We now have a goose trio. We went to the Crossville Tn. flea market. The beat part of this flea market is the livestock and gardening sections. These geese will be a breeding set (hopefully). My good friend Chris raises geese for meat every year and is so happy with the results. I was inspired to try breeding and farming geese myself.





They are in this chicken tractor on custom mixed all vegetarian 18% protein feed. I formulated myself. We move them 3 times a day for fresh grass. As soon as the loggers are done with the back 6 acres. We will seed and cross fence. Then they can have 1/2 an acre all to themselves.

They look like healthy birds! I have always wanted geese but for no good reason that I could think of. So I admire them from afar.

One laid an egg this afternoon

Whoop-whoop!

We plan on using the breeding trio for weeding, alarm system, and to raise out goslings. These will be fattened on grass and a little feed and sold or we will eat them.

I just did not know they were on board with the plan already.

We raised a pair of free-range geese years ago when our son was about 3. I vividly remember his first words whenever he went outside were, "No, goose!"

I've heard that geese ducks will go after slugs.

Please, please, when you get goslings, can we see pictures?

As far as I know geese are grass eaters. I know for a fact ducks love slugs. Mine sure do!

Philip, you're right. I was mis-remembering.

Someone was saying that ducks were big slug-eaters.

The trade-off with ducks for slugs is they leave almost as much of a mess with their droppings! And seem to aim for walkways.

Are geese any tidier?

I wouldn't know. We keep the ducks in pens or tractors. Geese in a tractor until they are used to us then on pasture. We decided when we started that the animals ALL have to have.their place.

@Porkpal, no, their droppings are bigger (although a bit more solid) and they are just as indiscriminate where they go. For a very short time we had both duck and geese, all free range, and what a gigantic mess that was. Good thing the geese were for the dinner table. As I recall all but one duck got picked off by predators, and that lone duck hung out with our dog of the moment. They had a love-hate relationship which was rather entertaining to watch. They'd hang for a while, then one or the other would launch an attack - dog snarling and snapping, duck quacking and flapping wings. Never any harm done. After a little spat, they'd settle down to sitting in the grass together.

The geese are Really on the program. We have.collected 5 eggs in 5 days. My buddy Chris says give them a nest. I'm thinking about another incubator. Collect the eggs and load the incubator weekly. Anyone know of a marker you can use on hatching eggs?

Pencil

8 eggs and the stinkers still aren't broody. What is the delay?

They want a big family.

Are both geese laying in the same nest? If so, they will each want to lay a certain number of eggs before they get broody. You may have to take some of the older ones out. They make wonderful cakes! You might have some fighting going on when one decides to start setting. If you haven't done so already, you may want to try to encourage a separate nest for each goose.

2 nests in the pen.

Trio update:
We have 3 peeps w/starter holes in their eggs and 2 eggs scratching and bouncing in the brooder box. 5 more eggs under geese and in the incubator.

Pictures to come after church.