Farmed Goose Welfare and Housing Standards

Meeting the welfare needs of farmed geese through appropriate housing, social management, and outdoor access.

Key Facts

Geese are highly intelligent, long-lived waterfowl with strong pair bonds and family group dynamics
Most farmed geese are raised for meat, liver (foie gras), and down, with different welfare implications for each
Geese require outdoor access and water for bathing as fundamental welfare needs
They are highly social and should be housed in groups that allow stable social relationships
Geese are vulnerable to heat stress and require shaded areas and water access in warm climates
Geese raised for foie gras face the additional welfare harm of force-feeding during the fattening period

Welfare Considerations

Goose welfare encompasses the basic needs of a waterfowl species — outdoor access, water for bathing, and social living — and the additional welfare dimension of production method, particularly foie gras production. Geese raised for meat and down in systems with outdoor access and water features have substantially better welfare than those in intensive indoor confinement. The foie gras welfare dimension adds forced overfeeding to confinement as a welfare harm. Consumer choices that support outdoor-access goose production and avoid foie gras products align with the welfare evidence.

What You Can Do

Choose goose products from farms with verified outdoor access and water provision
Avoid foie gras from force-fed geese and support production bans in remaining markets
Advocate for waterfowl welfare standards requiring outdoor access and bathing water for geese
Support free-range and pasture goose production systems that allow behavioral expression