Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Geese will need shelter during subzero weather and protection from aggressive predators such
as coyotes. Ducks and geese will also need shade during hot weather. Ducks should be
brought into a shelter every night as smaller predators such as raccoons, foxes, and weasels
can decimate a flock in a few hours. Geese naturally flock together and will return to a home
base each night, even when they wander more than a mile away from home. Vehicles also
take their toll on a flock, so if you plan to keep waterfowl, they will need to be kept away
from roadways.
Geese are not as vulnerable to predators as ducks and some other poultry are because of their
size, but they do enjoy having a shelter available at night.
Young geese are still susceptible to predators. As the larger breeds grow, predators become
less of a threat due to the weight of the birds. Dogs and coyotes may kill smaller geese, or
they may scare larger geese. When scared, geese will huddle together, and this may cause
some geese to be smothered to death. A fenced area with 5-foot-tall fencing makes a good
night resting spot for the geese. Be sure to provide your geese with feed and access to a water
source in their resting spot. Alternatively, the geese can be locked inside a sturdy building at
night to protect them from predators. This is particularly important in geese less than 5
months old when they are still smaller. Geese younger than 8 weeks of age should not be left
out at night on the pasture and should be herded inside a secure shelter for safekeeping from
poor weather and predators.
Buying Ducks and Geese
Ducklings and goslings are purchased the same places as chickens: directly from the hatchery
or through feed stores. They will come in a straight run (both sexes), or they can be sexed if
you want to have more of one sex. Generally, a straight run will be a few cents cheaper to pur-
chase than those segregated by sex. For the average small-scale farmer, a straight run will be
satisfactory for ducks or geese raised for meat. Males generally will be heavier than females.
If you want to breed ducks and geese, you may want them sexed so you can have a proper ra-
tio of males to female. One drake will breed five to six females, and most ganders will breed
only with one or two females.
When purchasing your ducklings and goslings directly from the hatchery, ask when they will
be mailed. It is safe to ship newly hatched waterfowl as long as they are properly packaged in
sturdy cardboard containers with plenty of air holes. They can go without food for a day or
