Geese in the winter
Their down, the same stuff used in pillows and comforters, keeps them warm. If their feet become too cold, they’ll sit and bring their legs up close to their body, to keep warm. Normally geese would rather spend their day out, in the snow, than inside. You will be amazed at the amount of time they will spend outside, even if it’s cold.
Geese are cold, hardy and resilient birds, but they do need some special care, to keep them healthy and happy, during winter. But you have to keep in mind that if you own a Chinese, African or mixed Chinese/African/geese that have knobs on their forehead, you will need to protect them from frostbite. The knob is a warm, fleshy part of a gander or goose, and if they get frostbite on them, it will hurt them. You can put Vaseline on the knob, in the winter, to protect them from the bitter cold.
Geese make good watchdog
Geese become excited and noisy if confronted by intruders or strange sounds. They respond by making a hissing sound, or screaming. I have seen my geese corner a cat and stand still around it until we went out to chase the cat away. Another time they cornered a skunk and waited there until we chased it away. My Chinese goose let us know there was a hawk by an unusual scream and sure enough there was a threat when we went out there. They are very good at sounding the alarm to warn us of any danger, but they will not protect your ducks, if they haven’t been raised togethers as babies.
Geese are territorial
Geese have a reputation for attacking or chasing anyone that crosses their path. That is another reason they can be aggressive. Geese are extremely territorial. They like to be in their own space and do not want to share it with anyone else except other birds that were raised with them. This is why they will keep predators away. BUT ! They would obviously not be able to chase anything bigger than a fox away. They can be susceptible to larger predators so you have to be careful. They like to roam because they are also very curious birds and are very intelligent. So you will need a good enclosure to keep them in and secure from predators.
3 geese for 1 male
Unlike ducks, it is possible to keep a pair of male/female geese together without the male over mating the female. Gander are usually not as bad as drakes but it’s always a good idea if you have several geese to at least have 2-3 females per gander if you have more than 1 gander. I have 2 gander that are perfectly fine with our 3 females. It depends on each situation.
When a new bird finds their way to your home, it’s critical to follow appropriate intake and quarantine guidelines, to protect your new resident, and the existing flock. Upon intake, the bird should be evaluated for signs of health issues. Sometimes new geese and the existing gaggle will need times to adjust to each other. Never ever, let new geese alone with an existing gaggle without supervision. Like i mentioned previously, geese are territorial and sometimes not so welcoming of new members.
To reduce SE and other health risks, a complete dry cleaning, washing and disinfection of the poultry house after each flock or at minimum once each year is recommended. Successful cleaning is hard work and requires systematic completion of several sequential steps. Every step is important. Skipping one step or doing an incomplete job at any point will make the next step harder and lead to failure. Start by removing all birds from the building to be cleaned, along with all equipment that can be cleaned elsewhere, such as feeders and waterers.
Dry Cleaning
Sweep or blow dust and other loose dirt off ceilings, light fixtures, walls, cages or nest boxes, fans, air inlets etc. onto the floor. Remove all feed from feeders. Scrape manure and accumulated dust and dirt from perches and roosts. Remove all litter from the floor. Litter can be added to a compost pile. Sweep the floor to remove as much dry material as possible. With a small coop, a wet-dry shop vacuum does a good job of removing this material. However, be careful to clean the filter often as the fine dust from the coop may easily clog the filter and make the vacuum work harder or lead to burn out of the motor.
Wet Cleaning
Turn the power off to the building prior to using any water for cleaning. Wet cleaning is done in three steps: soaking, washing and rinsing. Warm or hot water will do a better job through organic matter than cold water. You can use a cheap neutral detergent, like dish soap.
Soaking
Soak the heavily soiled areas (perches and roosting areas, floors, etc.) thoroughly. Use a low pressure sprayer to totally soak all surfaces. Soak until the accumulated dirt and manure has softened to the point it is easily removed.
