Can Geese Eat Blueberries? Is it Safe?

Concerning geese, it only makes sense that they would eat certain foods. I’m talking about things that you just know they would have access to in the wild. Grasses, aquatic plants, some grains, and other kinds of vegetation. Maybe things like fruit, too!

And when I think about low-growing fruit that geese could get to easily, berries seem like a sure thing. But now that I think about it, I haven’t ever heard about geese eating berries too often.

Why is that? How about something like blueberries? Are blueberries safe for geese to eat?

Yes, blueberries are safe for geese to eat and are a natural part of their diet. Blueberries contain abundant antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that are good for them, but they’re also high in sugar and should only be eaten on a limited basis.

It just makes sense that geese should be able to eat blueberries, at least some of the time. Your flock will certainly look forward to getting them as a treat, and as long as you don’t overfeed them or give them blueberries too often, they won’t have any problems with them.

In fact, it is safe to say they can definitely benefit the health of your geese in moderation. It isn’t something to really worry about, but you’ve got to be careful. I’ll tell you all about it in the rest of this article.

Do Geese Like Blueberries?

Yes, they do! I’ve never seen a goose that was not eager to gobble up some blueberries.

They will love them as a treat, but this is part of the problem too: you can never let your geese have unfettered access to a large quantity of blueberries or you’re going to be setting the stage for problems.

Are Blueberries a Healthy Food for Geese?

Yes, blueberries are a healthy food for geese as long as you feed them in moderation. Blueberries are natural, healthy, and wholesome for geese and they have lots of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals which can prove to be great health boosters for them…

And, of course, these sugary berries are a good source of energy that is easily digested.

Looking at the vitamin content of blueberries, we see that they are a wonderful source of vitamins C and K, along with minerals like manganese, magnesium, potassium, and more.

Together, these essential nutrients can play a vital role in everything from immune system health and circulation to the growth and healing of bones, proper feathering, and a lot more. Not bad for a delicious, sweet snack!

However, blueberries are still quite sugary in the grand scheme of things, and too much sugar is definitely going to cause problems for your birds… We’ll talk more about that in just a few sections.

Are Raw Blueberries Safe for Geese?

Yes, raw blueberries are totally safe for geese as long as they don’t get too many of. Your birds won’t have any issue whatsoever eating them just as they are.

Are Cooked Blueberries Safe for Geese?

Yes, cooked blueberries are safe for geese but that’s kind of a moot point. Cooking a blueberry is not going to make it any easier for a goose to eat but it will reduce the nutritional content of the berry: a trade-off that you don’t want.

Also, it must be pointed out that you should never give any blueberries to your geese that have added sugar, syrup, any kind of artificial sweetener, processed ingredients or any such nonsense.

I know it sounds outrageous, but you would be surprised at what some folks will do, and blueberries are found in all sorts of desserts.

Can Blueberries Hurt Geese in Any Way?

Yes, potentially, but this is only likely if you are giving way too many to your flock or if you aren’t choosing the blueberries with care.

The first consideration is that you will give your geese too many blueberries to be good for them. Blueberries have two things against them when it comes to the health and wellness of your birds: they are very sugary and they are very moist.

Together, this can cause problems in the form of diarrhea and other digestive issues, or serious maladies like sour crop.

Neither is a good outcome for your geese. And in the long term, eating too many blueberries can result in excess weight gain and eventually obesity.

The other major problem associated with berries generally and blueberries in particular is that the kind you buy at the grocery are absolutely soaked with pesticides.

Birds, geese included, are highly vulnerable to these toxic chemicals and you should know that washing the berries is not enough to remove all of the traces. In time, the accumulation of these chemicals in the bird’s body could result in devastating health issues.

If at all possible, you should buy organic blueberries for your flock assuming you don’t grow them yourself. If that isn’t a possibility, consider buying them from a trusted friend, neighbor, or other provider in the area that you can trust to not use those chemicals on the produce.

How Often Should Geese Eat Blueberries?

We’ve established that blueberries are a healthy and wholesome snack or treat for geese, but nonetheless, they should never be a significant part of their diet. They simply have too much sugar to be good for them on a regular basis.

However, there is no harm in feeding your flock two small servings of blueberries weekly. Keep these servings spread out and small, and you shouldn’t expect any issues like diarrhea. Then your geese can definitely benefit from the nutrition of blueberries while avoiding problems!

What’s the Best Way to Serve Blueberries to Geese?

You don’t need to do a thing to serve blueberries to your flock. You can scatter them on the ground or hand feed them to your geese and they will gulp them down.

If that isn’t something you want to mess with, you can mash or pound the blueberries into a thin paste and then mix in other foods that your birds like to make an interesting menu item for them.

Never Give Geese Rotting or Moldy Blueberries

You should never feed your geese, or any animal for that matter, any blueberries or other produce that has gone bad. If the blueberries are rotting or showing signs of mold or other problems, they can be a serious health hazard for your birds.

Birds generally, and geese particularly, happen to be very vulnerable to toxic mold, and if they should ingest it, that could spell certain death.

Don’t assume that, just because geese are forced to eat what they can find in the wild, they can eat the worst foods imaginable with no worries. If you care about them, only give them fresh, wholesome food- including blueberries!

Are Blueberries Safe for Goslings, Too?

Yes, but only on a very limited schedule as you might expect. There are some other things to keep in mind too.

For starters, you’ll want to let your gosling reach at least five and preferably six weeks of age before they start eating blueberries.

They have enough digestive problems before then, and the sugar and moisture content of blueberries can cause havoc for them otherwise. And mind the quantity!

Giving a gosling too many blueberries can easily cause diarrhea which, at this vulnerable stage of life, could be fatal. But, giving it a blueberry or two now and then as a treat is fine, just don’t overdo it.