Do geese make good pets

[BlueO]

Hi simple question. I would like to get a pair of geese next year. But I have ducks and I’m going to get chickens. Does anybody know if geese make good flock member or should I give up and put it out of my head.

 

[nuthatched]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ising-geese-and-are-they-right-for-you.78377/
Here's some articles for you.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/things-to-know-before-raising-geese.77623/

 

[Jenbirdee]

i have 2 geese 2 chickens and 12 ducks. my ducks and chickens get along ok, but i keep my geese separated by a fence all the time. i tried putting them together but the geese were attacking the ducks.
not everyone has the same experience. but that’s my situation. i love my geese they love me too i play with them they like toys and treats . but they don’t like the other people in my family. a person needs to spend a lot of time with their geese before the geese learn to trust them.

 

[Iain Utah]

For me, the worst offenders have been roosters and an occasional muscovy drake. I have had a few bad tempered production bred ganders over the years, but other than a gander on gander fight, they did not hurt other birds.

 

[peafowl_Lover]

I got my goose Dandelion as a gosling. So she is friendly. This was when i brought her to a show. She came first place!

 

[BlueO]

Thank you all very helpful

 

[BlueO]

I got my goose Dandelion as a gosling. So she is friendly. This was when i brought her to a show. She came first place!View attachment 3682908

Wooo she is so pretty

 

[peafowl_Lover]

Thank you it's better to have atleast 2 geese because they will get lonely I only have 1 because her sister clover passed away from unknown causes. Dandelion spends her days trying to bite the hens and the ducks through the fence! I will get another goose soon.

 

[Goosebaby]

Chicken math applies to geese. I started out with two, somehow I now have 11. They have individual personalities and are amusing, they can be very loving if you spend time with them.
I would say they make excellent pets, but like other birds they aren’t as easy keepers as dogs.

From my experience geese will generally tolerate ducks “I don’t have chickens,” but it’s not always a peaceful flock when you mix them, it has a lot to do with everyone’s individual personalities and hormones.

Currently my geese and ducks get along fine as long as the ducks don’t invade the personal space of the geese, keeping a two foot distance keeps the geese comfortable.
several years ago this wasn’t the case, I had some ducks decide to bully some of my geese and the geese only put up with it for so long until ”Friday” my goose that was getting the worst of the bullying put a stop to it by beating my drake within an inch of his life.
for a long time my geese were hostile to ducks in general but they’ve since recovered from it and are fairly tolerant now.

So you can keep a multi species flock but:
make sure they have adequate space so birds can get away from a potential attack.
Keep an eye out for discord in the flock, if you have one that keeps starting drama maybe separate that one with a friend from the others.
Keep separate night pens/coops for different species.
Ducks are more instinctual than geese so breeding hormones make them extra spicy and they really don’t understand the concept of not poking the dragon.
Geese get hormonal usually between late fall and winter and it lasts into spring, their ability to reason takes a dive and violent intrusive thoughts are more likely to control them, so ducks and chickens are more likely to trigger them.

 

[BlueO]

Chicken math applies to geese. I started out with two, somehow I now have 11. They have individual personalities and are amusing, they can be very loving if you spend time with them.
I would say they make excellent pets, but like other birds they aren’t as easy keepers as dogs.

From my experience geese will generally tolerate ducks “I don’t have chickens,” but it’s not always a peaceful flock when you mix them, it has a lot to do with everyone’s individual personalities and hormones.

Currently my geese and ducks get along fine as long as the ducks don’t invade the personal space of the geese, keeping a two foot distance keeps the geese comfortable.
several years ago this wasn’t the case, I had some ducks decide to bully some of my geese and the geese only put up with it for so long until ”Friday” my goose that was getting the worst of the bullying put a stop to it by beating my drake within an inch of his life.
for a long time my geese were hostile to ducks in general but they’ve since recovered from it and are fairly tolerant now.

So you can keep a multi species flock but:
make sure they have adequate space so birds can get away from a potential attack.
Keep an eye out for discord in the flock, if you have one that keeps starting drama maybe separate that one with a friend from the others.
Keep separate night pens/coops for different species.
Ducks are more instinctual than geese so breeding hormones make them extra spicy and they really don’t understand the concept of not poking the dragon.
Geese get hormonal usually between late fall and winter and it lasts into spring, their ability to reason takes a dive and violent intrusive thoughts are more likely to control them, so ducks and chickens are more likely to trigger them.

Wooo sounds rough but fun