Washing
Wash every surface in the building, especially window sills, ceiling trusses, wall sills and any surface where dirt and dust may accumulate. The washing solution can be either a neutral detergent (ph between 6 and 8) or an alkaline detergent (ph above 8). Alkaline substances vary in their strength with the strongest causing burns and internal injuries if swallowed. A mild alkali is baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and moderate alkalis include household ammonia, borax and trisodium phosphate. Strong alkalis include washing soda (sodium carbonate) and lye (caustic soda). Mix in hot water—160oF or hotter is best.
A high pressure sprayer is good for this step, but manual scrubbing with a moderately stiff brush is one of the best ways to ensure a thorough cleaning. Inspect manually to be sure you have removed all dirt and manure from all surfaces. Make sure you carefully clean electrical parts. You may have to remove cover plates and vacuum those areas.
If you have metal surfaces with a hard water scale, then you will need to use an acid detergent on those surfaces to remove the scale. Acid detergent involves acid as the major component which is used in dissolving mineral deposits (Calcium and Magnesium precipitates) or hard water deposits from equipment surfaces. Two main groups of acid detergents are: inorganic (HCL, H2SO4), and organic (Vinegar, Citric Acid).
Rinsing
A final rinse immediately after washing is recommended to remove any harmful residues and to obtain a spotless building. Mop up puddles as they can rapidly become breeding grounds for salmonellae.
Drying
Thoroughly air-dry the building if disinfection cannot immediately follow rinsing. Open all windows and ventilation openings. Use a blower or fan if available. Cleaning on a dry, sunny day helps in the drying process.
Repairs
Make any repairs to the structure prior to the final disinfection step. Seal any rodent entry holes outside and inside the building. Apply a small amount of spray foam insulation into the hole, then pack in fine steel wool and top with more spray foam.
Are geese aggressive ?
There is this idea that geese are mean and super aggressive birds. But that is not true at all ! Geese got a bad reputation from how they are being portrayed in the media, just like sharks, Pitbull, etc. Geese, especially gander, always have a good reason to bite or be aggressive and that is mating season when the hormones are high or they have to protect their nest, babies, mate, from intruders. That is just a normal thing to do for them just like any other animals or even us humans ! In general, an animal is not aggressive just to be aggressive, there is always a reason behind it. Hungry, sick, protecting their family, threatened. There is always a reason behind their aggressivity.
But they are absolutely no more aggressive than any other animals. A dog for example, might bite a stranger they do not know, that tries to pet them. We, as humans, are always tempted to pet an animal we see. Many birds just don’t like being petted, especially by strangers. If you know your birds really well, usually if someone asks to pet one of your geese, you can always tell which one of your geese would be less likely to bite. I totally trust my gander Kiwi not to bite anyone and he never has. Geese are very curious birds and sometimes they will come near you just to check you out. Oftentimes, more than not, they just want to observe you.
How long do they live ?
Geese usually live for around 15 to 20 years but can live longer, depending how well they are cared for.
Are geese loud ?
Some geese are louder than others. Chinese and African geese are especially loud, while Sebastopol and Embden geese are on the quieter end of the spectrum, and all other breeds fall somewhere in between. I find my Chinese goose screams a lot as well as my two African mixed females. My Emden pair on the other hand are very quiet for the most part. I rarely hear them. Geese also scream in excitement when they see you ! That is how geese greet each other.
I usually respond to my birds by being loud as well and that usually works pretty well and calms them down rapidly. Adding toys to their enclosure can also help keep them quiet. To promote both their mental health and good behavior, decide to spend plenty of time with them, if for no other reason than your companionship, may help to limit their vocality. They love your presence and spending time around you, especially if you raised them from babies.
You found a Goose/gosling in need of help ?
