We got geese!!

[Mrs H]

R next door neighbour gave us 2 chinese geese today, I am so pleased. They are so pretty!! Job for tonight, door for there house!!! Just have to find a gander for them now!! X

[greenorelse]

Happy goosing Mrs H. I think geese are elegant, friendly and useful creatures. We have a couple (no gander, the fox got him) and I love them. Have you a picture of yours?

[Mrs H]

Thanku!! No pics yet, ill take some tomorrow. Got there house all secured tonight so they r all bedded up and jolly. Can't wait to let them out in the morning! Xx

[old tree man]

Well done you i love geese, i'm sure you will love the eggs they tast amazing

[Mrs H]

Old tree man, will they lay like chickens do? Or do they just lay a clutch? They hav settled well today, yesterday they honked all day and I had to catch them late on and put them to bed. They r already in tonight with a bit of gentle persuasion

[oldjerry]

(If) they're going to lay,Mrs H,they will start in the spring, and probably lay 25-50 eggs,but you will need to make sure you only leave her with 1,or 2,or she will stop laying and start incubating(which will happen sooner or later any how.I'm not the greatest 'how to' book fan,but the book by Chris Ashton(library) is very good.
feed them with a bit of WET cereals and they will be easier to manage.The offspring and adults will eat mostly grass spring and summer,therefore some of the spring hatch can be killed at michaelmas as grass fed,or grown on (obviously more cerealas the grass stops growing)and they'll make a good price at christmas(downside,they take a lot of killing and plucking,but you know that already!)

[greenorelse]

I had to catch them late on and put them to bed. They r already in tonight with a bit of gentle persuasion

Get a routine of leading them to their pen at dusk - call "bed bed bed bed" - we give them a little mixed corn to lead them into their pen. They love routine.

If you find them hard to herd, get a couple of long sticks and walk behind them slowly with your arms and the sticks outstretched. Just a little movement at one side or the other will guide them. Don't spook them by doing everything calmly and steadily and they'll be compliant.

If they hiss at you, make a goose shape with your arm and hand and hiss back!

[oldjerry]

|One other thing,they ARE good to have around,but keep a bit of a watchful on small kids,they can be a bit intimidating,and if they run,they'll chase(and nip bare legs) Don't panic it's not as bad as that makes it sound.In fact my kids all learned basic husbandry from our geese(which have now moved to a friends farm where they've been joined fulltime by 2 previously wild Canada geese!)

[old tree man]

Thanks jerry i missed the thread was on my way back from cumbria

[oldjerry]

Well,given my wing - clipping fiasco,you may want to change bits! Cumbria??......Yorkshire not cold enough for you then...!

[Green Aura]

Well done Mrs H, but didn't you go round for a polytunnel?