How to Care for Geese in Winter
Can Geese Handle Cold Weather?
Rubber water trays are easy to empty, when the water freezes over, and deep enough for waddling. They’re ideal if you’re going to be around, most of the time. If you’ll be away for more than a few hours a day, it’s a great idea to invest in a large, heated dog water bowl, for your geese.
Enough water to splash is key to keeping them healthy in winter. Their preening spreads sealing oils across their feathers, which help keep them buoyant, in water and lock heat in, when it’s cold. Being able to bathe in water, allows for the most complete preen possible, but as long as your birds can submerge their heads, and work the water through their bills, they can create enough oil, to keep themselves comfy.
While watering your fowl is a must, keep in mind that any splashing indoors will soak your bird’s bedding, which in turn will become icy. Whenever possible, provide water outdoors, in a clear area, so that the mess your birds make, is manageable.
Winter Care for Geese
Healthy adult geese are very cold-hardy once they are fully feathered. Their dense feathers and down provide excellent insulation, and many geese handle freezing temperatures surprisingly well. Winter care is mainly about keeping them dry, out of strong wind, well-fed, and supplied with unfrozen water.
Swimming in Winter
Geese love water, but swimming is not essential during extremely cold weather. If you provide a pool, make sure they can easily enter and exit without slipping, and avoid allowing large amounts of water to freeze around the enclosure. After bathing, healthy adult geese normally waterproof their feathers through preening. However, a goose with damaged feathers, illness, poor waterproofing, or heavy ice accumulation may become chilled.
Protect Their Feet
Geese generally tolerate snow well, but watch their feet during prolonged extreme cold.
Provide areas covered with:
- Straw
- Wood shavings
- Rubber livestock mats covered with bedding
- Dry wooden platforms
Check regularly for swelling, discoloration, injuries, or signs of frostbite. Avoid leaving them standing for long periods on bare ice, frozen metal, or constantly wet frozen ground.
Snow Is Usually Fine
Most geese enjoy walking around in snow. You do not have to keep them confined simply because snow is on the ground.
However, provide a protected area during:
- Blizzards
- Strong winds
- Freezing rain
- Severe wind chills
- Heavy ice accumulation
Geese should always have the option of going inside.
Watch Body Condition
Because their feathers make geese look large and fluffy, weight loss can sometimes go unnoticed. Occasionally feel along the breastbone. A goose that is becoming unusually thin, weak, lethargic, or reluctant to eat should be examined more closely.
Simple Winter Routine
Every day, give your geese fresh unfrozen water and balanced feed, check their feet and general behavior, remove wet bedding, and make sure their shelter remains dry and ventilated. Before nighttime, make sure everyone is inside the secure shelter and that no bird appears wet, injured, unusually quiet, or separated from the flock.
Healthy adult geese generally cope with winter extremely well. A dry shelter, protection from wind, plenty of bedding, good nutrition, unfrozen water, and predator protection are much more important than trying to keep their enclosure warm.
Fencing
Most domestic geese do not fly particularly well, so a fence around 4 feet high is often sufficient for heavier breeds. Lighter breeds may require taller fencing. A large grassy fenced yard is ideal because geese naturally spend much of their day grazing.
Shade and Summer Protection
During warm weather, the enclosure should include plenty of shade. Trees, shade cloth, covered shelters, or roofed areas can all work.
Fresh drinking water should always be available. Watch especially closely during very hot weather because geese can overheat.
Water: You may want to withhold swimming water from your ducks and geese during the coldest days of winter. Especially if they are housed with chickens. They will inevitably splash cold water onto their flockmates, which will not be appreciated by the chickens! Also, in extreme cold, ducks and geese with wet feet from recent swimming may actually freeze to the ground if they stand in one place too long. If that happens, you’ll need to gently pour warm (not hot!) water around their feet to set them free. Ducks and geese are uniquely qualified to be outside during winter. They may only need a little extra help when the temperatures plunge for long periods of time.
Frostbite: In extremely cold temperatures, ducks and geese can be susceptible to frostbite on their feet and exposed skin. Providing straw or other bedding in their shelter can help insulate them from the cold ground.