Will American Buff Geese eat the trees?

[Vineyiea]

I am planning to get a trio of American Buff geese (in fact I have a trio all lined up) but we just realized that geese will eat new trees. We have around 10 acres of forest behind our house, which we aren't concerned about, and an acre of lawn (with a TON of clover every year) plus an acre or two of unmanaged field right in front of us with a swampy pond fills up every year. However past that we also have 10 acres of newly planted baby trees, and don't want to (and it would be way too much work) put fencing around it. I forgot to mention we also have a creek running across the property right before the woods-with lots of weeds and such growing around it. Would a trio of geese go right for the baby trees? Or stay by the stream/clover/and the first part of the field?

We are also worried about them going onto the road-however if they reach the baby tree spots then they won't make it to the road.

I'd really appreciate some advice! I'm worried my family will decide not to get geese because of this problem but I've been really looking forward to them! (I even have three names picked out lol, Romeo, Juliet, and Daphne)

 

[DiYMama540]

That's a pretty long way to roam, if I'm imagining right. For comparison, my pair are perfectly happy in a fenced 1/2 acre.
The only time I see them going for baby trees on a space that big would maybe be during winter, when grazing is sparse. Deer would be more of a concern for new trees to me.
I say still get the geese! They will be a wonderful addition to your property, and they should help quite a bit with the lawn mowing!!

Welcome to BYC by the way! Always happy to have fellow goose friends!!

 

[Vineyiea]

Yeah-although we do have some smaller trees closer, are there particular trees they like best? Like fruit or pine trees or something? My dad is also worried about them being destructive to all the trees around, even the trees that are a bit older and around 4 feet tall

 

[bluemerle]

My geese have no interest in trees. They have access to some full grown apple and olive trees, and some baby lilacs, and I've never seen them bother them, aside from an occasional leaf-tasting.

 

[Vineyiea]

My geese have no interest in trees. They have access to some full grown apple and olive trees, and some baby lilacs, and I've never seen them bother them, aside from an occasional leaf-tasting.

That's awesome to hear! That seems to be the general consensus, my dad seems to have found a couple of places that say geese are incredibly destructive, but I'd think with a very large grazing area of grass and such they wouldn't bother with trees? Hopefully, I can get him to realize that...

 

[Miss Lydia]

They will wander though looking for tasty things to eat so if you have a well traveled road close by you may want to do fencing before bring them home.
I put plastic fencing up around a few trees when I saw my female nibbling on the bark. One was a red bud the other a dog wood these are full grown trees. My female goose is my nibbler she will naw on wood.

 

[Vineyiea]

They will wander though looking for tasty things to eat so if you have a well traveled road close by you may want to do fencing before bring them home.
I put plastic fencing up around a few trees when I saw my female nibbling on the bark. One was a red bud the other a dog wood these are full grown trees. My female goose is my nibbler she will naw on wood.

Okay thanks! We are lucky and our house is really far back from the road and everything really lol, and there is an old fence around the entire 25 acres-but no gate by the road. Again though, it would be a long way for them to wander, and all the water is towards the back of the property.

 

[Marieaa70]

Yeah-although we do have some smaller trees closer, are there particular trees they like best? Like fruit or pine trees or something? My dad is also worried about them being destructive to all the trees around, even the trees that are a bit older and around 4 feet tall

Don t think they will bother them at all , You have a pond weeds and lots of clover, To keep them happy . Geese are the best , Deer will eat the trees, not the geese