Take a gander at this

[pdblake]

1,500 'pet' geese up for sale at �5 each - Telegraph

Anyone fancy some big eggs.

[gilwrig]

Gander ...lol

I'd love some but the hubby and the cat wouldn't be so keen I guess

[SueA]

I would love some too but haven't got the space to keep them. I was thinking the farmer was being kind & not wanting to just kill them all but as he's selling them at �5 a pop he'd make �7500 if he sold them all so it's probably purely commercial on his part! Still I hope they all find homes.

[hamsterqueen]

wonder if it would keep the seagulls away?

Might stop the cats cr*pping on teh raised beds though..

[Hilary B]

wonder if it would keep the seagulls away?

Might stop the cats cr*pping on teh raised beds though..

The cure might be worse than the original problem, geese eat grass, like cows. Do you really want lots of miniature cow-pats all over your garden?

[El Greeno]

The cure might be worse than the original problem, geese eat grass, like cows. Do you really want lots of miniature cow-pats all over your garden?

I work as buildings maintenance for Ford in our Dagenham Diesel Centre.
There are 2 lakes and around 100 Canadian Geese.
They poo EVERYWHERE and it's an eyesore, but easily cleaned with some water and a broom on the paths, and nature takes care of the grassy areas.
Surely it's basically fertiliser in miniature form?

[Hilary B]

I work as buildings maintenance for Ford in our Dagenham Diesel Centre.
There are 2 lakes and around 100 Canadian Geese.
They poo EVERYWHERE and it's an eyesore, but easily cleaned with some water and a broom on the paths, and nature takes care of the grassy areas.
Surely it's basically fertiliser in miniature form?

Goose poo is not something I would want in my garden. A trio living on the typical sized lawn would have the whole thing covered in a week or so, and like any other organic fertiliser, it is somewhat counter-productive when new. It is also not merely an eyesore, it is a hazard (very slippery) and if you try to keep up with washing it off, you will get a VERY wet garden! Domestic geese are usually a bit bigger than the Canadian species (since these were commercial ones, I would expect them to be big) and if they are going to lay lots of eggs, they will need to be well fed for that part of the year, just when the grass is not growing so fast.....
My garden isn't big enough anyway, but I HAVE kept geese, when we had a LOT more space.

[lynda66]

i had 2 big ducks ... basically they were just 24 hour a day, eating sh****g machines, that ate everything, and pooped everywhere, in their food/water/pond/lawn/patio/bed ... geese are just bigger versions of ducks

[Hilary B]

i had 2 big ducks ... basically they were just 24 hour a day, eating sh****g machines, that ate everything, and pooped everywhere, in their food/water/pond/lawn/patio/bed ... geese are just bigger versions of ducks

That's pretty much it. Goose poo isn't QUITE as smelly as duck poo, but there is a lot more of it per bird!

[Nicos]

Yup- chook poo is mostly confined to night-time areas

Mychooks and geese free range, but the geese poo everywhere- fortunately they are confined to their field behind an electric fence.
IF we decide not to cull them for Xmas- which was the original intention...then I'm expecting slippy slimey areas near the coop/ feeding areas
At the moment it's so hot and dry, I just broom it out of the way and pop it onto the compost.

Being realistic, it just has to be gungey over the wet months.
I certainly wouldn't have them on a pretty lawned area...mind you - a few chooks can destroy a lawned area!

[Nicos]

Actually- I have to add that although I utterly adore my bantams- such mad little characters.....but the geese are even sweeter!!! ( even my mom thinks so - and she's really not into birds at all...only roasted ones!

[walldanzig]

I love the geese I have they are no trouble at all they are so placid and compared to the chickens they are easy to handle

[Nicos]

...spot on there- We're thinking of getting many more for next year- mine are Toulouse- and so easy going and friendly- and interactive ( boy ...I really think my OH is going to have probs in the run up to the festive season)

I just love the way they go 'nah nah nah' when you go near them with their beaks poking forwards- and follow you around waiting for tit bits- and jump into the water filled sandpits to cool off.
Sooooo sweet!!!!

[sheena]

Stop it Nicos, your making me want some!

And I really don't have the room for any more things in my garden all!!!

[Nicos]

...but they NEED a home!!!!!