Smallholder notes.
Geese need surprisingly little housing - a simple three-sided shelter, well-bedded, dry, and predator-proofed at night is enough for most temperate climates. The key dimensions are 8-10 square feet per bird, 3-4 foot ceiling, and ventilation at the top rather than the bottom. Material that doesn’t rot and a door that closes against night predators are the only non-negotiables.
What geese actually need
Geese are hardier than chickens and require less elaborate housing. The basics:
- Dry shelter - protection from rain and wind, not necessarily warmth.
- Deep, dry bedding - straw or wood shavings, refreshed weekly.
- Predator-proof at night - solid door with a real latch.
- Adequate ventilation - top of structure, not floor level.
- Access to outdoor space during the day.
What geese do NOT need: heated quarters, climate control, complicated nesting boxes. They are robust birds.
Dimensions
- Floor space: 8-10 square feet per goose. For a flock of 4, that’s a 6 x 6 foot shed.
- Ceiling height: 3-4 feet minimum at the lowest point. Higher is fine but not necessary.
- Door: 24-30 inches wide, 30-36 inches tall - sized so geese can pass through without ducking.
- Pop-hole (small entry door for the geese): about 12 x 16 inches.
A shed-style A-frame works well; a small garden shed adapted with bedding works equally well.
Materials
- Cedar - rot-resistant, lasts a decade outdoors, naturally pest-deterrent. Premium choice.
- Pressure-treated softwood - cheaper, lasts 5-7 years, fine if not in direct soil contact.
- Concrete or paver floor - easiest to clean; cover with bedding.
- Galvanised hardware cloth for any wire panels (NOT chicken wire - raccoons get through it).
- Solid latches at goose-neck height - hook-and-eye is not enough.
What to avoid: untreated softwood (rots), painted MDF (delaminates in damp), thin chicken wire as the only security.
The shelter smells of ammonia and bedding stays wet. What is the useful next check?
Ventilation, not heat
The single biggest mistake is over-insulating. A draughty shelter is bad; a sealed shelter is worse. Geese produce humidity (and ammonia from droppings) and stagnant air condenses, soaking bedding overnight. Ammonia damages respiratory linings.
The fix: vents at the top of the structure (high gable, ridge vent, or upper-wall slots), keeping the floor and bird-height area still. Cross-ventilation at low level chills the birds; high-level ventilation removes moisture without draught.
Predator-proofing
The five things that actually matter:
- Solid door with carabiner or padlock latch - raccoons defeat hook latches.
- Hardware cloth (½-inch) on any wire panels.
- Buried wire skirt around the perimeter to stop foxes digging in.
- Roof that closes - both for owls and for climbing predators.
- Lock-up routine - geese in before dusk, every night.
Foxes, raccoons, and stoats are the main night threats in most temperate regions.
Water access
Geese need water year-round - even in winter. The shelter doesn’t include a pond, but a fresh-water container outside the shelter is essential. In freezing weather, plan for heated waterers or daily refresh.
Cedar Duck and Goose House
A starter shelter that doesn't rot.
A solid cedar nest-and-shelter unit. Good for a single nesting hen or as a winter shelter for 2-3 small geese. Hinged roof for cleaning, naturally rot-resistant material. Useful as a starter; larger flocks need a built-out shed.
- Solid cedar - lasts a decade outdoors
- Hinged roof for spring cleaning
- Mountable on a pole or sittable on the ground
Stovall · 5H Cedar
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The bottom line
Goose housing is simple: dry, draught-free, predator-proof, with deep bedding. Don’t over-engineer it. The biggest mistake is over-insulating; the second biggest is using chicken wire instead of hardware cloth.
For more, see cold-weather duck breeds and how predators get in.
