Geese Control: Nest Removal vs. Chemical Oiling

This article compares the similarities, advantages and disadvantages of Removing Geese Nests as opposed to Chemical Oiling.

Similarities of Both Systems

• Both the removal and chemical methods require a minimum of five visits per month over a two-month project season.
• Both the chemical and removal systems require a dog to remove the geese off their nests.
• Both the chemical and removal systems require a thorough follow-up system.
• Both the chemical and removal systems require a permit issued by the Canadian Wildlife Service with subsequent stipulations to that permit.
• Both the chemicals and removal systems require staff that is experienced in their respective fields.

The Disadvantages of Chemical Oiling

• The first disadvantage is that the geese stay on the nest for as long as they think they have an active nest. This could mean that they would be on the nest for as much as six weeks at a time.
• This also means that during this time, the geese will be pooping at your site for the entire nesting season.
• This also means that during this time they will also be aggressive against all visitors to your site. This means that your visitors (and their equipment) may be attacked, hit, pushed, chased, and you may suffer the lawsuits that may result.
• This also means that the geese will learn to nest over and over again, year in and year out.
• The whole idea is to send the message to the geese to move off from your site and nest somewhere else, where they are not a bother to you or anyone else.
• Nesting is the crucial time year where we can assist you to improve your odds, and achieve better results with a minimal budget.
• Should the oiling of the eggs not be thorough enough, possible partially or deformed birds may arise. This alone is quite frightening.In the past five years that both systems have been tried, the original thought was that the chemical method would be cheaper. As time has proven, and this company can confirm over several tenders of late, that the actual removal of eggs and nest has been cheaper and more effective.
• Application amount. It is known that several applications of the chemical is necessary so that no eggs are still viable. This would take some 20 visits per month over a two month nesting period.Proper and safe storage of the chemical materials is a consideration and depending on your setup, may be an issue.
• With everyone's eye on Corporate Social Responsibility and a Chemical Free Green Approach to Community Living, we believe that the addition of any chemical to our environment completely un-necessary.and especially since there is a better and greener method available, that also happens to provide more value and results!

We recommend to all our customers that they remove ALL the eggs and nests from their sites. The active ingredient in the egg oiling process is Oil, which in its basic format is very dangerous to our waters and since geese use ponds and waterways as their refuge, the water may be easily contaminated from the chemical oil.

The Advantages of Oiling

• One advantage of this method is the relative ease of spraying the eggs en masse by a qualified technician of the Pest Control Industry.
• The other advantage of oiling the eggs appears to be financial (which may have been true in the past, but of late has also become more expensive). Mind you, if the method is not effective, there really is no financial advantage. 

The Advantages of Geese Nest Removal

•  The advantages of removal point to everything that oiling is not:
• The geese do not stay on their nests, therefore no population increase.
• The geese may return to investigate, and may be chased off again.
• The geese may find a different area to nest and that area will be by lessons learned: Less Conflict with Humans.
• You have the benefit of six weeks of less poop on your property - the unsightly look and smell of it all can be avoided.
• They may leave for the entire season.
• You no longer have aggressive geese on your property = No Liability, No Broken Bones or Equipment or Conflict with Humans. The geese are only there to protect their nests and their eggs, and if the nests are not there.there's less/no conflict.
• There are no chemical additives to the ground, and no risk to the water.
• There's no possibility or of partially or deformed birds.
• Avoid the possibility that the geese nest on your site, which adds the element of cost to remove at that stage. 

Trans location - Second Period of the Year
Translocation is easily proven. Once a year geese molt/drop their fathers at which time they are flightless. They gather around ponds for protection from ground animals. During this time the geese are vulnerable to capture and relocation to another favorable area further down the final migration path. This is usually achieved by capturing them and herding them into livestock trucks or specially designed pickups for transportation and eventual release. The advantage being they are no longer around to bother you the rest of the season. Several cities have tried this method, and found it to be extremely successful.

In Conclusion
We highly recommend that you amend your geese control plan to include Nest Removal and Egg Destruction. A special permit will be required from the Canadian Wildlife Service to perform this task and we would be pleased to guide you through the process as we partner in the success of your program.