Smallholders Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Just how noisy/messy are geese?  (Read 8655 times)

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
    • Facebook
Just how noisy/messy are geese?
« on: March 14, 2010, 07:51:34 pm »
We are looking at ways of grazing our hill and having fostered sheep on and off are considering some geese too. the farmer across the road has about 8 and we sometimes hear a bit of honking but on the whole they look lovely.
Just wondering if you could give me some pros and cons on geese please  :)
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

jameslindsay

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Nr St Andrews, Fife
  • "Blossom" one of my Pygmy Goats
Re: Just how noisy/messy are geese?
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2010, 07:55:15 pm »
I have 3 geese and they can be noisy. However, I think they are very entertaining and amusing. They do love to eat grass and my lot enjoy human company too. They do hiss at us all the time but we never feel threatened by them, have 1 of them finally eating bread out of our hands now.

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
    • Facebook
Re: Just how noisy/messy are geese?
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2010, 08:01:17 pm »
gosh that was quick! thank you for your reply  :) they sound like nice pets that would help keep the grass manageable (very important that we can get to the orchard come august so we can make plum wine!!)
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

garden cottage

  • Joined Sep 2008
  • forest of dean
Re: Just how noisy/messy are geese?
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2010, 08:10:19 pm »
great guard dogs, very vocal if anyone is about, very defensive of other livestock had one fight of a fox, they sh%t everywhere in their house, we find very easy to keep,grazing bird so very little feed costs great characters...............................

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
    • Facebook
Re: Just how noisy/messy are geese?
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2010, 07:57:59 am »
I was going to ask about the fox, I know there is a large hole in our field that I assume belongs to fox/badger but have never seen one and have (TOUCH WOOD!!) been very lucky with our hens.

are there any particular breeds of goose that you would recommend?  we have 4 children aged 8 and under (none would chase or tease as they've been brought up around chickens/sheep etc) I would worry about particularly grumpy breeds though?
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

jameslindsay

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Nr St Andrews, Fife
  • "Blossom" one of my Pygmy Goats
Re: Just how noisy/messy are geese?
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2010, 08:26:27 am »
I think geese in general have the reputation of being grumpy. As I said the 1 I have had longest makes a lot of hissing and threatening gestures at us but he is really just showing off and I don't think he would attack us. The 2 new ones I have are smaller and again don't pose any threat to us. All 3 of them go off to bed at bed time when told to so they are well behaved. I have lost 3 geese over 2 years to the fox however.

Wizard

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • North East Lincolnshire
Re: Just how noisy/messy are geese?
« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2010, 09:13:30 am »
Not quite relevant you chaps but Warwick had 10 or maybe a dozen Chinese Geese I hadn't seen them before They are some what like Hooper Swans in stature with a somewhat similar bill but they are varying shades of brown from nearly black wing feathers to mushroom chests They could POOH for England really and don't stop to do it so if they are a bit loose there are trails of it.Now then one of the very best guard dogs (not dogs at all) is Guinea Fowls They look well they go balmy if some one/thing disturbs them Then there is little better on the plate at dinner time :D :D :farmer:
Don't do today what can be put off until tomorrow because today will be yesterday tomorrow

carl

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: Just how noisy/messy are geese?
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2010, 09:30:13 am »
I love geese, but they can pose a threat to people who are a bit scared of them, (ladies and children) . Mine scare visitors with their agressive stance, but it's mostly bluster. they do process a lot of grass, in one end out the other. i have had 3 killed by badger?fox?neighbours dog? so I lock them behind steel mesh at night. The best thing my geese have done lately is frighten my neighbour into not taking liberties and overgrazing my land with her ponies against my will. they sense fear and really go for her. I have had to feed them through the winter, shortly they will be self sufficient.

shetlandpaul

  • Joined Oct 2008
Re: Just how noisy/messy are geese?
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2010, 10:38:44 am »
as carl says they are mainly quite friendly they tend to be ok. the males do love to charge at you hissing the wife tells him off and he walks off honking. however there bite is worse than the bark. if your scared or nevous don't have them its sure they will see your scared and become bossy. they do poo a lot.

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS