Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Could feeding geese cause water issues?

Hello, we have a new nieghbor that is feeding geese near her dock, she puts out gallons of corn every day for the geese! We have allways had geese come to the pond but this year! it's a feeding frezy! Geese poop bad enough, but with her feeding man if they get in my yard it turns into a mine field worse then ever before.
Could excess goose dropings in pond cause planktonic algae blooms? & hurt water quality? not only droppings but the geese are also pawing up her yard leaving murky water.

Print out this and give to your neighbor, I say no more.
http://www.iwaponline.com/jwh/002/0183/0020183.pdf

Thank you, I only read a little of it was too long for me:)

We test about hundred metro Atlanta lakes a year for fecal coliform. Those with geese have elevated levels. Question could it cause water issues-yes. Does it?? Depends on how many geese what size body of water, etc. We are trying the away with geese product right now to see if effective.

IMHO there is more to this than just water quality issues. Having experienced Canadian Geese at our place I can see why you don't want them around Pullo. They make walking along the shore line disgusting. Perhaps time to purchase an "Away With Geese" light?

Algae blooms are a concern with elevated nitrogen levels, but I think they would be the least of my concerns. The real threat is bacteria and diseases that can be transmitted to humans. You ever heard the cliche fast as ____ through a goose, it is no joke. They go every 8 to 10 minutes, and with supplemental feed each goose could drop up to 3 pounds a day. Not ounces, pounds. Problem is it creates a breeding ground for bacteria, especially water born. Public beaches and waterways have been closed to humans because of elevated levels of bacteria. Giardia, salmonella and E coli. You get that and you start ____ing like a goose. And you could die. Kids put thier fingers in thier mouth after touching the contaminated water are especially at risk. The answer is very much YES. Your friendly old neighbor is causing a health risk. One phone call to the right authorities and she gets a friendly visit.

Canada geese are flying toilets as PFrog mentioned. I've heard a Univ Ext agent say the Ag dept found that 20 geese make the equivalent manure of one cow as PFrog suggests. 20 geese X 3 lbs = 60 lbs of wet greasy fertile manure/day/20 birds. Take a fresh goose dropping, put in a quart of pond water, shake it, set it on the window sill for 4-7 days and then show it next to a fresh jar of water to your neighbor. I am sure that there is not only high nitrogen in the manure but also a high amount of phosphorus, both excellent plant/algae foods.

Not a friendly old neighbor! she is rude "opinionated" women! we tried sending letters because nobody wants to talk to her, I might have to make a call to who ever to make her stop, One good thing nobody swims.

Bill I like that example. Im getting our 1250 feet/second pellet rifle today. Let the nuisance goose work begin.

I use the same air rifle to pop muskrats! works great, but a fed migratory bird! nope!

If you can kill the geese there are more ways to do that than skinning a cat. But you still have the "opinionated" neighbor problem. Tough to feed dead geese though. I have a gamo pellet gun with hunter pellets. Head shots kill anything even honkers. But I would never do that, or admit to it. I would call anyone I could, let the authorities get her to cease her negligent activities. Whether health services, fish and game, whoever you can get. Then if that does not get you satisfaction, time to go drastic.

http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_3682_3713-96774--,00.html

Have a look at this, if you can't find your way around the page give them a call, and ask for help

I think water quality or health services. That looks to be a great link. Pretty good find from Norway. Besides once you get someone on the phone, they usually know who deals with it. Key phrase to use is "threat to public safety". They have to act. And you are not just a whistle blower. Sometimes when you start feeding them they just quit migrating and you introduce a problem that would not normally be there long term.

Read these. Esp. the last one on the first link.

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=65990&fpart=1

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthread...=true#Post61582

more gees stuf
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/Goose_FAQs_final_283321_7.pdf

I'm sorry if I'm repeating myself but the geese don't like my biggest pond anymore. I have a pier now that goes all the way across and they can't just swim away from the dog and I. It used to be the last dog and I would go around and around the pond and they would just swim as far away as possible. Now with the pier in the middle they just can't swim far enough away to feel safe so they give up and fly away. We go through this a few times in the spring and they usually get the message. I just wish the two ducks we had last year would get the message. They just kept coming back over and over until I fired bottle rockets at them. I think that finally did it but by that time it was too late. We had duck itch problems really bad.

Pullo we are nusiance animal trappers we have the right to do this. ALso in GA you can apply for permit to take them during the warm season, obvioulsy not migratory if here in the summer. Good luck.

I love goose hunting! but nieghbors would frown on me shooting on the pond. we usually have the geese dive bomb in early am, they do their fighting & bathing then fly off they never sleep here. but since the old women started her huge bait pile they are here from dusk till dawn! she will even rebait it 2 or 3 times a day! She even set piles out during winter & we had deer herds walking on the pond, coons galore! she has stoped this year we will see when spring comes!

You have to check your local ordinances to see if she can legally feed them. Some old lady in New Jersey was, got caught and fined over $4,000. Complaint was attracting the nuisance birds and droppings everywhere. Sound familiar?

And I just can't agree with two geese are OK. Because they never stay at two. They either start thier own family or others see them living on easy street and soon you have a flock. And yes the droppings are hot, but no, they are not rapidly dissolved in water. They almost ferment, and cause horrible bacterial overload. To the point where health services will close a swimming area for unsafe reasons. And they also give you nasty swimmers itch. They are great migratory birds, but once you get them to stay, it is harder than hell to get rid of them. And the offspring never migrate, they don't know what that is.

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12145_25065-59467--,00.html

Maybe this will help, I don't think it is the same as our Norwegian scout.

I bet it was our nieghbor! she came from *****!! the realator said she was run out of town!
We have sent her letters to discourage her feeding, hopefully she will stop.
Our association has checked before with the MI dnr but it only discourages feeding geese, deer is another story. she feed all winter last year, & only the deer were feeding, we sent a letter & said if she feeds deer this year she was being reported, she has stopped once the ice came.

Perhaps you could encourage bears to visit your area and take care of all of the pests?

My stuffed bear downstairs doesn't seem to work! lol
My rat terrier is trained to chase the geese off, he does very well but when the large adult geese are here, they stay just in the water with thier wings spread hissing! luckly my little terier thinks he's kujo!

It sounds like the geese are a symptom of the problem - think bigger...

Wow baiting deer on the ice?! I've seen some deer flounder on slippery ice and end up fatally injured. I saw one in the water on Quabbin reservoir in Massachusetts once in the spring that I'm pretty sure died that way.