Poultry farming is quite popular in Nigeria. However, when most people think of poultry, the default birds that come to mind are chicken and turkey. Interestingly, the rearing of geese, another poultry bird is a quite lucrative yet not many people about these birds.
Geese share the same family with ducks but their method of rearing is different from that ducks. Geese have many benefits, some of which include the provision of an excellent protein source through their eggs and meat. Additionally, the feathers of geese are useful in making clothing, bedding and upholstery.
Also, geese can help farmers in weed control. They can help get rid of the weeds on the farm quite efficiently. Additionally, these birds can serve as security birds. They have an excellent memory and sharp eyes to spot predators. They also tend to make a lot of noise which can serve as a security signal when they spot intruders.
Generally, geese are quite interesting birds and below are some quick facts about them.
- Geese have an average long life span of up to 20 – 30 years
- Geese usually stick to one mate for their entire lifetime. However, death of the mate means they have to look for another mate
- Their mating season is between September to October
- Geese can live on both land and water.
- Geese have great eyesight and a raucous voice which they put to good use when warding off predators and intruders
One peculiar problem with rearing geese is the fact that these birds make a lot of noise and you may not be able to rear them if you can’t withstand loud noise. Also, geese are birds that children may like to play with them, you should always be careful in this case because these birds can be aggressive and can attack these children.
Generally, geese are easy to maintain and they tend to grow very fast. This means that you can easily start your geese farming on very little capital. However, you still need some guidance in rearing geese the right way which is provided in this article.
Breed Selection
The first step in geese farming is to select the breed you’d like to rear. Generally, geese breeds are divided into light, medium and heavy. One of the most-preferred breeds when it comes to laying egg is the light breed. The light breed is of Chinese origin and it’s a good security due to its extreme noise making. Also, this breed is capable of producing up to 80 eggs per year. The heavy breed is better for meat production since they weigh heavier but produce less number of eggs.
Some of the commonly reared geese breeds include the heavy Embden and the American Buff breeds. These breeds produce very good quality meat when properly fed. The Embden is one of the breeds that have been able to adapt to the tropical environment. It is known for its glossy feathers and light blue colour.
If you’re a starter, a good option will be the Roman or Roman Tufted breeds. These birds are white in color and you can start with 10 birds at a male to female ratio of 1:5. They are all-rounder especially with egg and meat production. They produce good quality meat and can produce up to 60 eggs per year.
Ideally, the breed of goose you rear for commercial value should offer certain important qualities. These include their rate of growth, their color and the quantity of eggs they produce. Generally, commercial breeds are white; tend to grow quite quickly and produce at least 50 eggs per annum.
Housing
The ideal housing for geese should provide enough space, adequate pool of water and protection from harsh weather.
Although, geese can practically fend for themselves and need little or no supervision, when rearing these birds, you’d need to put the right conditions in place to get optimal yield from your venture.
The housing required by geese shouldn’t be too complicated. It can be an open house system or a wooden box. They just need a place that is safe and aerated, with sufficient breeding space.
You can cover the flooring of the house with wood shavings and sawdust. Don’t use hay or straw beddings.
Additionally, the housing system should have a pond section. This is because geese like to mate on water. The absence of this pond will lead to the birds hatching unfertilized eggs.
Feeding
The main food eaten by geese is grass. Hence, you can rear your geese along with your crops although you may need to put some demarcations in place to prevent them from feeding on your crops. Also, geese feed on varieties of food. These include snails and all kinds of insects. You can also feed them with a mix of wheat and pellets. It is best served in a big bowl of water and it helps to aid easy digestion. The food should be given daily and in a large quantity. Proper feeding helps to increase the quality of meat and egg produced by your birds.
Finally, it is important that the water trough is properly constructed in other to prevent the house from being wet. A moist floor can serve as a breeding ground for diseases.
Wrapping Up
Geese might be simple animals in terms of behaviour, but the farmer ought to possess the right technical know to successful rear these birds. This article has provided an extensive overview from breed selection to the housing and care of these birds. However, you may still need to speak to fellow geese farmers and other experts to enable you get as much information in order to successfully rear these birds.
Generally, rearing of geese is an interesting and lucrative venture, but you’ll need to be committed and meticulous to ensure that this venture yields the success you anticipate. You can always start small and as you achieve one level of success you can scale up the business. You can visit this site for available bird feeders that spins.
From what age will geese start to produce?
Please i need more tips about the business, because i want to go into the business. Thanks for sharing.
dear Sir,
I will need supply of geese for breeding. kindly contact via my email address.
We can supply you matured onces as many as you want.
Call/whatapp 08142708420
Thanks for your article
Where can i get best breed of geese to buy What is the cost of a medium size ?
Pls link me up to a farm where i can buy & start up a geese farm in Warri Delta State
I can be reached on 08035381075
I need day old geese/ goosling I live in nasrawa state.I need upto 100 or more if available 07067411918
Were can I get the day old of the geese
I have 5weeks old geese for sales here in Ilorin Kwara State call me on 08066939043
where in ilorin can i meet you to get it
Do you still have some geese for sale? If so contact me on 08035446785
I am intrested in geese farming pls connect me with the farmer here in kano(commercia ones)to learn more be for going into it in full pls it urgent pls asist (09035937331).
Thanks for the aticle,am intrested in rearing of the geese.pls how can i get intouch with the geese farmer (commercia faming) in kano am at naibawa right nw for more learning on it be for going into it in full.pls assist (09035937331).thanks and pls more aticle.
Please I desperately lakes to have White Swan duck and Black Swan for my farming I don’t now where to get please help I am in Nigeria State Kano address Gwarzo Roads Kano Farms Maituta farm thanks.
Thanks for the article on geese rearing,I got the information when I need it most.Please I would like you to link me up with some sellers,I really appreciate you.
Pls can u link me up how I can get the medium size of the geeze
Please, where can I get the best breed of Geese in Nigeria. How many makes up a family? And what is the minimum prize of a Geese in Nigeria?
Thanks
They re very cost tho. Day old is 3k. Medium size is 10k. I can link u up if u need
Where will I get it to buy
I already have a pair of geese that are over two years old here in Owerri, Imo State but they can’t lay, what should I do? I should have increased their number if this one had started laying eggs. Pls help me.
Akano,kindly link !e up I need day old geese,my contact 07033913761
Kindly link me up to a medium geese seller. I am based in Akwa Ibom state and would need them for our farm. Contact: 08064159188. Urgent. Thanks