What I like about geese`

This year as a complete novice I raised three geese on grass forage. I would have had five but I had friends up from california who where a little shy on awareness and too enthused about their car. Maybe one day I'll start a 'what I don't like about cars thread'

But geese.

Super easy. Born grazers. From the first day you get them - straight onto the grass. They're very sweet and personable and quite as goslings, and by the time the grass starts to go dormant they are already sized for butchering. By late winter and early spring during the food gap you'll be fantasizing about ringing the loud pushy little bastards neck. The perfect animal - takes care of its self until it gets so annoying that you actually want to kill and eat it. Just plop them down on the lawn and go!

Also make useful guard-dogs!



Cons - they are annoying. If they think you should be outside doing something they peck on the door until you come out. If you leave the door open, they will stand on the doorstep and honk at you. They poop on the step. If you are female and dare try to pee outside, well, I won't go into that. Just be careful. They follow you to the outhouse to supervise. If you are ill for a few days and then dare to get better and go outside again, they honk at you incessantly until you get back into the kitchen where you belong. They bite your butt when you are trying to work. Plus, you need a big pot to put them in when they do get too annoying to deal with...

We love them really, honest!

Another beautiful thing about geese is they collaborate in raising babies. Unlike chickens where the chicks all stay with their own mother, with geese by the time the babies are a few days old, the whole flock of adult geese are parenting them. This makes a significant difference in the survival of the young.

Some friends gave us 2 breeding pairs. We ended up with 3 ganders! Not only did they help raise the goslings, it seemed like the goslings stayed closer to the ganders.