Can I please have just one goose?

[sarah315]

I am starting my flock this year. I have 10 chicks of mixed heavy varieties being sent in a few weeks, and 6 silkie eggs in the incubator. Of which 3 are coming along nicely. I long for a pet goose!!! I would like to try and hatch a fertile egg in the incubator so the gosling can imprint to us and be very friendly. Can I house it with the chickens?

 

[MissPrissy]

Depending on the type of geese they are HUGE compared to chickens. I am trying to hatch some goose eggs now. I started with 12 and have 5 developing. It would be hit and miss to try just one egg. Have you ever heard the old saying birds of a feather flock together? You need more than 1. You will not be able to be in attendance to the goose every moment of every day. It will need a friend.

 

[sarah315]

So, if I got two geese could they live in the chicken house too? We have 2 acres of fenced pasture, would that be enough for them to graze?

 

[greyfields]

I agree you need to get a minimum of two just for their welfare.

I believe it would be better to let your geese graze the pasture during the day. But at night, you should train them to go into some kind of shelter which is predator proof. With only two, they won't have much protection or make enough noise to let you know if a predator is near them.

An acre of good pasture will feed up to 50 geese, so you have plenty of space for two. If you're not sure what breeds you would like, I always recommend Pilgrims for first timers. They are sex linked, meaning the females are gray and the males are white. They make for a very handsome pairs and trios.