🌱 Grass and Greens
Geese are natural grazers, and goslings quickly become interested in grass. They can begin exploring safe pasture when they are young if temperatures are mild and they are supervised. Missouri Extension notes that pasture or lawn clippings can be introduced early, although young goslings should still receive a balanced starter ration while growing.
If you give greens, treats, grains, or other foods besides complete commercial feed, provide appropriately sized insoluble poultry grit. Once fully grown, geese do very well with good-quality grass plus a balanced maintenance pellet. Healthy pasture encourages natural grazing behavior and provides exercise as well as nutrition.
Good pasture plants include grasses such as ryegrass, bluegrass, fescue and other tender grasses. Clover and many broadleaf plants may also be eaten. Don’t assume that a lawn alone provides a complete diet year-round. Grass quality changes with season, maturity and weather, so supplemental balanced feed becomes especially important when vegetation is sparse.
Grass: Grasses make up most of a goose’s diet. Short, fresh spring grass is preferred and has the most nutritional content.
Geese are grazing birds that eat a variety of different items, but 80% of their diet is grass. They eat roots, shoots, stems, seeds, and leaves of grass and grain, bulbs, berries, weeds, insects, oats, birdseed, cracked corn, peas, lettuce, kale, grapes. They also love watermelon ! Geese are a little bit more picky about their food, than ducks, in general.
Healthy treats
Treats should complement the main diet rather than replace it. Appropriate options include:
- Romaine and leafy greens
- Peas
- Chopped cucumber
- Watermelon in moderation
- Small amounts of oats or other grains
- Dandelion greens and safe untreated vegetation
- Small amounts of corn, especially during cold weather when extra calories may be useful
Laying geese
Females producing eggs require considerably more calcium than maintenance birds. Goose nutrient recommendations increase calcium from roughly 0.6% during growth to around 2.25% during breeding, and some commercial goose layer feeds contain even more.
A balanced breeder/layer waterfowl feed is usually easiest. You can also provide oyster shell in a separate container so laying females can consume additional calcium when they need it rather than forcing high-calcium feed on every bird.
Feeding During Winter
Geese normally obtain much of their diet from grazing, but once grass becomes unavailable under snow or ice, they depend much more heavily on you. Provide a nutritionally balanced waterfowl or poultry feed appropriate for their age. They may eat more during very cold weather because maintaining body temperature requires additional energy.
You can also provide greens and vegetables as treats, but these should not replace their balanced feed. Always provide insoluble grit if they are eating foods other than commercial pellets and do not have access to natural grit.