in the shell. I wanted the geese to experience parenthood so I found six here on BYC (persjd I am still waiting for you to call back), two got into the dog pen and died we are left with 4 babies and now that they are approx 5 weeks old two are going to live with my daughter.
Now I am Crazy Goose Lady and I am still wanting more. They are like potato chips, you cannot have just one.