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Geese

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  • 28-09-2013 9:54am
    #1
    OldRio
    Registered Users Posts: 6,080 ✭✭✭


    We own a few acres of land and have horses, a goat, hens and sometimes pigs. Grow our own veg and have a polytunnel.

    Right the thing is, about a 6 weeks ago we bought a couple of geese. Thinking of killing for Christmas.
    Well the Geese follow me everywhere. It seems I have become a father/mother substitute. We have kept geese before and I have killed them for Christmas and made a few pennys but these two are different.

    We are lucky in that our land runs down to a lake. Took the fishing boat out yesterday and the geese followed me out. They swam around the boat and had, what I can only describe as 'great craic'

    The wife thinks I have completely lost it. And to be honest she may be right.
    Looks like turkey for Christmas this year.


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    #2
    memorystick
    Registered Users Posts: 1,594 ✭✭✭memorystick


    Do you still have the geese?


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    #3
    OldRio
    Registered Users Posts: 6,080 ✭✭✭OldRio


    memorystick wrote: »
    Do you still have the geese?

    No. They went that Christmas.. Never again, they were very friendly but their primary job was Christmas.


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    #4
    Stationmaster
    Registered Users Posts: 887 ✭✭✭Stationmaster


    Why would you say never again? We have hens, turkeys and duck and I'm thinking of getting a few geese as well.


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    #5
    s1ippy
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,980 ✭✭✭s1ippy


    Geese are so bold.


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    #6
    OldRio
    Registered Users Posts: 6,080 ✭✭✭OldRio


    Stationmaster wrote: »
    Why would you say never again? We have hens, turkeys and duck and I'm thinking of getting a few geese as well.

    I let them become pets, something I've never done in the past.
    We have hens and kept ducks in the past. Also pigs etc.

    Anyway enjoy your geese. Meat is lovely and they are a great protector of their home. The downsides is the mess. They poop a great amount. Haha.


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    #7
    lanod2407
    Registered Users Posts: 641 ✭✭✭lanod2407


    OldRio wrote: »
    I let them become pets, something I've never done in the past.
    We have hens and kept ducks in the past. Also pigs etc.

    Anyway enjoy your geese. Meat is lovely and they are a great protector of their home. The downsides is the mess. They poop a great amount. Haha.

    I bought a few geese at a market years ago (my long suffering wife will testify it's not a rare occurrence that I arrive home with something that looked great at a market), and I had to get rid of them. Eating and sh1tting machines. There's a saying 'like sh1t through s goose' .... and there's a good reason that saying was coined.
    Gave them to a local Dr Dolittle chap who must have had 60 or 80 various birds around the farmyard.


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    #8
    memorystick
    Registered Users Posts: 1,594 ✭✭✭memorystick


    Going to get a gander and a few geese in the spring. I’m thinking of fencing off an area and using a JFC calf hutch as a shelter. Would they need grain if they had grass? Thanks


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    #9
    OldRio
    Registered Users Posts: 6,080 ✭✭✭OldRio


    They eat grass or sometimes cabbages, especially if you've grown the cabbage from seed. (But that's another story)


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    #10
    Genghis Cant
    Registered Users Posts: 4,980 ✭✭✭Genghis Cant


    memorystick wrote: »
    Going to get a gander and a few geese in the spring. I’m thinking of fencing off an area and using a JFC calf hutch as a shelter. Would they need grain if they had grass? Thanks

    I suspect they won't use the shelter. At least ours dont . We'd hunt them into the shed in the depths of winter . Again I suspect they'd be fine outside if we left them. We've a lot of electric fencing about to help keep predators out. We keep several cage traps set 24/7 too.
    In relation to grain, ours pick at the bit of whole wheat that we feed the hens/turkeys. If you weren't trying to fatten them I'd expect they'd survive on grass but if it was me I'd throw them a handful of grain daily.

    Grass quality is important to geese too. They like it like a lawn. Strong rough grass is no good to them.


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    #11
    memorystick
    Registered Users Posts: 1,594 ✭✭✭memorystick


    Will they breed and rear naturally? I have no experience with these creatures.


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    #12
    Genghis Cant
    Registered Users Posts: 4,980 ✭✭✭Genghis Cant


    memorystick wrote: »
    Will they breed and rear naturally? I have no experience with these creatures.

    Breed dependant. I think some of the heavier breeds are slower to breed.
    We keep Pomeranian geese and they lay away ( in blue barrels) , they go broody and they can bring out a clutch.
    We tend to collect the eggs and have brought out some under a hen and in the incubator.
    We have a gander related to one of the geese so didn't set any eggs this year.
    I wouldn't let a young goose hatch, they tend to need a bit of time to mature.
    There's no reason the right goose wouldn't bring out and rear a clutch.


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