# raising a goose



## notorious

If I purchased a goose, and had it in my backyard, could it get over the fence? It's a typical wooden fence about 6 feet high...


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## SgtGreenbag

Maybe you could have it's wings clipped?


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## spittinfire

If you clip its wings as mentioned I have my doubts. My sister had a pet bird and when we clipped his wings he couldn't get more then 6 inches off the ground before coming back down. Never tried it with a goose though...


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## SgtGreenbag

Use leg weights? LOL


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## Jerseyzuks

my neighbor always had geese and turkeys, just keep the flight feathers clipped


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## Washkeeton

I have had super africans and my neigbor has had the white chinese for quite a few yrs. I know the super africans are too heavy to fly.


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## TechAdmin

Why do you want raise geese?


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## Washkeeton

There is a few reasons that I like geese


They are as good if not better than a guard dog and meaner. 

They provide an oil that I love to use on my hands up here in the winter time.. I havent cooked with any nor have I ever used it for food, yet. 

Meat

Down--nice to stuff your clothing with it up here especially where I deal with wind chills down to -70. Protects from the cold. 

Huge eggs



Ducks provide yr round eggs but goose eggs are a wonderful change from the chicken eggs for those of us that are allergic...


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## TechAdmin

Can't say that I've had geese eggs before. How do they compare in taste to chicken eggs?


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## Washkeeton

They are huge and they to me seem to taste better. I am allergic to chicken eggs so I havent had those in over 3 yrs. I am wanting to get a few ducks to try their eggs because I am not allergic to them as far as I know. 

We quit saving eggs to use and started incubating them for babies. Ended up with a huge bunch of babies... They are all gone but 5. Need to kill those last 5 roosters and save their wings and a bit of their carcases for trapping the local wolverine...

Oh and geese like turkeys only lay in the spring and early summer... they dont lay yr round...


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## Blister

We've got geese, chickens and goats. One thing I would not advise is only getting one. Geese are social animals and if you have just one pinned in a yard, you'll be the center of attraction. You don't really want to be the center of attraction. A male/female combo is good. It'll get their minds off you...somewhat.

They also stink horribly when confined. Their dung builds up and has an atrocious smell after a while. They're just as bad as ducks.


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## TechAdmin

How big of an area do you have for your geese? Is the meat pretty game?


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## Blister

Dean said:


> How big of an area do you have for your geese? Is the meat pretty game?


We have 21 acres with a 2 acre pond on it. We don't eat the geese because they do such a good job keeping the pond clean. I couldn't tell you how they taste.

At one time, we had two pinned in a 4ft high dog pin about 12'x12'. One was an injured female and the other was a male that was too young to defend himself against the other males.They stunk it up so fast, I would think that 30'x30' would NOT be large enough to keep the stink down. If you had a half acre or so, that would be plenty though. All they do is eat and poop. Just bare in mind that if there is a water station (which there normally is being pinned), there is going to be stink no matter what.

First, they'll eat all the grass around it and then crap and splash water everywhere until you have a muddy crap puddle. That's where the stink comes in.


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## Washkeeton

Ok so Im on 2.5 acres.. I have had mom, dad and little ones... as well as the neighbors geese, 6 to 8 of them. I havent had a problem with stink, really. My pen is just about 16x16. My gander died as did my tom after a really bad respiritory infection went through my birds, 3 yrs ago. I moved the mom turkey in with mom goose and they have been keeping each other company for the past 3 yrs... Geese are actually cleaner than chickens ... their nesting area where they lay their eggs is never pooped in.. the chickens poop everywhere they go... I keep a swimming pool in the goose pen for the warm summers so they can swim and bathe. I also give them a bucket of warm water to wash their faces in every evening even if it is 30 below. They need to wash off their eyes or they cant see. To keep the stink down I cover their pen bottom with straw. It meshes with the poop and helps compost it... I also mix green grass clippings and hay. I do that in the chicken pen, and dog lot also with very little to no smell. The only time I really have a bad smell is when I let it go to long. 

