Oats are considered great for us, but is it the same for geese? Can geese eat oats? In fact, they can! They make a good food source for geese, being an excellent source of fibers.
In fact, they love it so much that they will probably continue eating them till the last grain is left.
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Health Benefits Of Oats For Geese
In addition to being a good source of fiber, oats also have low levels of fat and cholesterol, which are both sought after by geese. They are also a great source of calcium and phosphorus, both essential elements for geese.
These health properties combined with the fact that geese love the taste of having oats in their diets make oats a food that is highly preferred by the ones who feed them.
Oats also contain saponins which are a type of natural compound (phytochemical). Saponins can help protect the birds from various health issues. They can act as antioxidants and free-radical scavengers which can reduce the risk of certain diseases and strengthen their immune system.
Also, the high levels of phosphorus and potassium in oats are beneficial to their health. Carrots, which are a staple in the geese’s diet, contain all of these healthy elements as well, making them a good additive for oatmeal servings. Food pairing is another reason why oats don’t seem too bad for geese.
Can Geese Eat Porridge Oats?
Yes, geese can eat porridge oats! However, you can only feed them the plain kind, whole oats. Avoid adding other things to them such as sugar or salt.
Can Geese Eat Steele Cut Oats?
Yes, geese can eat steel cut oats. You may have noticed that they have a rougher texture than the regular oatmeal sold as porridge oats and this rougher texture is great for your goose because it helps them to grind down their beaks and nails by pecking at it.
Can Geese Eat Raw Oats?
Yes, geese can eat raw oats. However, you should ensure that the raw oats are of high quality. This can be assured by buying them from a reputable source. You should also avoid mixed nuts when feeding your geese raw oats to avoid your geese developing a nut allergy.
But it’s always better to cook the oats first.
What Should Geese Eat?
Geese are omnivores. They try to get all the nutrients they need from a varied diet. In the wild geese eat a wide range of foods such as plants and insects mixed with animal parts.
These are the most common
Vegetables:
–Kale
-Cauliflower
-Cucumber
-Spinach
Fruits:
-Pears
-Melon
-Grapes
Insects:
-Ants
-Butterflies
-Caterpillars
-Flies
Grains and legumes like wheat and soybeans are an important source of food for adult ganders in the spring and fall.
Nuts are also an important part of the diet. Many domesticated birds will eat peanuts, almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts as well.
What Geese Shouldn’t Eat
There are a few foods that geese should not be fed.
- They shouldn’t be fed bread or other grains. This can cause substantial issues with their digestive systems including impacts to the liver and pancreas. Other bread products like cake, cookies or pastries are also not good for them.
- Another thing that you shouldn’t give geese is chocolate. Although they may enjoy it at first they will develop terrible diarrhea, dehydration, and possibly death if you feed them this food regularly.
- Geese should not be given avocado. The latter can cause kidney failure in these birds.
- They need plenty of water but no salt or sugar should ever be added to their drinking water. If salt or sugar is added to the water, they will lick it up which can lead to illness with symptoms like diarrhea, dehydration, and kidney damage.
- Finally, they shouldn’t be fed alcohol. This might seem like a funny addition to this list but feeding alcohol to geese is a problem in certain areas of the country where wild geese are seen as pests and farmers try to solve their disputes with these animals by feeding them beer and other alcoholic beverages.
Conclusion
Oats are great for most people and poultry, including geese, they have many high quality benefits. Cooking them into porridge is an excellent way to start the day with a little bit of crude fiber.
They are high in important minerals that geese need in order to stay healthy. They are also very filling, especially when consumed with molasses or high fat foods.
