Author Topic: Can one Goose be kept with Muscovies? and how noisy would one be? (Read 2906 times)

leanne1988 · « **on:** December 17, 2014, 07:29:04 pm »

Hello All

I am planning on getting Muscovy ducks as pets and for eggs. I would love a Goose egg every now and then but can I keep one with a few Muscovies? Would that be cruel or would they get on?

Also. I have a couple of close neighbors, I know you can get more docile breeds like the Buff but how docile and how loud can they actually be?

CharingPorkPantry · « **Reply #1 on:** December 19, 2014, 08:19:46 am »

Hello,

I am by no means a goose expert, as we inherited ours but here is what I've noticed about them:

A) They don't seem to be interested in the ducks at all. They are completely separate. Perhaps this is because they have each other or perhaps they are just antisocial but they don't seem to have any bond with the ducks. If I lost one I would probably have to get another goose I think for company.

B) Mine, which are giant dewlap toulouse geese, are very friendly and sedate. Incredibly slow moving! They do not make constant noise but if they have been disturbed on the pond or have wandered away from each other they can make an incredible racket! I live on a farm so no big deal but I wouldn't have mine near any neighbours.

I'm sure someone will have some better advice but that's what I have observed in mine :-)

Bionic · « **Reply #2 on:** December 19, 2014, 08:23:48 am »

I'm no expert either but we inherited ours and the ducks when we bought the place. As the previous post said the geese and ducks had little to do with each other. The geese did make an awful racket and when the fox got one the remaining one was even worse because she pined so much. To be honest I was greateful when the fox GOS the second one too.
If I had more (which is unlikely) I would always have a pair as there seems to be little interaction between ducks and geese.

I wouldn't have them with neighbours unless you discuss it with the neighbours beforehand.

darkbrowneggs · « **Reply #3 on:** December 19, 2014, 11:12:52 am »

When I had geese and ducks the goose hatched out just one baby and they are rubbish mothers when the golisngs are very young, so he/she was put under the lamp with some baby ducklings, and they all grew together.

When he/she was a bout half grown he went back into the goose pen, and always wanted o get back to the ducks, even when he/she was grown I would sometimes find them together, so yes they can get on. To be certain it was a girl you would need to buy a sexed gosling form an auto breeding strain, Not many about, but they are the quietest and most placid of the geese.

HesterF · « **Reply #4 on:** December 19, 2014, 06:19:44 pm »

Personally I'd get a pair. I have auto sexing geese - West of England - which are generally easy although the ganders can get aggressive in breeding season. They're in a run with ducks and tend to bully them but maybe because they're two flocks. I just don't think a lone goose would be a happy goose. As for noise, it's down to the individual goose I think. I sold two geese this summer and the people I sold the first to picked her partly on the basis she was the quieter of the two and they live with close neighbours - fortunately she was also the better marked!

H

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #5 on:** December 19, 2014, 07:08:43 pm »

I wouldn't keep just one - they're a flock bird. Our neighbour had a pair of white geese and they were as noisy when guarding her place as our farm dogs are guarding ours. The gander was also pretty aggressive. Occasionally she'd ask us to put them away at night if she got held up somewhere and we always used to take the pig board with us for protection.

devonlady · « **Reply #6 on:** December 20, 2014, 08:37:19 am »

Geese, like good guard dogs aren't continuously noisy. Mine will shout if I'm late with their grub, one loses sight of the others or if someone walks up the track. But it's a short lived noise and can be reassuring i.e. you know if someones about.
I haven't got ducks anymore but they do take ages to befriend a strange goose or even a gander.

roddycm · « **Reply #7 on:** December 22, 2014, 11:31:18 am »

Totally fine to keep one goose with ducks. Most waterfowl breeders can sex at day old, very easy once you know how. So buy a female gosling and rear with some ducklings. Geese imprint strongly on their parents and siblings so she will thinks she's a duck and be more than happy. I had one that thought she was a hen and did not like the other geese, she always wanted to follow the hens around so I let her. When she went broody I gave her some unrelated goslings and when they grew up she became a goose again and went on to breed etc. thinking about it now she was definitely quieter than the other geese while she lived with the hens!

I would say you will be totally fine with your goose and duck combo

good luck!