best winter feed for geese

[Gagroundhog]

We have three geese, a trio. 2 buff geese and a toulouse/chinese gander. He was supposed to be a toulouse. All hatched in April. I've been reading trying to figure out best winter food. We don't have water fowl feed available here at our feed stores or TSC. From what I've read they need to start on layer mash and wheat. Is this correct? They have been getting the finisher/ grower with a little scratch mixed in. They were getting more grass and a little feed 2x daily but the grass is gone for the winter. I am starting to grow wheat grass for them but I'm not sure I can grow all they need and my fall greens did lousy this year in the garden. What should I get them?

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

The great thing about geese is...........you don't need to feed them at all! If you have grass they are fine.

ETA: Didn't read the whole thing. Had to go outside quickly. haha Sorry.

But even brown grass should be ok. Do you have no grass at all or just dead grass?

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Mine eat grass and they also eat hay. As a great they get a little scratch with the ducks and chickens.

 

[boothcreek]

Since we got no such thing as grass right now(unless the geese start digging about 3 ft down in the snow) ours get a flake of alfalfa hay between my trio of pilgrims and 15 various ducks daily plus free choice 50/50 with corn and molasses(rolled oats and barley, 10%rolled corn).

In the summer they do great on just grass and maybe a cup of grains or layer feed a day, but right now in the winter we feel the grain consumption of the geese quite a bit.

 

[Hillsvale]

ours get a combination of layer pellets and corn in the winter with the turkeys and ducks

 

[Gagroundhog]

Thanks eveybody! Between the lack of rain until recently and our not so good soil we have no grass. Now its to cold to grow any except indoor wheatgrass. I read that geese would need 2.2 lbs each daily of that. (Does that sound right?) I also read that feeding to much chicken scratch could make them fat so I've been giving some in the morning and evening. We usually have winter grasses pop up before now but didn't due to lack of rain. It figures, I got geese this year, its come up evey other year . I was counting on that winter grass to take over my vegie garden again this year and let the geese have it. I'll try them on some hay I have for my goats. I'm going to try again to prepare some ground with lots of rabbit manure and replant grass in the spring for them. Question- How big an area would my 3 geese need as a permanant pen. Their current pen is ok but I'm sure they'd like more room once I plant some grass.

 

[Gagroundhog]

Oh good they love bermuda hay, yay! Thank you.