I want to start leaving my goslings outside full time

But they don't have anywhere to live. They are 8 toulouse goslings, and they're 2 weeks old. We've been putting them out during the day under cover so they can be on grass, but then we wrangle them up and bring them inside. That's a pain.

I just want them to be safe since they still relatively small. Looking for ideas on how I can close them up while they're still in down and still small.

What about some kind of a box with an opening just big enough for them to get in one at a time.....I would think they would pile in there at night and snuggle down to keep warm. By the time they start growing feathers they should be able to stand anything short of a blizzard.

Have you tried feeding them when it is time to be locked up, at the place where you want them to be? Doesn't need to be a lot of food, just something they like, to get their attention and start building a habit.

As far as what to close them up in, really anything big enough and predator-proof will do; if you don't want to build from scratch, something like a doghouse with a door/vents added, or a wooden shipping crate, etc...

my plan for when they get bigger is to house them in a polydome I got for free from a neighbor. The polydome doesn't have a door, though. They're still quite small, and I have no fence up yet so I don't feel comfortable with just leaving them in the polydome at night with no security or protection. If they had a mama goose, I'd probably just let her take care of it all.

I haven't yet thought of an idea I like for a door on the polydome either.

I've just got started with Geese too. My understanding is geese are far from predator proof, even mama goose will be a tasty snack for something.

Mine are behind a electric fence 24/7 they'd just get eaten if not. I have just trained them to go into their house on their own too, by putting food in their each night.

I'm considering getting them microchipped so I could put them behind a automatic http://www.amazon.co.uk/SureflapSureflap-SureFlap-Microchip-Pet-Door/dp/B009NH6NR0 pet door

Relatively expensive, but so were the Geese, It would cost £10 to get them chipped. If It saves two birds then it will be worth the cost in financial terms. Over a long enough time frame an electric fence will always fail.

Now I feel like I need to rethink my housing plan altogether.

Sorry to be down on your plans.

You could consider Muscovy Ducks? They eat grass too but roost in trees? http://www.milkwood.net/2014/01/14/muscovy-ducks-a-great-homesteading-breed/

There's just so much conflicting info out there about requirements of geese. Many sources say no housing is needed at all, others say if they're not locked up tight they'll all get gobbled up.

I think I'll have to see how it goes. I can put electro net around their housing now. We're also planning on butchering all of the geese this year. Just wanted to see if we like having them before committing to raising breeders.