Would you say geese are easier to look after than a dog?

[Leader Bee]

I'm just curious because when I tell people I am preparing to keep some geese as pets the usual response is "Why!?!" along with some incredibly confused and exasperated gasps.

My reasoning is that I want a pet but I don't have the time to look after a dog; A dog needs walking, eats lots of food, can become quite ill and is probably expensive at the vets while as I understand it, Geese will pretty much look after themselves yet still have lots of personality and are quite hardy.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

No, geese are not kind to strangers or visitors... My son and his GF HATE going to her parents, and carry a stick when they enter a yard.

They're also very loud and face issues like parasites and such. Even dogs are predators to them.

Dogs are trainable and aim to please their person. Geese... Any animal you take to the vet costs. So if a goose had an issue you would just let it suffer instead of seeing the vet?? Regardless of species, many of us do not have funds to seek veterinary care. But you are correct that dogs need certain vaccines, and maybe more than you have to offer. It's good that your know yourself.

Sounds like you don't need pets...

Or maybe a cat??

Do you have neighbors?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Having had geese as well as dogs over the decades.....

Both take work, money and time.
Vets are never cheap for any pet.
Feed costs plain and simple it ain't free.
Water costs, pens cost, winter tending geese is a lot of work.

I agree if you don't have the time or funds for a dog you likely don't have time or funds for geese.
Yes geese as in more than one. It is not good for the goose to be kept alone. They need others of their kind.

 

[Henry&Friends]

My brother has been beaten up by geese, so I don’t think they’re very friendly, at least not to strangers.

ive found that after buying fencing and housing, chickens can be pretty cheap. I spend $20 a week in feed, and $7 every month or two for straw bedding. Some of my hens have been very cuddly and friendly (like my buff Orpington, HenOptimusPrimey, RIP) while others would rather you not touch them, just feed them. I find most issues I’ve had with them can be solved at home.

I also have cats, who love to cuddle AND be fed. But they need to get shots, fixed, etc. etc. my back porch cat, socks, hasnt been to a vets as far as I know, but I feed him and he loves to cuddle and purr all over you.

I don’t like dogs, so I can’t tell you the costs of keeping one. But I can tell you that you can find yourself with not only the costs of raising and keeping a dog, but if you’re like my neighbors and don’t want to walk the dog, and you let the dog run loose, you will also incur the costs of damages your dogs cause.

any animal can become quite ill and expensive... but it seems that more vets will help someone’s dog than someone’s poultry. So if you get poultry, make sure there’s a vet nearby that will see them, just in case you need it. I haven’t (yet) and there’s none near me, so if one of my hens was seriously ill or injured, I’d have some tough calls to make (to cull or to try and help) whereas if my cat is ill, I can run her over to the vets office two miles away.

Before you get any pets, you should check and make sure you have the time, funds and resources to keep one. It seems you’re already doing this (

I don't have the time to look after a dog; A dog needs walking, eats lots of food, can become quite ill and is probably expensive at the vets

) so just keep up the thinking and you’ll figure out your perfect pet.

 

[MGG]

Maybe some kind of rodent would be good for you. Such as a rabbit, chinchilla, guinea pig, gerbil, or hamster. They don't need as much time and care and most only live 3 to 5 years so not as long a commitment as geese. My friend has a goose that's 28

 

[Henry&Friends]

Maybe some kind of rodent would be good for you. Such as a rabbit, chinchilla, guinea pig, gerbil, or hamster. They don't need as much time and care and most only live 3 to 5 years so not as long a commitment as geese. My friend has a goose that's 28

28?!

 

[MGG]

Yes! She even laid 2 eggs last year!

 

[MGG]

The oldest goose in the Guinness Book of World Records said the oldest ever goose was 49 and 8 months when he passed

 

[Henry&Friends]

Yes! She even laid 2 eggs last year!

You oughta let her know that she’s well beyond retirement age! shes working herself too hard!

 

[MGG]

I know! It's so funny! A few years ago she hatched a clutch of babies. She was 25! It was so awesome