Question about keeping geese in Winter

wildcat180 · 10-26-2006, 03:00 PM

I have two pet geese and was wondering what to do about them during the winter. All signs are pointing a cold winter and I'm not sure how to handle this with them.

The "set up" I have for them is that they run loose during the day, like our chickens. (My gander, Clyde, think he's a rooster, but that's a different matter entirely.

) They come in the house and stay in the bathroom at night. I have three small kiddie pools for them to swim in, bath, and drink from. (Oh yes, it involves MUCH cleaning...) Can I keep the pools out for them during the winter? Or will the water get too cold, when it's not frozen, for them to safely swim in?

I know frostbite is something to worry about with the chickens, but what about the geese? Will they be OK roaming about during the days when it's really cold? I was thinking about enclosing the screen porch with plastic, because they do like to hang out there when they're not in the pasture. (I leave the door open for them to come and go as they please.) Should I enclose the porch and maybe create a place in the corner for them to lay with hay or something and just leave them there on the really cold days? Or am I just worrying too much?

pasomystic · 10-26-2006, 05:46 PM

Quote:

They come in the house and stay in the bathroom at night.

Wow.

Anyway, my pet Emben Lucy was perfectly content to go pool-less during freezing weather, as long as she had her horsestall full of straw to go in during the day and be shut into during the night.--with a large bucket of water--you can use the plug in buckets to prevent freezing so drinking water is always available.
A good shed or large dog house would do, as well. She did fine all winter as long as she could get to straw to settle in and tuck up her feet to thaw out from the long walks around the yard in the snow. The reason we use goose down--they well clothed!

wildcat180 · 10-26-2006, 06:22 PM

My bathroom is split level. The tub, toilet and sink are on the upper level on the same level of the rest of the house. Then there's 3 steps down and that's where the washer and dryer are. The geese stay down there. (There's a door also that goes to the screen porch.) We did this because we were keeping them in a dog crate on the porch, but we had an "incident" that involved a raccoon. He ripped the screen, tore off the top fo the metal crate, and got Clyde. Luckily, it made enough noise that it woke the dogs and caused them to bark and wake us up. We got there just in time to see Clyde be pulled out the screen. In all the commotion, the raccoon dropped Clyde and I was able to get him. So, since they weren't safe there, we moved them inside. Nothing else is secure enough for their safety, except the chicken coop, but one of the roosters picks on Bonnie.

So that's why they stay inside at night.

I wasn't so much worried about their bodies because they are so well insulated. It was more or less their feet.

I guess I could always spoil the geese some more and bring one of the pools inside for them. (They really enjoy the pools and spend a good deal of time in them, even lately when it's been in the low 40's during the day...) But I have to decide if I want to go through the whole set up of water proofing their area...

farmergal · 10-27-2006, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildcat180

I have two pet geese and was wondering what to do about them during the winter.

They come in the house and stay in the bathroom at night. I have three small kiddie pools for them to swim in, bath, and drink from. (Oh yes, it involves MUCH cleaning...) Can I keep the pools out for them during the winter? Or will the water get too cold, when it's not frozen, for them to safely swim in?

Should I enclose the porch and maybe create a place in the corner for them to lay with hay or something and just leave them there on the really cold days? Or am I just worrying too much?

Aw! Now how many people would give them a room at the Inn!

The kiddie pools won't survive the winter as well as your pet geese. Best not use them when temp dips below freezing. (I have a dog that likes to go swimming in freezing cold water. She must be half duck. hehe.) Same holds for the geese that does for the chickens. Give them dry bedding to rest on. It is a good idea to give them a sheltered place at night away from predators. And shelter from the cold winds.

I had a goose several years ago. If I could convince them not to play tag with cars

I'd think of having another one.

wildcat180 · 10-27-2006, 10:39 PM

I was figuring on taking the pools down when it gets colder. We've had some temp dip just below freezing, but not too long. It was just flirting with the below freezing temps. Don't you know those geese were swimming first thing in the morning when I let them out of the bathroom?

We're in for some warmer weather, so the pools stay out for now. We'll try enclosing the porch with plastic and see how that goes. (Hubby says it'll be fine, but I still think it'll be too cold.) If it gets to be too cold for that, I'll probably allow them time to swim in the tub, or I'll cover the floor and area they stay in in the bathroom with plastic and bring a pool in for them.

Yeah, I know, spoiled geese...

10-26-2006, 03:00 PM
wildcat180 Seasoned Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 4,131	Question about keeping geese in Winter I have two pet geese and was wondering what to do about them during the winter. All signs are pointing a cold winter and I'm not sure how to handle this with them. The "set up" I have for them is that they run loose during the day, like our chickens. (My gander, Clyde, think he's a rooster, but that's a different matter entirely. ) They come in the house and stay in the bathroom at night. I have three small kiddie pools for them to swim in, bath, and drink from. (Oh yes, it involves MUCH cleaning...) Can I keep the pools out for them during the winter? Or will the water get too cold, when it's not frozen, for them to safely swim in? I know frostbite is something to worry about with the chickens, but what about the geese? Will they be OK roaming about during the days when it's really cold? I was thinking about enclosing the screen porch with plastic, because they do like to hang out there when they're not in the pasture. (I leave the door open for them to come and go as they please.) Should I enclose the porch and maybe create a place in the corner for them to lay with hay or something and just leave them there on the really cold days? Or am I just worrying too much?

10-26-2006, 06:22 PM
wildcat180 Seasoned Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 4,131	My bathroom is split level. The tub, toilet and sink are on the upper level on the same level of the rest of the house. Then there's 3 steps down and that's where the washer and dryer are. The geese stay down there. (There's a door also that goes to the screen porch.) We did this because we were keeping them in a dog crate on the porch, but we had an "incident" that involved a raccoon. He ripped the screen, tore off the top fo the metal crate, and got Clyde. Luckily, it made enough noise that it woke the dogs and caused them to bark and wake us up. We got there just in time to see Clyde be pulled out the screen. In all the commotion, the raccoon dropped Clyde and I was able to get him. So, since they weren't safe there, we moved them inside. Nothing else is secure enough for their safety, except the chicken coop, but one of the roosters picks on Bonnie. So that's why they stay inside at night. I wasn't so much worried about their bodies because they are so well insulated. It was more or less their feet. I guess I could always spoil the geese some more and bring one of the pools inside for them. (They really enjoy the pools and spend a good deal of time in them, even lately when it's been in the low 40's during the day...) But I have to decide if I want to go through the whole set up of water proofing their area...

10-27-2006, 10:39 PM
wildcat180 Seasoned Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 4,131	I was figuring on taking the pools down when it gets colder. We've had some temp dip just below freezing, but not too long. It was just flirting with the below freezing temps. Don't you know those geese were swimming first thing in the morning when I let them out of the bathroom? We're in for some warmer weather, so the pools stay out for now. We'll try enclosing the porch with plastic and see how that goes. (Hubby says it'll be fine, but I still think it'll be too cold.) If it gets to be too cold for that, I'll probably allow them time to swim in the tub, or I'll cover the floor and area they stay in in the bathroom with plastic and bring a pool in for them. Yeah, I know, spoiled geese...