Unlike backyard birds, waterfowl are more likely to be infected when bird flu is present. But there are many other reasons that you should not feed ducks and geese. It increases the chance of spreading many diseases that are common among waterfowl. It makes them tame, and causes them to become a nuisance. They lose their natural behaviors. It is best to enjoy your local wildlife from a distance!

Ducks and geese can be fed chick starter and grower rations if commercial duck and geese feed in not available. These rations should not contain sulfa drugs because they may be toxic to ducks.

Yes. The standard recommendation for ensuring that any wild game is safely cooked is to cook all types of meat thoroughly to at least 155-165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill disease organisms, parasites and viruses such as avian flu. It's not uncommon to see dead ducks or geese while in the field. Do not assume that any form of bird flu killed the ducks or geese, because these birds can die from many other causes.

The strain of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) that has circulated in Asia, Africa, and Europe has not yet been identified in the United States, so the risk that ducks or geese in your local park are infected is currently very low.

Yes. In the United States there is no need at present to remove a flock of poultry because of concerns regarding avian influenza. The U.S. Department of Agriculture monitors potential infection of poultry and poultry products by avian influenza viruses and other infectious disease agents.

Poultry producers should strengthen biosecurity practices to prevent the introduction of avian influenza into their flocks. Sound biosecurity practices can be found on the USDA Backyard Biosecurity for the Birds webpage at www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/birdbiosecurity/hpai.html , which include: Protect poultry flocks from coming into contact with wild or migratory birds. Keep poultry away from any source of water that could have been contaminated by wild birds.

In mature geese, masculinity is usually expressed by a larger body, longer neck, and a somewhat coarse and larger head than those of the females. In the Pilgrim breed from day-old maturity, the down, the plumage color of males is light or white, and in the females a dove-gray. The day-old Embden male has a lighter shade of gray present than the female. Mature male ducks are also commonly larger in body and head parts than the females.

Some breeds of ducks and geese, particularly the Embden, have an above average need for B-complex vitamins, particularly niacin. Administration of a water soluble stress pack (which contain niacin) in the drinking water is recommended.

Answer: This is an impossible question to answer completely. It would be just a little easier if it was asked which ones cannot be kept together safely. A few species, like Cape Baron Geese, Comb Ducks, Blue Ducks and Steamer Ducks are obviously too aggressive to be safely kept in a mixed flock. Many species, however, can become suddenly deadly during the breeding season in defense of their mates, their nests, or their young.

The BC market for waterfowl is supplied by three large federally registered processing plants located in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia. For further information please contact:

Answer: No, waterfowl are no different from any other bird in that regard. Medicated feed can be fed, but is generally not recommended unless your flock has a chronic (repeated) problem that you need to combat. The danger in feeding medicated feed when no specific medical problem exists is that you may be not only wasting money, but you may be encouraging the development of strains of bacteria resistant to that particular medication. When you really need it, it may no longer be effective.

Around the same time as swans, although ducks can breed a few months earlier if the winter has been mild. Unlike swans and geese, ducks actually breed twice each year, typically between April & September.

Birds can be checked for avian schistosomes by hatching the miracidia from parasite eggs in the hosts' feces. If hatch-year (young birds) that can't fly are positive for avian schistosomes, then it must be concluded that they contacted the parasite on that specific lake. Not only can the bird species of dermatitis-producing parasite be isolated, but it is possible to determine the level of infection.

Yes, feed for waterfowl does differ from that of other types of poultry and one should obtain quality feed from a commercial feed mill to ensure the waterfowl receive adequate nutrition.

Resist the urge to feed ducks or any water fowl. "People" food is far less nutritious to a duck than its normal diet. Handouts may cause ducks to become tame and more exposed to natural predators. Migration could be delayed. Ducks are perfectly capable of finding food, unless they have become overly dependent on human handouts. Duck feeding causes problems for people, too. Duck waste may contain bacteria and parasites that are unhealthy for humans.

For geese typically 32-34 days and for ducks 24-28 days. and geese, ducks actually breed twice each year, typically between April & September.

Ducks should not be raised commercially by using natural lakes, streams or water courses running through your property because of environmental considerations. Commercial duck/geese operations can reside on fields supplied with water troughs but these kinds of operations can suffer from heavy predator losses, lack of control of nutrition and poorer economic performance.

GooseBuster was made specifically for this situation. Also,GooseChase is a safe, highly effective taste aversion agent. Terror Eyes, Irri-Tape and GatorGaurd are also very useful.

No, please do NOT feed the waterfowl. Parks and Recreation is working with the USDA Wildlife Service to protect the health of our park birds and wildlife. Please do not feed the geese or ducks. Feeding these wild animals creates dependence, promotes the spread of disease, and upsets the natural cycles. The birds foul our beaches and parks, pollute our water, and drive away timid species. Thank you for your cooperation.

No. Large numbers of geese and swans can pose a nuisance on small ponds and coves, and feeding them may encourage more aggressive behavior and a dependence on us for food.

ducklings, you should feed your ducks gamebird starter; give them gamebird grower oncve they are older. To reduce the cost of feed and help you ducks to be more self sufficient, let your ducks forage to find a portion of their diet themselves. Chicken feed is not okay. Because most chicken or "poultry" feeds have higher protein levels than gamebird feed or the natural diet of wild ducks, they cause abnormally quick wing development.

Actually, it is MassWildlife's policy not to feed any wildlife, but there are no state laws prohibiting feeding. Unlike the birds in your back yard that come to your feeder, eat, and leave, most waterfowl tend to hang around the sites where they are fed. Often, these sites are in municipal areas that are not suitable for most of the other requirements of waterfowl.

When you feed any wild animal you help them to lose their fear of people. When this happens they become more dependent on people and therefore less willing to survive naturally. They also become potentially dangerous as well as a nuisances and traffic hazards to people. This is especially true for the ponies that will bite and kick. Refuge animals are capable of finding plenty of food on their own. They don't need people food which is unhealthy for them anyway.

You have to have a pond. You must have less than 6 chickens. The event happens on a non-rainy day after the Summer of the 2nd year. If you already have a duck, you won't get them any more. The weather forecast by the guy with a straw hat is much more accurate than the other guy. Keep tuning in to find his forecast.

One acre of succulent pasture will support 20 to 40 geese. For best results, the goslings should be 6 weeks old before being turned out to pasture. Provide shade and water at several locations in the field. Keep the goslings hungry; a light feeding of grain (3 lb./bird) at night is sufficient. Ref. L. Waterfowl – "Raising Geese".

Geese generally nest on shorelines, islands, man-made structures and muskgeese and beaver lodges. If an area provides a water source, cover for a nest and a good place for the bird to have a lookout, it is likely a goose will build its home there. Since geese most always choose to live near water, flooding is often a destructive force for goose nests. Geese are also attracted to lawns with short, mowed grass.

Miggeeseory geese spend the winter months in the southern United States. Some Canada geese don’t miggeesee at all, and those are the geese that live throughout the country year-round. Early April is the time when most geese start to build their nests, just in time for the mother goose to lay four to seven white eggs, while the male goose stands watch close by. Some geese have been known to lay up to 12 eggs at a time.

Because it affords several, if not all of the necessary ingredients for goose survival; food, safety, and reproduction/nesting sites.