Duck water mess is getting intolerable-are geese as bad?

[Tonyg503504]

• If u dont like ducks you probabbley wont like geese they are soo anoying and agressive constantly honking and visiously biting

 

[Tbanner]

I got 3 geese last year by accident and if you can’t handle ducks then don’t go with geese! Geese are grazing animals and they will pick your yard or a pasture down to the dirt if they don’t have a large enough area. They poop piles about the same size as a medium size dog and they usually hold it until they get on your porch, carport or sidewalk! Also they can be aggressive depending on the breed! They are awesome but beaks are a lot easier to deal with than bills

 

[bluemerle]

I'm curious - can you post a picture of your set up?

For sure, ducks are more maintenance than chickens. And for that effort to be worth it, you have to genuinely like ducks! I'm jealous of people who can go on vacations and leave their chickens alone for a week - not something I'd consider with ducks - but ultimately now that I've experienced how quirky, entertaining, and joyful ducks are - I don't want to live without them! So I manage my set up to be as low-maintenance as possible & don't sweat the rest.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

West Michigan

Too far away for me…

 

[Pinckney]

Ducks are the pigs of the poultry world so if their positive attributes don’t outweigh the negative re-home them. I had 20 ducks last year and although they can be hard on an area so can any animal if you don’t have the space for them. I move my birds before they destroy an area and find the grass is greatly improved from their manure and eating weed seeds.
I’m in SE MI and I give them a kiddy pool daily during the hot months only. This time of year they get 1 bucket + 1 feed tub of water, which.they will bathe in too, during the day and just the feed tub at night. I dump out what remains and they don’t run out. To prevent mud try laying a piece of hardware cloth underneath, watch out for sharp edges. Or set it on top of a deep pile of hay.
For the lack of eggs either their feed is incorrect or your stock was not bred for egg production. I was swimming in eggs year 1.
For the feed issue move their feed away from the water and/or gradually shorten the time they have access to it so they have 2 meals a day like a dog and gobble it up. I feed pellets and have no waste due to wet feed but use a hamper style feeder which I refill every night. I also sometimes use a double bowl feeder that is for goats maybe, and it stays dry. The picture posted earlier looks like a great idea too.
I prefer my ducks to my chickens, and find my geese to be less mischievous/messy than the ducks. I have Shetlands which are nearly the same size as my male Saxonies. No issues with their being aggressive. I had Pomeranians at one time and they were a delight. I buy my waterfowl from Holdereads (top breeder) and spend time with the goslings to set the rules. They do sell a mini goose which might’be a better size for you but geese lay few eggs. I suspect geese aren’t your answer but if you do decide to try them buy really good stock. Try a local breeder, and observe their birds for personality or get a referral from someone that bought from that breeder. That breeder could also help you get off to a good start. I would not use a big hatchery for goslings. Keep in mind they live a long time compared to chickens, so they are a real commitment.

 

[Miss Lydia]

 

[CaramelKittey]

I have for Cayuga ducks that are about a year old. All female. I have been disappointed that I've only gotten about 12 eggs total considering the amount of effort that I have put into raising them. I have been considering getting geese but I am having second thoughts because of the amount of maintenance and the constant water mess that the ducks generate. I've tried just about everything to get the ducks to stop making a huge mess, but it seems like no matter what I do they can drain any water container within just a couple hours. They also tend to find and drain the water source for my chickens.

I am wondering if it is going to be better to just keep chickens only and find a new home for the docks or if I should try to find a solution for keeping both waterfowl and chickens in close proximity. It takes my chickens about 3 to 5 days to go through a water dispenser but the docs only take 1/2 hour to 1 hour to drain 5 gallons into my grass. Are geese better than this as far as water consumption or are they just as bad? I'm considering getting a pair of buff geese.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

I don’t know a lot about this certain breed of duck however, I can relate to the strain of changing their water all the time! I currently have 8 Welsh Harlequin ducks and 3 kiddie swimming pools for them. Right now, I live in an area with a lot of water therefore, my ducks are content to swim in large puddles. You could try getting another water container. I suggest using kiddie pools.
Hope you find a solution!

 

[CaramelKittey]

My ducks normally drink out of their swimming pool. We used to have another separate bucket for them to drink out of however, they preferred their dirty pool water. I change the water in their swimming pool 1-2 times a week.
As for geese,
I’ve never had guess however, geese are bigger than ducks therefore, I would assume double the mess.
Ducks need to drink water with their food to safely digest it.

 

[Tai-tai]

I have 3 muscovey hens and a cayuga drake. I use 2 rubbermaid dish pans for their water and baths. Twice a day, I refresh the water if they have gotten it too dirty. Over the summer, I put 2 gallons in each dishpan and dumped the dirty water on the brambles. I live in the PNW = since the rainy season started, I give them only 1 gallon in each dishpan---because this is the level that is not displaced when they take a bath. This is more than enough water for them to drink because I soak/ferment their grain (it's easier for them to digest and the fermentation makes more protein available). Fed twice a day, they eat all the grain quickly and don't try to wash it. Right now, they are free ranging in my garden for slugs and greens.