My Geese in Winter
Geese are cold hardy and resilient birds, but they do need some special care to keep them healthy and happy during winter.
I’ve had Pomeranian guard geese for many years - they keep watch over my flock of chickens. Here at my Bedford, New York farm, I also have Sebastopol geese, Toulouse geese, African geese, and Chinese geese. Recently, on my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48, I shared a photo of the new "Good Thing" I created to help keep them warm at night - a double layered burlap curtain on their hutch. During these colder months, I also add extra hay in various areas of the enclosure, so their feet do not stick to the ice and snow, and I always make sure all the chickens, geese and Guinea fowl have fresh, flowing water at all times.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- Whenever someone visits, the first to come running are the geese – honking as they waddle to the entrance. Earlier this season, we did some maintenance work on this yard. It has a brand new fence and a new layer of gravel.
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- Here they come. Geese are very good to have around the coop. Thanks to their honks, geese make excellent guardians for all my chickens. They can scare off any animals that would otherwise bother the hens, and they are known to be great at spotting aerial predators, such as hawks and falcons. Fortunately, the top of their enclosure is also fenced.
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- These are Sebastopol geese. Sebastopols are considered medium-sized birds. Both males and females have pure white feathers that contrast with their bright blue eyes and orange bills and feet. Sebastopol geese have large, rounded heads, slightly arched necks, and keelless breasts. And what is most striking is their plumage. The plumage of the head and upper two-thirds of the neck is smooth, while that of the breast and underbody is elongated and well-curled.
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- Here is one of my pair of African geese – a breed that has a heavy body, thick neck, stout bill, and jaunty posture which give the impression of strength and vitality. The African is a relative of the Chinese goose, both having descended from the wild swan goose native to Asia. The mature African goose has a large knob attached to its forehead, which requires several years to develop. A smooth, crescent-shaped dewlap hangs from its lower jaw and upper neck. Its body is nearly as wide as it is long.
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- Here is my pair of Chinese geese. These geese most likely descended from the swan goose in Asia, though over time developed different physical characteristics, such as longer necks and more compact bodies. The Chinese goose is refined and curvaceous. Its bill is relatively long and slender, with a large, rounded, erect knob that attaches to its forehead. The Chinese goose holds its head high. Its head flows seamlessly into a long, slim, well-arched neck which meets the body at about a 45 degree angle. Its body is short, and has a prominent and well-rounded chest, smooth breast and no keel. Mature ganders average 12 pounds, while mature geese average 10 pounds.
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- Here is a Chinese goose next to the African goose. Notice the difference in neck length and carriage.
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- These buff-brown geese are Toulouse geese. On this breed, the bill is stout, the head large and broad, and the moderately long neck is thick and nearly straight. Often suspended from the lower bill and upper neck is a heavy, folded dewlap that increases in size and fullness with age. The body is long, broad and deep, ending in a well-spread tail that points up slightly. They have a rounded breast, and often exhibit a wide keel. The abdomen is double-lobed and often brushes the ground, particularly in females during the early spring.
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- And here is one of my pair of Pomeranians – the oldest geese in the gaggle. They are excellent guards!
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- All the geese love to congregate together. I am so happy they all get along.
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- I devised this “Good Thing” for the geese to keep the winter winds from entering their hutch at night. This is a double layer of burlap attached to the top of the opening. It allows them easy access in and out.
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- The burlap is cut into strips, folded over and then slightly overlapped – it is the same burlap we use to protect the boxwood around the farm.
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- Inside, a heat lamp is set up to keep them warm. We also line the entire space with straw bedding. All the coops are also checked several times during the day and night to make sure all the birds are happy, safe and secure.
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- The chickens love to gather here during the day when the geese are wandering around the enclosure.
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- Geese are very hardy and adaptable to cold climates. Waterfowl don’t mind the cold at all, but I prefer all my birds indoors at night where it is warm in winter and, of course, safe from predators.
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- I also put down extra hay in various areas, so their webbed feet do not get stuck to any ice or snow, which can be dangerous.
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- All the geese have lots of plumage to keep them warm. Unlike most bird species, which molt their feathers one at a time, waterfowl lose their flight feathers all at once. This is called a “simultaneous wing molt”. Geese typically undergo just one complete molt a year, during summer, replacing all body, wing, and tail feathers shortly after the nesting season.
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- And I always make sure there is plenty of flowing fresh water for all my animals. When temperatures dip, water can freeze quickly and the supply must be checked often. All geese love water bowls where they can dip their full bills to clean their noses and beaks.
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- Not only do the waterfowl need the water to drink, but even though they have suitable pools for swimming, they will also try to wade in the water bowls if they can.
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- Although these birds are not good fliers, they do love to spread their wings – there yard is quite large, so they have lots of room to roam and exercise.
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- Here is one of the Chinese geese stopping for a photo as two Toulouse geese and an African goose walk across the yard.
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- These geese are also good runners. Here, they are traveling together to another area of the yard – perhaps it is meal time. My gaggle of geese is fun, friendly, personable, protective and happy. See you soon, my geese.
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