How to Raise White Chinese Geese

Many people keep geese as family pets because they are not difficult to care for, act as substitute "watch dogs" by loudly honking when predators or prowlers are on your property, and can help keep your lawn weeded and manicured. They make for good eating, if you're so inclined; goose meat is more tender and rich than turkey. White Chinese geese are among the smallest of the goose breeds and can adapt to different climates.

Instructions

    • 1

      Allow Chinese white geese to forage for most of their food in chemical-free pastures or lawns. Geese love nibbling on grass and weeds. An acre of land can support 20 to 40 geese depending of the lawn or pasture quality.

    • 2

      Supplement foraging with commercial pellet grain feed. Geese will get most of their nutrition from foraging, but keep a ready supply of rye grass and commercial goose pellets available. Keep feeders stocked; geese are free feeders and don't require specific portions of food a day. They also enjoy treats of lettuce and bread. Like other fowl, geese require grit and an adequate calcium supply. These can be mixed per directions with grain in feeders.

    • 3

      Supply plenty of fresh drinking water in a tub or container deep enough to allow the geese to fully submerge their heads in the water (at least 8 inches deep). While a pond is especially appreciated by geese, if you don't have one, a plastic wading pool can provide adequate swimming facilities.

    • 4

      Provide shelter and protection. Geese have simple housing needs: either natural or man-made shade from excessive heat, a place to seek shelter from wind, snow and rain (an insulated dog house or kid's playhouse will do the trick) and a fenced area at night to protect them from predators. Chinese geese are small ,so about 6 geese can fit in a large dog house. Place a 3-foot-tall woven wire enclosure around the shelter or shelters to secure the geese from predators at night.

    • 5

      Offer fresh, absorbent bedding in shelters or in nesting areas. Straw is the best nesting material for geese.

    • 6

      Treat geese twice a year to prevent tracheal worms, a deadly parasite. Your veterinarian can administer wormers or give you the treatment with instructions on how to administer it.