Can you spend too much time with your goslings and when to move outside?

[zooweemama]

My husband and I are getting our goslings next week. (eee!) And these are our pets. We thought we'd see how they do for yard patrol (eating up some grass, greens some bugs etc) but we have ducks that do a fair job of that. We are both looking forward to their arrival. It's in the 95-105 range outside in the Summer. So keeping them warm outside won't be an issue.

We brood out birdies in the house. The ducks were big by 3 weeks old and they went out to the coop at that point. We will be spending A LOT of time with them. (will only be 2 of them) Is there a point when it becomes too much time? I don't want to make it too hard for them when they have to transition to outside but we definitely want the geese to know we're the buddies. The ducks are little divas and do their own thing. We'd love for the geese to actually....like us?

I know geese grow very very fast. How soon do you guys move your geese out? Since there is only 2 of them- it feels so mean to make them go out alone at 2-3 weeks. With the ducks there were a lot of duck buddies (10 in the first batch and 8 in the second). Should we section off a small part of the duck coop for them so they can be with the ducks, but safe FROM the ducks?

Do you think the geese will ever we welcomed into the flock or not likely? Maybe the coop (partitioned off) could work until they are nearly full sized and I will fell less nervous about them being all themselves in their own little goose house?

 

[1MrsMagoo]

My husband and I are getting our goslings next week. (eee!) And these are our pets. We thought we'd see how they do for yard patrol (eating up some grass, greens some bugs etc) but we have ducks that do a fair job of that. We are both looking forward to their arrival. It's in the 95-105 range outside in the Summer. So keeping them warm outside won't be an issue.

We brood out birdies in the house. The ducks were big by 3 weeks old and they went out to the coop at that point. We will be spending A LOT of time with them. (will only be 2 of them) Is there a point when it becomes too much time? I don't want to make it too hard for them when they have to transition to outside but we definitely want the geese to know we're the buddies. The ducks are little divas and do their own thing. We'd love for the geese to actually....like us?

I know geese grow very very fast. How soon do you guys move your geese out? Since there is only 2 of them- it feels so mean to make them go out alone at 2-3 weeks. With the ducks there were a lot of duck buddies (10 in the first batch and 8 in the second). Should we section off a small part of the duck coop for them so they can be with the ducks, but safe FROM the ducks?

Do you think the geese will ever we welcomed into the flock or not likely? Maybe the coop (partitioned off) could work until they are nearly full sized and I will fell less nervous about them being all themselves in their own little goose house?

First congratulations on entering the wonderful world of geese! Do you know the genders of your new goslings?

The amount of time you spend with the geese for the most part will determine how friendly they are as adults. Since their are two of them, at least they will have each other to pass their time with when you aren't around. I have babied lone goslings before only to find they screamed their little adorable heads off when I put them to bed at night. Needless to say until they got a friend, they ended up in a box by our bed so they could at least see me: That seemed to help them and me sleep. Once I had a friend for them whether it was a duckling or another gosling, they bonded with it as well and were much happier.

By the time these guys hit 2 weeks old, depending on the breed, you will probably want to get them out of your house. The poo factor begins to increase almost exponentially at this point along with their growth rate. Before they are even 4 months old they will be at least half their adult size if not more.

I begin putting mine outside in their daytime tractor/playpen at 2 days old: Only when myself or husband are home though...never unattended. All my geese except for my original pair live with my ducks right now. I know I will need to separate the mated pairs prior to breeding season since they become very territorial over their nesting areas. So, partitioning off an area or putting in a wire dog crate for sleeping in your duck coop would work till they are big enough. Once that happens the ducks pretty much leave them alone. Well, except for two very ornery ducks I have that just love to sneak up behind my Toulouse gander and pinch his hind quarters.

Good luck with the new babies and remember....we will want to see pictures!

 

[Miss Lydia]

My husband and I are getting our goslings next week. (eee!) And these are our pets. We thought we'd see how they do for yard patrol (eating up some grass, greens some bugs etc) but we have ducks that do a fair job of that. We are both looking forward to their arrival. It's in the 95-105 range outside in the Summer. So keeping them warm outside won't be an issue.

We brood out birdies in the house. The ducks were big by 3 weeks old and they went out to the coop at that point. We will be spending A LOT of time with them. (will only be 2 of them) Is there a point when it becomes too much time? I don't want to make it too hard for them when they have to transition to outside but we definitely want the geese to know we're the buddies. The ducks are little divas and do their own thing. We'd love for the geese to actually....like us?

I know geese grow very very fast. How soon do you guys move your geese out? Since there is only 2 of them- it feels so mean to make them go out alone at 2-3 weeks. With the ducks there were a lot of duck buddies (10 in the first batch and 8 in the second). Should we section off a small part of the duck coop for them so they can be with the ducks, but safe FROM the ducks?

Do you think the geese will ever we welcomed into the flock or not likely? Maybe the coop (partitioned off) could work until they are nearly full sized and I will fell less nervous about them being all themselves in their own little goose house?

I know you want your geese to like you, but you don't want to be their buddies you want to be their Lead geese, in other words you don't want them to run over you you want them to respect you as the main people in charge of them and all other critters you may have. They are very intelligent and will know a push over so start when young letting them know what is acceptable behavior and what isn't. They will bite and it hurts so don't let them even start. There is alot of good info on here you'll just have to go back and research it a bit about training young goslings. Please don't let what I have said intimidate you but they are very different than ducks, as you are going to find out. Have fun,

 

[zooweemama]

First congratulations on entering the wonderful world of geese! Do you know the genders of your new goslings?