Despite their social nature, if you are caring for a single gosling, who is without their mother, it’s still important to follow proper intake and quarantine procedures. Failing to do so and immediately introducing them to your goose residents, could potentially spread disease. In the case of a single gosling in quarantine, additional attention should be paid to addressing their social needs during this time. You might place a stuffed animal goose in with them. You might also include a mirror, and you can consider other safe social enrichment strategies as well.
In some cases, sanctuaries that have rescued a single gosling, have decided to welcome another gosling in need of rescue, so that the two can grow up together, after they have completed their quarantine, and/or gotten the all clear from a veterinarian.
Once new goslings have completed their quarantine and are deemed healthy, you can consider introducing them to your goose residents. The age at which you slowly start introducing goslings to the flock, will be dependent on personalities, nutritional needs, flock arrangements, and your set-up. In most cases, you should wait until they are at least 6 weeks old, though some caregivers prefer to wait quite a bit longer. Ideally, introductions are done in short, supervised meetings, spread over several days (or longer). If conducting a springtime introduction, keep in mind that ganders (male geese) may behave more territorially and should be closely monitored. They may be too rough at this point for young goslings.
A dark, quiet place
Keep the duckling or gosling in a dark, quiet place indoors, in an enclosed or covered container. For most species, a cardboard box is perfect. If your home is small, a closet or bathroom is a great place. A basement, heated garage, or spare bedroom will also work.
Keep children, pets, and people away from the room the duckling or gosling is in. Remember that it is injured and frightened, and we want to keep its stress down as much as possible. Unlike our pets, people talking to them, petting them, or looking at them do not comfort wild animals.
A heat source
Once you’ve determined a baby duck or goose is orphaned, getting it a heat source is one of the most important things you can do. Babies may have been without their mother days. Keeping them warm will reduce stress on their system, once their body doesn’t have to fight to keep its temperature up. Some examples of an appropriate heat source:
- a clean sock filled with dry, uncooked rice, and microwaved for one minute
- a plastic bottle from the recycling bin filled with hot tap water
- an electric heating pad set to “LOW” and placed under half of the box.
Reheat water bottles and rice socks as necessary. Once they have something warm to snuggle up to, most orphaned baby ducks and geese will go right to sleep.
No food or water
This is a tough one, because our first instinct is often to try to give food or water to an animal we’ve found. Until you’ve spoken to a wildlife rehabilitator, there are some really good reasons not to give the baby duck or goose food or water.
Why shouldn’t I feed it?
- If the duckling or gosling is dehydrated, starving, or suffering from trauma, its body may not be strong enough to digest food. Trying to feed it can cause bloating, shock, or death.
- Trying to force-feed food or water can accidentally end up with the liquid in the animal’s lungs. This can cause pneumonia, and death.
- If you feed the wrong food to the wrong species, it can cause serious digestive problems.
- Once you get the baby duck or goose to a wildlife rehabilitator, they will need to assess its condition and maybe run some medical tests. These are a lot easier to do if the animal hasn’t been eating. It’s just like when your doctor or veterinarian asks you or your pet not to eat the night before an appointment.
Once you’ve spoken to a wildlife rehabilitator, if they ask you to give the baby duck or goose some food please follow their advice.
Why shouldn’t I give it water?
- If the duckling or gosling is injured and having trouble standing, or if it panics trying to get out, it could fall into the water dish. This can cause hypothermia, or even drowning.
- Trying to force-feed water can accidentally end up with the liquid in the animal’s lungs. This can cause pneumonia, and death.
- Ducklings and goslings are naturally drawn to water, and will try to sit in it or swim in it. That’s normal for them, but without their mother to keep them warm they can become hypothermic. Best to keep them dry until you can find them help.
- Once you get the baby duck or goose to a wildlife rehabilitator, they will need to assess its condition and maybe run some medical tests. These are a lot easier to do if the animal hasn’t been drinking. It’s just like when your doctor or veterinarian asks you or your pet not to eat or drink the night before an appointment.
Once you’ve spoken to the rehabilitator , if they ask you to give the baby duck or goose some water please follow their advice.