Raising Sebastopol Geese

Raising Sebastopol geese means getting the first few weeks right: a brooder set up before the goslings arrive, water deep enough to submerge a whole bill, an unmedicated waterfowl ration, and growth kept slow enough to avoid leg and wing problems. After that they are straightforward birds.

Before they arrive

The brooder needs to be running and up to temperature before the box does, not after. Goslings arriving into a cold brooder while you scramble is the worst possible start, and it is entirely avoidable.

Deep bedding, a heat source they can move away from, and space to grow into. Goslings grow fast and outgrow a brooder quicker than chicks do, so build for week three rather than day one.

Water, which is where people go wrong

A gosling has to be able to dip its whole bill and submerge its nostrils. A shallow chick founder does not allow that and leads to blocked nostrils and eye problems. At the same time, a young gosling can drown or chill in an open dish it cannot climb out of.

The answer is depth without a trap: enough to submerge a head, shallow enough or ramped enough to get out of, and refreshed constantly because they will foul it within hours.

Feed and growth

Unmedicated waterfowl or all-flock feed, never medicated chick starter, with niacin supplementation if you are using a chicken ration. Get them onto grass as early as it is safe to. Full detail in the diet post.

Keep growth steady rather than fast. Pushing weight on a growing gosling is associated with angel wing, which cannot be reversed once the bone sets.

Going outside

They feather out and come off heat faster than chicks. Once feathered and the weather allows, they do better outside on grass than in. They cannot fly, so fencing is simple, but they also cannot escape a predator, so night housing must be secure.

Not sure you want the brooder stage? Juveniles have already been through it, and the adult flock skips it entirely.

Common Questions

How do you raise Sebastopol goslings?

Set the brooder up before they arrive, provide water deep enough to submerge a whole bill, feed an unmedicated waterfowl ration, and keep growth steady rather than fast. They feather out and go outside sooner than chicks.

What water do goslings need?

Deep enough to submerge the whole head so they can clear their nostrils, but easy to climb out of. Refresh it constantly, because they will foul it within hours.