Keeping geese: so far
Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2016 8:32 pm
So I've had several breeds of geese over 20 years. The chinese geese are great layers but the honk has a nasal quality that allows noise to carry. The two males we've had over the years would grab you when you weren't looking. The embdens were ok (they all free ranged). The tufted romans are quiet, friendly, and great foragers: but I bought two pairs and the boss male was brutal to the other male and I had to separate them. It turns out they need a 4 to 1 ratio for the males to get along, and fertility is very good but they started laying in February and most eggs froze before I was home to collect them. One went broody, both stopped laying, and one hatched. I blame my housing and management for the poor results and we'll see what next year brings.
I bought some young Sebastopols (a trio and an extra mixed breed goose) but sold the trio after a few weeks. (Too many birds) they were very friendly and the lady I sold them to loves them and finds them very tame. Apparantly Sebastopols lay better than Romans.
The theory was a bird that did well on pasture and little other feed. They did mow down a lot of grass and devoured fallen apples. They got along with the chickens but we'll see how they do in their smaller winter quarters.
So I sold the boss and a goose today, the remaining birds are lost without their leader and for the first time they I had to chase them in the barn for the night.
I bought some young Sebastopols (a trio and an extra mixed breed goose) but sold the trio after a few weeks. (Too many birds) they were very friendly and the lady I sold them to loves them and finds them very tame. Apparantly Sebastopols lay better than Romans.
The theory was a bird that did well on pasture and little other feed. They did mow down a lot of grass and devoured fallen apples. They got along with the chickens but we'll see how they do in their smaller winter quarters.
So I sold the boss and a goose today, the remaining birds are lost without their leader and for the first time they I had to chase them in the barn for the night.