All You Need to Know About Raising Goslings

We didn't do the best research when we got our first goslings, and we paid for it by losing the majority of them. It was a hard lesson. And we're here to help you avoid learning it the hard way!

(Note: if you're like me, you'll skim an article to see if it has the info you want before committing to read it. There's a bullet point list at the bottom with a summary of everything in this post for that purpose. )

There are some things about raising goslings that are similar to raising chicks, mainly:

• keep them warm, preferably in a small brooder with an appropriate heat lamp
• a non-slip floor to prevent splayed legs (a thick layer of sawdust is perfect. We don't recommend newspaper or hay/straw.)
• add grit to their feed to help them digest it
• keep their pen clean (easier said than done - they love to spill their water!)
• make sure they always have access to clean food and water

However, we don't recommend raising goslings and chicks together for the first few weeks because they shouldn't be eating the same food. Especially if you use medicated chick feed. The medication in the chick feed can make your goslings sick. Alos, ducks and geese have a need for more niacin and protein than chickens do, and a waterfowl starter will usually provide that extra boost of both. (Note: if you need a quick boost of niacin for your goslings because you didn't start with the right feed, brewers yeast can do the trick.)

We use Eden Feeds for all our poultry, but they don't have a starter feed for waterfowl. Most farm stores carry waterfowl starter feed or an all-fowl starter feed. Either are good options. If you're looking for a natural or organic feed, we recommend Kalmbach feeds.

Geese are grazers and will love you forever if you can offer them plenty of fresh green grass to eat at even a few days old. Make sure it's warm outside and stay with them at all times when they're tiny. A hawk, dog, or even a cat love a good goose lunch. By 6 or 7 weeks, they can live almost solely on grass. As they get older and no longer need supervision outside, an orchard is a wonderful place for them to live, with its rich, green grass. They also provide invaluable pest control, so it's a win/win situation!

Give them plenty of opportunities to swim, but don't let them swim alone! Without their mother to help them, they can't make their feathers waterproof and will drown if left in the water too long.

Once your geese are about 10 weeks old, they will do just fine with your chickens. If you will be using them as guard geese, you'll want to transition them in with your chickens sooner than later so they can bond with them and provide that protection you're planning on.

Geese are not meant to be alone and may even die of loneliness. They need at least one companion of the same species. If you're hoping for guard geese, three should be your limit. Any more than that and they form their own flock and will only look out for themselves. We have found 2 to be the perfect fit for us.

A quick breakdown of all the info you need to raise goslings:

• Create a warm environment for your goslings, starting at 90 degrees for the first week. You can drop it 5 degrees every week after that until you transition them outside.
• Provide a non-slip floor to prevent splayed legs. Sawdust is the best option.
• Feed them duck & goose starter feed, not chick starter, for the first several weeks. They need more protein and niacin than chicks and may die without it. They certainly won't thrive. Kalmbach feeds and Eden feeds are great resources in different stages of their development
• Provide grit with their feed to prevent pasty butt (the accumulation of poop under their tails), which can kill them.
• Let them graze outside, supervised as young as 3 or 4 days old.
• Transition them with your chickens around 10 weeks of age.
• Do not let them swim without supervision until they're feathered out, or they could drown.
• Spend time with them so they bond with you. Our 8 year old had his goslings following him all over the farm just by chirping at them.
• Don't have just one goose, because it will be lonely.
• Don't get more than 3, if you want them to guard your other poultry.

Got more questions? Don't hesitate to ask in the comments or send me a message!

Stefani