The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: graham-j on February 11, 2013, 07:28:05 pm
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Hi has any one got any ideas for making nests for some geese that live out in an open paddock.These geese live completely outside 24/7 with no cover.I was wandering how to encourage them to build nests.The paddock is pretty much bare so I will need to give them what ever they need.Someone suggested old car tires and straw.Any advice welcome.
Graham.
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45 galon drum ?
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I give mine old wooden barrels. They are heavy enough not to move around when the geese get in or get blown around in gales. :thumbsup:
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Our geese are out like this - they look for places to hide to nest, much the same as free range chickens would. You could encourage them by having nice soft hay (instead of straw) somewhere where there is semi-shelter. Our geese have nested in the same places the past 2 years - one under a bizarre house we inherited made of straw bales - she just pecked out a lot of the straw and made a nest in the (large) gap between the underside of the house and the ground. The other made a nest from soft dried grass she gathered into the centre of a prickly gorse bush. Both nests gave hatchlings successfully. I think they need the following for it to be a success:
Access to soft bedding and plenty of it - they will cover their eggs when they come off for a break
Semi-cover - so they can see who and what's around, but they feel they can't be seen (foliage)
Reasonably near a food source - don't put food near them, this attracts vermin and other birds, but they won't want to go too far from their precious eggs
Perhaps a choice of places at different levels - one at ground level, one a little higher (but not too high, they are a bit clumsy footed)
We do pen ours once the goslings are hatched so that they don't haul them all over the place, goslings legs are quite weak so it's best if they have a smaller zone to live in for the first 2 weeks.
Car tyres and hay may be good, but I'd try ones without the tyres too - just get lots of branches and foliage around them for a good den. If you do it now they will be starting to look for nesting sites in about a month and they need to know the site they pick is permanent and part of the landscape.
Exciting, let us know how you do :D
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Hi,thanks what do you do with the wooden barrels or 45 gallon drums can you be a bit more specific please.
I have got a grown out hedgerow to cut back,mainly hazel,and cherry,I can put all this in for them.They have plenty of hay readily available,they would have more cover if I moved them in to the orchard,large bramleys.
Graham.
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i went along this course but found they made there own nests in the bushes.................. theyve managed ok for 1000s of years so let them get on with it just leave a pile of straw somewhere they may use it but probably wont
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Hi,as i said the paddock they live in is pretty much a bare grass field no hedges or anything else,that why I'm thinking I need to give them a helping hand.
Graham.
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It won't be ready for this season, but how about planting a stand of willow?
They could then find their own spot or you can make them a bower by tying willow into a shelter, still growing. That with maybe few hazels dotted about would be lovely! Good source of poles for the garden and kindling too :thumbsup:
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That's a great idea CW, might use that one :D