Things To Know Before Getting Geese

[Finnie]

Anyone have a favorite goose waterer?


I haven't had them over winter before.....

For my muscovy I just used a pot... but I have more geese... and the geese are bigger.

I use these:

In fact, thank you for sending me on the search. I thought that was a pretty good price, so I ordered one!

Those are not my top most favorite for geese, because they are on the small size. But they work ok for winter. The rest of the year I use various bigger pans. It depends on what I find on clearance, because TSC has ridiculous prices on black rubber animal feeder bowls. Walmart is better, when they have any. My most recent favorite (non heated) is a large plastic party tub meant for chilling beverages when filled with ice. Let me see if I can find an on line photo since mine is not handy right now.

Here:

I bought a couple of these and then I found an even bigger one at a garage sale.

 

[Alaskan]

I have tried and busted 2 of those blue heated dog bowls.... do your geese not try to bathe in them?

And... they actually work for you all winter?

How cold does it get where you are?

 

[Finnie]

I have tried and busted 2 of those blue heated dog bowls.... do your geese not try to bathe in them?

And... they actually work for you all winter?

How cold does it get where you are?

Yes, the geese do try to bathe in them. And, they are on the small size for geese. Also, I am in Indiana, so I don’t have to deal with the extreme cold temperatures that you get. We sometimes get below 0 temps, but rarely double digits below.

Lol, they work for me if nothing trips the ground fault circuit breaker. Then they freeze.

I have broken a couple as well. If they do freeze, I usually chip a hole in the ice and break it out in pieces, then pour warm(ish) water in. But I have learned to be super careful not to chip all the way down to the bottom of the bowl because that is easy to miscalculate.

And the label says not to use them all summer, which I ignore. When they have been out in the sun for a few years straight, the plastic can become brittle. Then if it gets frozen to the ground and you try to kick it loose, well…

Also, I have an update on my opinion about the party tubs. After I posted that, I went outside and found that one of my Walmart ones had a crack down the side. I got a few more weeks of using it only half full, but then the crack extended all the way down and I had to throw it out. The other 3 I have are good so far.

 

[Mini Horses]

So @Alaskan , @Finnie ... Does the meat taste beefy????? Never had goose. Duck, yes.

What about fences -- are geese inclined to fly over or stay in a large area? Obviously the can fly but, not all may want to. How long from gosling to butcher age? And do you cook that long neck? Or is it like a chicken, little there.

If I was cooking the breast meat as steak cuts, I'd skin that rascal, not pluck.

 

[Finnie]

So @Alaskan , @Finnie ... Does the meat taste beefy????? Never had goose. Duck, yes.

What about fences -- are geese inclined to fly over or stay in a large area? Obviously the can fly but, not all may want to. How long from gosling to butcher age? And do you cook that long neck? Or is it like a chicken, little there.

If I was cooking the breast meat as steak cuts, I'd skin that rascal, not pluck.

I’ll have to leave the meat answers to @Alaskan . I’ve never eaten a goose yet. I did once allow a customer to slaughter and process the birds he bought from me here. They bought some ducks and one goose. I helped them a little, but they did most of the work. They made plucking the goose look easy. They said they prefer skin on.

Also, my geese cannot fly. I doubt they can jump much either. (Mine are Chinese geese.) I used to have a 5-strand electric fence. But they just put their head between any two rows and then plow their body through. Must not feel the shock. But then they broke off so many clips, that my fence is now mostly just laying on the ground and I turned the charger off. But it doesn’t seem to matter for the geese. They have their favorite spots inside and outside the fence line, and they don’t venture any further than that.

 

[Alaskan]

So @Alaskan , @Finnie ... Does the meat taste beefy????? Never had goose. Duck, yes.

Tasty. Kinda like duck? Way more dark meat, and way more juicy than chicken or turkey.

I would not say it was anything like beef. Muscovy breast is a little like beef... but not goose.

What about fences -- are geese inclined to fly over or stay in a large area? Obviously the can fly but, not all may want to.

The silly things fly LESS, WAY less, than chickens. I am not sure if they can get any height at all actually.
They will flap their wings, and can whack you pretty hard with their wings... but domestic geese are ground dwelling tubs of lard.

But then, I only have experience wirh 3 breeds???

What I have now are Buff Geese.

How long from gosling to butcher age? And do you cook that long neck? Or is it like a chicken, little there.

Well... my 6 week old goslings look old enough to eat. They are HUGE. At a guess, they are already larger than 2 store bought chickens. But, to butcher now, you would have to skin. They are half feathers and half down, so lots of pin feathers....

I think my last set of geese I ate at about 4 months of age, 6 at the oldest.

I looked through my photos, I couldn't find a photo with a goose NEXT to something that would properly show size.

The big ones are 6 weeks old (4 males), the smaller ar 5 weeks(8 girls)

 

[Alaskan]

Oh... as to containment.. a proper fence works. Have a goose herder is best... because then the herder can make sure the geese graze fir most if their feed.

The last time I had geese, I would have the kids herd... they herd easily because they insist on staying clumped together. Way more than chickens or cows or goats....

Now my kids are so old that they don't have the time to herd geese on the daily... so this flock is costing me more in feed.

We do graze them, and herd them... I really want an electric poultry fence!

 

[Finnie]

I can’t believe your goslings are 5 and 6 weeks old already! Look how big they’ve gotten!

 

[Mini Horses]

domestic geese are ground dwelling tubs of lard.

We do graze them, and herd them... I really want an electric poultry fence!

Yes, a moveable fence would be ideal.....so long as you had time for that.

But I suspect they graze like goats -- here & there, not with consistency of a horse or sheep for "hard grass mowing".

It's interesting but I'd be thinking sales -- I'm just not into the butchering mode anymore.

 

[Alaskan]

Actually, they graze very nicely and make a nice lawn.

They eat the dandelions first... and a few other weeds... then wonderfully trim the grass.

I keep wondering if they remind me of cattle or horses..... because they eat a bit, sit and digest a bit, then repeat. I guess more horses
.. since they do not chew a cud.