Winter??

[Carrosaur]

Pear and Kiwi stay outside at night and right now it only gets down to about 45, so I figured they were fine. But last years winter was brutal, and here in Tennesse the single digits are rare but we had them about half the time. In worried this will happen again, how cold can it be at night for geese without lots of extra bedding?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Pear and Kiwi stay outside at night and right now it only gets down to about 45, so I figured they were fine. But last years winter was brutal, and here in Tennesse the single digits are rare but we had them about half the time. In worried this will happen again, how cold can it be at night for geese without lots of extra bedding?

Do you mean without any protection from the elements? some build 3 sided housing with roof but mine go inside their house at night, we had brutal weather last year too and just observing I could tell mine were happy at end of day to go inside and get down into the thick shavings for the cold night. Mine were outside during the daytime but would hunker down behind things to keep the wind off of them, even on the very cold single digits days and they had access to their house.

 

[Carrosaur]

I have a cage with all sides but the front covered in a tarp but no bedding... Don't know how to keep bedding in that?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a cage with all sides but the front covered in a tarp but no bedding... Don't know how to keep bedding in that?

I put boards across to keep bedding in. scrap 2x4's or something wider that they can still walk over but it helps keep bedding inside where it belongs. Don't you have to worry about predators getting in during the night? with no way to lock up.

 

[Carrosaur]

I put boards across to keep bedding in. scrap 2x4's or something wider that they can still walk over but it helps keep bedding inside where it belongs. Don't you have to worry about predators getting in during the night? with no way to lock up.

The cage has a door that locks, they usually go in it at night unless it rains, if it does I keep it open so if the bottom floods they can get out. No predators yet.... The fencing is now 1/2" hardware cloth also, so once a predator gets through that they still have to get into the cage, and by that time Pear will be furious and try to fight or the dogs will hear and come save them!

So far it doesn't look like the cold is bothering them.

 

[Dwen]

Hey Carrosour,
Can you post a picture of your set-up? I am having difficulty picturing it, but would like to help you out with ideas. Geese and ducks are marvelously protected from normal cold by their thick down, but sometimes, like last winter, they need a little extra protection--Especially from wind. Last winter for us, (southern nc) was not only cold, but wet. I used up quite a bit of straw and wood chips to make sure my geese always had a snug, dry place to go.

 

[Carrosaur]

Hey Carrosour,
Can you post a picture of your set-up? I am having difficulty picturing it, but would like to help you out with ideas. Geese and ducks are marvelously protected from normal cold by their thick down, but sometimes, like last winter, they need a little extra protection--Especially from wind. Last winter for us, (southern nc) was not only cold, but wet. I used up quite a bit of straw and wood chips to make sure my geese always had a snug, dry place to go.

I don't take many pictures of if because it's not pretty! But it's the cage in the background with a blue tarp around it, I only had the tarp over it when they were babies if they wanted some shade sbd never took it off.. They don't really go in during the day so there's no point! It has a green tarp over it now, locks in the front.

 

[Miss Lydia]

You might get some info from here https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/929630/my-first-winter-with-geese#post_14245874

 

[Dwen]

Thanks for the photo.
I would definitely put some kind of bedding down in the cage, if only to keep them off the ground at night. Straw and wood shavings would work well. If your yard is open, you might consider placing hay-bales against their little house to block wind. The tarp will be good for rough weather, although mine eventually got shredded by the wind. I like your set up, maybe it's not pretty, but it's useful.

Best of luck,
-Dwen

 

[Carrosaur]

Thank you!