Author Topic: Pond plants and Geese (Read 5493 times)

Mel · « **on:** June 28, 2012, 09:32:43 pm »

Good evening all

I really need some pond plants but anyone know which are inedible to Geese.My Gandalf has just eaten my pond lily flower

yes,the only one though he does not touch the leaves,,I have variegated grasses,eaten down like a short back and sides,he even munches on the reeds for crying out loud,if I pick things for him-well all of them,they turn their noses up at certain plants so there must be some pond plants which they turn a blind eye to..surely??? $:-\$

I would so appreciate any advice as my pond is murky,I wanted to put in lots of oxygenating plants in to help clear it,my only other alternative is to fence the pond off but I did not really wish to do this as they so love a splash about!

doganjo · « **Reply #1 on:** June 29, 2012, 12:49:30 pm »

Hmm, can't help as I don't have geese - but they'd be an advantage for me with an overgrown burn running through the garden. I did wonder about getting some after the fox got my ducks - but they would be just as prone wouldn't they? Or are they more likely to fight one off if there are a few of then? Perhaps you need to just inundate the area with as many plants as you can, keep them off it till they are established, then cross your fingers - maybe this link will help
http://www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=3610

and this article [size=78%]http://www.waterfowl.org.uk/docs/plants_and_pens.pdf[/size]

Anyone have geese in Central Scotland who could advise me on whether to get some or not?

Mel · « **Reply #2 on:** July 03, 2012, 10:58:57 am »

Quote from: doganjo on June 29, 2012, 12:49:30 pm

Hmm, can't help as I don't have geese - but they'd be an advantage for me with an overgrown burn running through the garden. I did wonder about getting some after the fox got my ducks - but they would be just as prone wouldn't they? Or are they more likely to fight one off if there are a few of then? Perhaps you need to just inundate the area with as many plants as you can, keep them off it till they are established, then cross your fingers - maybe this link will help
http://www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=3610

and this article [size=78%]http://www.waterfowl.org.uk/docs/plants_and_pens.pdf[/size]

Anyone have geese in Central Scotland who could advise me on whether to get some or not?

Thanks for this Jo it is really very helpful.

I am not sure regards mr fox,however,my gamekeeper friend believes that the fox would not come anywhere near because Gandalf is very large and somewhat aggressive,he does chase the cats away and anything else which comes within the vicinity of the Goslings.

Beewyched · « **Reply #3 on:** July 03, 2012, 09:40:40 pm »

Hi Annie

Bl**dy fox got our last 2 three-quarter grown goslings last month

It's always the 1 time that I've forgotton to shut them in

got most of the ducks too

doganjo · « **Reply #4 on:** July 03, 2012, 11:00:32 pm »

Oh dear, I'm so sorry. It's horrid. My son was over today strimming the grass as my ride on mower has packed in AGAIN! Never buy a Mountfield!

We discussed the duck pen - I reseeded it and the grass is growing nicely - green stained grass seed so the birds didn't notice it was there

I've bought some chicken wire to go round the inside of the pig wire fence and I have a lot of that orange builders netting which is lightweight so we'll string that across the top as a sort of roof. t wouldn't hold a fox's eight so I suspect it would deter them. I haven't had the heart to go in and clear out their shed and dog run yet - if it's fine tomorrow I'll get started on that. So I think I'll start off with ducks again rather than try geese. (I must admit they scare me anyway

)

Beewyched · « **Reply #5 on:** July 03, 2012, 11:12:14 pm »

I know Annie

If you really want geese, try hatching them yourself (I mean with an Incy

)
I hated my mother's geese, even as a teenager, the horrible things would always chase me

But I've always found the ones we've hatched ourselves imprint on us so much they have remained really tame with us, even if the scare our landlord's farm manager

doganjo · « **Reply #6 on:** July 03, 2012, 11:41:49 pm »

Haven't had much success incubating lately - lost about 30 pheasant eggs over two batches - don't know why - they just pipped then died.

Sure as eggs is eggs if I hatched six of my own goose eggs I'd end up with half a dozen ganders

Beewyched · « **Reply #7 on:** July 04, 2012, 08:54:31 pm »

Oh Annie, I'm so sad for you - it's heartbreaking when they've got to that stage & then lose them

As a relatively newcomer to incy hatching (always let the girls do it before), I try to read a lot about the subject & from what I've gleaned so far, it's usually the humidity that gets blamed for failure to get out - something to do with the inner skin being too tough I think.

hexhammeasure · « **Reply #8 on:** July 13, 2012, 07:59:01 am »

not sure about pond plants but for some reason my geese leave the english geraniums alone (cranesbill)

Womble · « **Reply #9 on:** July 13, 2012, 12:53:45 pm »

Well, given that ours managed to ring bark half a dozen newly planted apple trees, I'm not too sure what plants to recommend for your pond. Plastic ones perhaps?

Beewyched · « **Reply #10 on:** July 13, 2012, 05:57:22 pm »

Quote from: Womble on July 13, 2012, 12:53:45 pm

... I'm not too sure what plants to recommend for your pond. Plastic ones perhaps?

Mel · « **Reply #11 on:** July 14, 2012, 06:31:27 pm »

Quite,I have decided to fence it off for the time being,though I think they are still managing to get through my small picket type fencing! Now I wonder,maybe Gandalf may have a go at plastic plants lol!-He does tend to chew at the wheelbarrow