The amount of time you spend with the geese for the most part will determine how friendly they are as adults. Since their are two of them, at least they will have each other to pass their time with when you aren't around. I have babied lone goslings before only to find they screamed their little adorable heads off when I put them to bed at night. Needless to say until they got a friend, they ended up in a box by our bed so they could at least see me: That seemed to help them and me sleep. Once I had a friend for them whether it was a duckling or another gosling, they bonded with it as well and were much happier.

By the time these guys hit 2 weeks old, depending on the breed, you will probably want to get them out of your house. The poo factor begins to increase almost exponentially at this point along with their growth rate. Before they are even 4 months old they will be at least half their adult size if not more.

I begin putting mine outside in their daytime tractor/playpen at 2 days old: Only when myself or husband are home though...never unattended. All my geese except for my original pair live with my ducks right now. I know I will need to separate the mated pairs prior to breeding season since they become very territorial over their nesting areas. So, partitioning off an area or putting in a wire dog crate for sleeping in your duck coop would work till they are big enough. Once that happens the ducks pretty much leave them alone. Well, except for two very ornery ducks I have that just love to sneak up behind my Toulouse gander and pinch his hind quarters.

Good luck with the new babies and remember....we will want to see pictures!

Thanks! I have the Holderread book but it doesn't cover this part exactly.

Yes we are getting a sexed pair- goose and gander Brown Africans (so...kind of a bigger breed hehe). Ok So 2 weeks with them- wahhh. Good to know though. I loved those ducks but we SQUEEZED 3 weeks out of them because the weather was chilly then. So really, since they have a buddy...spending too much time with this really won't be an issue because they still have their goose buddy?

I just didn't want to scar them for life if we showered them with attention and then put them outside with the ducks (or goose house) and abandoned them but it sounds like their mate will be just the thing. Perfect! We can section off a part of the duck house for them while they are still babies. And then see how it goes from there. 6 of the ducks are 3 months old and the other 8 are just over 2 months old. So they are still youngish. We had to divide the coop from week 3- week 7 of the younger duck set because the big ones (which had 3 Pekins) were bullying the heck out of the little ones. But now they are one happy family. So this will feel about the same I think. And if the ducks and geese dislike sharing later- we will happily make them their own pad. We planned on possibly letting them hatch some of their own their 2nd year so they need their own home anyway.

 

[zooweemama]

I know you want your geese to like you, but you don't want to be their buddies you want to be their Lead geese, in other words you don't want them to run over you you want them to respect you as the main people in charge of them and all other critters you may have. They are very intelligent and will know a push over so start when young letting them know what is acceptable behavior and what isn't. They will bite and it hurts so don't let them even start. There is alot of good info on here you'll just have to go back and research it a bit about training young goslings. Please don't let what I have said intimidate you but they are very different than ducks, as you are going to find out. Have fun,

Oh I totally get it. Our top duck is a huge Pekin drake and he tries to shove his little stinker head at my sometimes. sorry dude, I win. I have a rottweiler (he's my dog) and he sees me as alpha. Which is hard because he is male, weighs over 100 pounds and when he jumps up....definitely intimidating. I have to hold my ground and I never let him have an inch. And although I adore him and he is my buddy...he doesn't get snuggles or hugs, he follows me around where ever I go, if I stop- he stops and leans on me...such a good dog but he still does occasionally try to push me around (but he always obeys when I speak a command). He only weighs maybe 20 pounds less than I do? hehe I will definitely keep in mind the top dog/goose mentality. Thank you so much Miss Lydia!

 

[Going Bhonkers]

My husband and I are getting our goslings next week. (eee!)

Next week! Finally! It seems like you've been waiting forever! Can't wait to see their pictures!

 

[zooweemama]

Next week! Finally! It seems like you've been waiting forever! Can't wait to see their pictures!

Your screen name is how I feel waiting! I ordered them more than a month ago I think? I am so praying they survive the trip. I had NO idea we were going to be having a heat wave. I did make sure I ordered from a hatchery located in the same state so I hope that helps here. Next time I will do all my waterfowl buying before June just to be sure.

 

[plantcityhomestead]

Oh I totally get it. Our top duck is a huge Pekin drake and he tries to shove his little stinker head at my sometimes. sorry dude, I win. I have a rottweiler (he's my dog) and he sees me as alpha. Which is hard because he is male, weighs over 100 pounds and when he jumps up....definitely intimidating. I have to hold my ground and I never let him have an inch. And although I adore him and he is my buddy...he doesn't get snuggles or hugs, he follows me around where ever I go, if I stop- he stops and leans on me...such a good dog but he still does occasionally try to push me around (but he always obeys when I speak a command). He only weighs maybe 20 pounds less than I do? hehe I will definitely keep in mind the top dog/goose mentality. Thank you so much Miss Lydia!

I have found my geese are much like dogs. I have even used clicker training with them effectively. They learned simple vocal commands like "bedtime." Even during breeding season, all I had to do was wave a finger at the gander and he backed off. Take them out in the yard as soon as you get them. They will be so imprinted on you they will follow you everywhere, even as adults. This worked very well with the geese I got as day olds, but has been less effective with the Poms that I got at 2 months old, so start early. Since you have a well trained rotti, just use your dog training skills with the goslings and you will have wonderful geese.

Cindy