The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: greengumbo on April 19, 2017, 11:29:37 pm
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We have just hatched two Sebastopol geese and they are under the electric hen in the brooder doing well. We regularly raise ducks and chickens but never geese so have a few questions...When can we feed them fresh grass or greens? When can we give them a supervised paddle in bath ? How long on heat and until they can go outside ? What's best way to raise happy friendly geese basically :)
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Once they are a week old they can be permanently outside, I'd say.
Don't give them cut grass - let them eat the short grass on your lawn. Not sure if this is what you meant.
They grow really fast!
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A week ! Amazing.
We have the ducks on heat until about 5 weeks with the odd day out.
I was going to give them some greens cut in the brooder for the moment before they go onto the lawn.
Thanks for the help.
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I keep ours with a heat lamp until they are 3 - 4 weeks old. On nice days they go out on the lawn for ever extending periods of time (on wet / cold days they stay in and I cut them a turf to graze on, which they love).
I introduce water for paddling in the first few days but only for short periods and ensure that they have the lamp to dry under once they come out as they don't have the waterproofing that they would get if they were being brooded by mum.
When they stop sitting under the lamp on a regular basis then I conclude they don't need it anymore and are capable of regulating their own body temperature. It all depends on the weather, but at this time of year I would expect to have them under for at least 3 weeks.
Hope that helps...or maybe my goslings are just spoilt!!
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Well shortly before the snow storm we managed to take them for an adventure outside to the lawn for half an hour. They munched the grass happily and were following us around the garden and hten back to the house. We take them out the brooder a few times a day for the kids to play with and bond with. Seems to be working a treat :)