Author Topic: Goats and Geese. (Read 5954 times)

Marsbar · « **on:** May 17, 2012, 08:35:59 pm »

Hi all

I am toying with the idea of getting a few small goat's, would they be OK to share outdoor space with a pair of Chinese Geese ?
If they did it would make there 'area' bigger.
The Geese seem fine with us, noisey but not aggressive to us.

Also would we be allowed to take them for a walk in the local wood's ?

Cheers

Richard
(sheffield)

jaykay · « **Reply #1 on:** May 17, 2012, 09:29:38 pm »

My goats and geese share a large space - they generally keep out of the way of each other.

I know of several people who walk their goats, allowing them to browse the hedgerow. So don't know what the legalities are but it's not uncommon to do it.

little blue · « **Reply #2 on:** May 17, 2012, 09:43:24 pm »

you need a walking licence from defra, that details the route ... for disease-notification etc.

I believe you still have to carry it with you so if a police officer ask for it you can show it!

lachlanandmarcus · « **Reply #3 on:** May 17, 2012, 10:37:15 pm »

the only thing to watch out with sheep/goats and geese together is that (to be fair with sheep, and mainly with the lazy boy sheep) is that I have had fly strike cases where the geese pull out the sheeps coat and then make a little wound which the flies then target. Probably wouldnt be a prob with short coated geese but might be with something like an angora type.

clydesdaleclopper · « **Reply #4 on:** May 17, 2012, 11:20:20 pm »

Quote from: lachlanandmarcus on May 17, 2012, 10:37:15 pm

Probably wouldnt be a prob with short coated geese but might be with something like an angora type.

the mind boggles

Derby_menagerie · « **Reply #5 on:** May 18, 2012, 09:54:58 am »

My Geese and Goat did not get on (Goat gone now), would just alway go for each other! no damage as such, the goat would mostly run away.

tizaala · « **Reply #6 on:** May 18, 2012, 10:02:46 am »

One of our goats just stands there while the geese preen her flanks , better than a scratching post,

Love the idea of short coated ' geese ' LACH&MARK, do Angora geeese get plucked twice a year and have softer feathers ?

Dogwalker · « **Reply #7 on:** May 18, 2012, 04:29:46 pm »

My goats and geese are ok in a bigish field together, the goats run into their shed in the evenings with the geese chasing them up the track. Don't think the geese are really after them it's just the rush for food, certainly easier than getting the goats out in the morning.

Anke · « **Reply #8 on:** May 18, 2012, 04:57:09 pm »

Hi Alfa, first question WHY do you want goats? for milk, for meat, for cuteness? Goats are not just put into a field and get on with life (or death as in the case of sheep), they need fencing, a shed - preferably with electricity and water, daily 2x min feeding, 4 - 6 weekly foot trimming, etc etc.

Dairy breeds are different from meat breeds, and there is also pygmies, but these are just for pets.

If you want milk you need to think how much you need/want/can make cheese from, and that should influence your choice of breed.

And even if you are successful in getting a walking licence you would need the agreement of the landowner whose land you would be walking on, and I am not sure they would share your enthusiasm for goats and their hedge eating habits.... Easier to collect browsings for them after agreeing with landowner to take certain parts of the hedge (i.e. above the annual cutting line), willowherb and similar side-of-the-road-weeds.

I think you will need to do a bit more homework before getting goats - I am not being patronising, but have seen so many goats needing re-homing after their enthusiastic owners ran out of steam...

Marsbar · « **Reply #9 on:** May 18, 2012, 07:20:04 pm »

Hi,
The Goat's would be pet's for me and our children (7&5)
We have meat pig's so feeding times would not be an issue.
They will have a block built house with covered hardstanding for bad weather/ grooming time and have access to the rest of the site with the geese who just wonder around.
The woods that i would like to use is, i think council owned but will have to find out.
Cheers
Richard

lachlanandmarcus · « **Reply #10 on:** May 18, 2012, 07:20:19 pm »

Quote from: tizaala on May 18, 2012, 10:02:46 am

One of our goats just stands there while the geese preen her flanks , better than a scratching post,

Love the idea of short coated ' geese ' LACH&MARK, do Angora geeese get plucked twice a year and have softer feathers ?

Yes. Yes they do.

xgeese =

Anke · « **Reply #11 on:** May 18, 2012, 10:06:45 pm »

Quote from: alfa156.2.0 on May 18, 2012, 07:20:04 pm

Hi,
The Goat's would be pet's for me and our children (7&5)
We have meat pig's so feeding times would not be an issue.
They will have a block built house with covered hardstanding for bad weather/ grooming time and have access to the rest of the site with the geese who just wonder around.
The woods that i would like to use is, i think council owned but will have to find out.
Cheers
Richard

So you would be looking for pygmies, females or wethers (castrated males) then? Not sure how the geese would react to them, size-wise they should be quite equal, so I would be very careful. My experiences with geese (as a child) were not entirely happy ones...