Feeding geese is a fun activity. Swans are easily identifiable birds and are often found in city parks or lakes. However, feeding geese requires careful consideration. You have to give proper feed to the geese. In addition, you should learn how to properly feed geese. Feeding geese should be avoided as geese will increasingly depend on humans for survival. With proper preparation, you can safely feed your geese.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Carefully Feed the Goose
Step 1. Always supervise your child
The swan will attack anything --or anyone -- that makes it nervous or disturbs its territory. Swans are also quite aggressive towards frightened animals or humans, including small children. Do not allow infants, toddlers or small children to approach the geese. Children tend to be very curious and may wander around aggressive geese. Chances are, the goose may peck the young and inflict minor injuries. However, children may get quite serious injuries.
- Children aged over 10 years generally already understand the habits and behavior of geese. In addition, children are also able to consider the procedures for feeding good geese. Therefore, children can feed the geese with adult guidance.
- Children over 12 years old are allowed to feed the geese on their own. Invite the children to feed the geese several times. Make sure your child is always supervised by an adult. Once the child understands the process and can appreciate wild animals, the child can be allowed to feed the geese on their own.
- Although small children are allowed to watch, do not allow children to behave arbitrarily when near geese.
Step 2. Make sure the goose is calm
Quiet geese will generally roam in the grass or open spaces. Watch for geese that are calm and roaming around. If the goose looks active and alert, it may want to be fed. Feed the geese that come up to you while chirping in a friendly manner and interested in your presence.
If the goose looks very alert, wants to fight, and doesn't come right up, you may be in predatory territory. Try to approach the goose to feed it safely
Step 3. Watch the goose's aggressive behavior
An aggressive goose will lengthen its neck and approach its target. The swan will open its beak and hiss. The swan will also shriek, make noise, or flap its wings to make it look bigger or to attack you. Do not approach a goose that looks angry or is tending its eggs and chicks.
Step 4. Do not hand feed the geese
Don't attract the goose to come to you and let it eat the food out of your hands. If you do this, the goose may peck your hand. If there are many geese that want to eat food from your hand, the geese may push and attack each other. When this happens, you will be among the angry and fighting geese. Avoid this by watching the geese from a distance.
Method 2 of 3: Feeding Appropriately
Step 1. Give the goose green vegetables
Goose generally eat green vegetables. In winter, food sources for geese are very difficult to find. By giving him spinach, lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, and Swiss chard, the goose will always be happy and healthy. Goose can also eat other vegetables such as carrots, green beans, and celery.
Vegetables such as potatoes and broccoli can also be consumed by goose. However, these vegetables should be steamed first and served warm so that the goose can digest them
Step 2. Give the goose another digestible food
Whole grain bread, oats, beans, brown rice, small grains, and legumes are some of the foods that gooses love. In addition, unprocessed popcorn (no additives, salt, and butter) and small grains such as sunflower seeds are very nutritious snacks for geese. You can also feed the geese with foods commonly found in their natural habitat, such as small fish, snails, and crustaceans. You can also give the goose a variety of vegetable/fruit leftovers.
Swans don't like alfalfa. In addition, geese also cannot eat raw potato skins
Step 3. Do not give the goose processed food
If there is food that should not be consumed by humans, geese should also not eat it. White bread, fast food, chips, and foods that contain high levels of salt, sugar, and fat should not be consumed by goose.
Young geese (under 6 weeks of age) that often eat foods high in carbohydrates and fat may be infected with “angel wing” disease. This disease can cause the geese's wings to grow unnaturally so that the geese cannot fly
Step 4. Do not give the goose milk
Don't give the goose milk, yogurt, or cake. Goose is an animal that cannot digest lactose. If they consume milk, the goose will have diarrhea, become dehydrated, and die.
Step 5. Feed the goose in small portions
Do not give your goose food that is too large and difficult to swallow. The esophagus of a swan is smaller than that of a human. In addition, geese also cannot chew food because they do not have teeth. Therefore, give the goose food pieces of 6 or 12 cm square.
Method 3 of 3: Keeping Goose Safe When Feeding
Step 1. Throw the food at the goose
Floating popcorn and rye bread can be tossed into the water. Water can help break down food so it's easier to digest. However, most food should be tossed in the area near the geese.
Don't give the geese too much food. If the goose stops eating, stop feeding it
Step 2. Provide enough food for the whole goose
Place the corn, wheat, or leafy greens mixture near the flock of geese. Make sure each pile of food is about 3-5 meters apart. Make sure that the food provided is sufficient, and that it is far enough away, so that the geese can eat in peace. If the food is not spread out properly, the geese may fight over each other and cause chaos.
Step 3. Don't overfeed the geese
Wild geese may become dependent on humans if they are constantly fed. Check for restrictions on feeding in areas where geese live.
Step 4. Do not feed the geese in crowded areas
If the goose is near a highway, rail, or parking lot, it may be hit. In addition, if the goose is used to being fed in a certain area, it will stay and look for food in that place. This can annoy a lot of people who don't bring food for the geese. Always feed the geese in an area within 20 meters of roads, rails and vehicles.
Step 5. Don't leave food behind
When feeding a goose and it doesn't want it, you should pick up the leftovers before leaving the area. If you don't, leftover food will attract rats and cause a build-up of toxic blue-green algae. The rotting food may be eaten by the geese at a later date. The lungs of geese that eat rotten food may develop poisonous mushrooms.
Tips
- If you find a swan's nest, don't disturb it. Also, don't check or pick up goose eggs that are in the nest.
- You must bear the risk when feeding the geese.
- Never touch the goose.
- Do not make sudden movements when around geese.
