Geese pros and cons

Blue Sky

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I’d like to try geese. I don’t know much about them. They would have an acre and a half of orchard and yard to share with a dozen free range chickens and bird safe LGDs. They could further access 4 acres with a seasonal pond used by sheep. A goose coop and a pool are in the works I was thinking 5?
2 ganders 3 hens? What breeds?
 

Jesusfreak101

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That's enough hens for one gander. They would love that size. The one problem I see is when their hormones kick in. I have very docile Toulouse geese moat of the time they are with chickens, ducks, goats, a cow, some pigs and they get along fine. Everyonce i awhile they get bossy and bite someone. But when homoronrs come late winter early spring they will beat everyone and have nearly killed both ducks and chickens if not seperated. They will also attack our dog, cats, the goats , pigs, and calf. So younwpuld need a place to seperate them at. Oh and females will fight over eggs when nesting so you will need to watch that. They also will abandon their nest after one hen hatches her eggs. Once they hear babies the leave the eggs to help raise so make sure to have an incubator ready. I had a girl hatch three goslings then leave the nest and more where hatching took them out in incubator all but one hatched. They make great mothers they will even accept chicks and ducklings but they are horrible while nesting. I heard of them fighting and stepping on babies over whose nest it was. Mine haven't done that but they will fight over how many eggs they have. I gone out and found the hens sitting on the same nest instead of their own nests. They also eat alot. Make sure you can change the water regularly i also have 50gallon troughs they get in and out of. And hatching make sure they have a low water and small pool to get into like a feed pan will work for goslings.
 

Jesusfreak101

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I have had geese going on 4yrs they are lots of fun. Oh and they tend to love to steal your favorite plants lol. Also just because a breed says they can't fly doesnt mean your birds can't fly. All of mine i have seen fly above 30ft in the air for over 5 minutes and land just because they felt like it. The cooler weather does excite them and they don't go in a coop very often mine prefer staying outside even in bad weather.
 

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Blue Sky

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Oh I forgot to add I’d like a dual purpose breed. I don’t expect a lot of eggs and I’m guessing processing a goose is similar to ducks.
 

Jesusfreak101

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It is and its not lol ducks are easier. I processed both and chickens and geese i have yet to be able to pluck clean even with dipping them in water. Something about their Downey feathers i can't get to come out on the belly towards their vent its. I always get half done then nothing will come out if there is a trick I would love to know it i tend to skin them at that point.
 

Blue Sky

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An elderly black lady taught me how to pluck ducks when I was five. She always pulled against the growth direction of the feathers and singed anything that wouldn’t come out or trimmed bits. Her praise was far better than my plucking deserved ;)
 

Jesusfreak101

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Do they get cranky during mating season juat curious as mine do. Our will eat out of our hands expect for mating season when they think they have to hide and bite all lol. They don't bite us but they gone for then other animals. But I would agree they are good protectors however mine only protect the ducks but i have a large chicken and duck flock . Along with a smaller goose flock current goose number is at 8 geese three adults 2 four month olds and 3 hatchlings. Was up to 12 at one point but we sold four. The larger the goose flock we had the more they get overly bossy with the other birds and animals that i have noticed.
 
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Jesusfreak101

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Oh and you said something about eggs once they go broody they dont lay again for that year. My experience anyways on that. From left to right chicken, duck and goose egg. That's a quarter just to help with size comparison geese eggs are huge this one is actually a smaller goose egg from a first time layer.
 

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