As far as the pool they wash in it and I empty and refill it as it gets dirty. If you have them in a pond, I can see where that will stink over time...

I agree you dont want one goose. They mate for life and will defend their mates to the death. I actually thought my female would die when the male did. She didnt and she is still very healthy.


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## Blister

Washkeeton said:


> As far as the pool they wash in it and I empty and refill it as it gets dirty. If you have them in a pond, I can see where that will stink over time...


It's only the pinned birds that stink. The others are free to roam and do not defecate in only one area.

It sounds like you have to work a lot of maintenance to keep your smells down. This may be a bit more than the average person wants to endure due to costs and time in. From your post, I gather that if you don't add straw or hay, you have odor problems. So, in essence, you're covering the dung up. I would also think that the climate in alaska is a plus in this area. It gets well over 100 degrees here regularly so there isn't much in the way of colder temps to inhibit bacteria and fungal growth. Feed straw is over $7 a bail here as well. That's a little too expensive for us to put on the ground and compost. Since bed straw doesn't compost, I assume you're speaking of feed straw. Feed straw costs are up everywhere lately.

Just pointing these things out for those considering geese.

The only good news here is that I no longer keep geese pinned up.


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## Washkeeton

I am not sure what your calling feed straw vs bed straw. Im talking the left over straw from a barley field, they bail it and sell it for about 5 to 6 bucks per bail. I use that in the dog houses as bedding especially in the winter months. (I still have a dogsled team) I mostly use it in the bird houses when it is very cold outside to give them something to keep them a bit warmer. I use it on the ground of the pens and in the dog lot to help in composting the poo... I also use it if it is raining a lot so I can have a bit more solid ground to walk on vs sinking in the muck...I use the poo mix from the chickens, the goose and turkey to place in my garden... I do add green grass clippings in both the pens and in with the dogs in the summer time to increase the heat and move the breaking down process along. Cost factor, yes it is more... time, creates less work for me cause I dont have to muck the pens to keep them clean. Just straw them over and go on... in a yr or so I get nice composted dirt.


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## Blister

Bed straw is grain straw. You guys are paying $6 a bale for barley straw??? That's robbery. I thought our prices were ridiculous but maybe yours is worse.

We didn't have to muck the pin the geese were in. It was the dog kennel type pin that wasn't stationary. We just moved it when it got bad.


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## Washkeeton

This is Alaska, everything costs more up here ... it is like living in Seattle or LA price wise. 6 bucks a bail is good for here. The large round bails of hay start at 110 per... Bird food starts at 20 per 50 lb bag and dog food just went up to almost 35 per bag for the better than old roy stuff. 

Gas is still at 3.50 per gal.


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## Big B

Clip only one wing, when they try to fly, they roll over and end up on their heads, after about two tries, they give up.


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## crabapple

spittinfire said:


> If you clip its wings as mentioned I have my doubts. My sister had a pet bird and when we clipped his wings he couldn't get more then 6 inches off the ground before coming back down. Never tried it with a goose though...


You should clip ONE wing ONLY, this will keep any bird off balance.
Clip both wings & the bird can still fly, just not very high.


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## crabapple

I want to get geese for the farm, maybe some ducks.
What geese would you recommend?


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## Cotton

Depends on who you want to terrorize... Salesman, mailman or family member? Geese tend to bond with one person, all others are an attacker, a threat! 

Geese are tricky... and can draw blood! If you have children under 10 around I advise caution on getting geese.


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## crabapple

Cotton said:


> Depends on who you want to terrorize... Salesman, mailman or family member? Geese tend to bond with one person, all others are an attacker, a threat!
> 
> Geese are tricky... and can draw blood! If you have children under 10 around I advise caution on getting geese.


I guess I will find out.
How tasty is roast goose?


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## weedygarden

My grandparents were raised with lots of geese and ducks. Their parents were European, and it was common. They often had goose or duck for Sunday dinner and holiday meals. All the beds in the houses had down pillows and feather beds and comforters.


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