In fact many, any, type of bird can learn to maneuver an Agility Course if the Agility Equipment is made to their size and needs. A Goose would need a whole different set of Agility Equipment then a Parrot would need.

A Goose is going to need wide, low to the ground, very stable pieces of Agility Equipment. You will need to be patient with geese during training.

Below is information on Bird Agility.

YES! Goose Agility, Chicken Agility, Duck Agility, Parrot Agility, it can be done and is a lot of fun, but must be done correctly. Don't think about your bird doing the agility course quickly, but how cute the bird is manipulating the course. It is not about speed with birds.

The first thing you need is the proper agility equipment for the type of bird you own. Chickens have more balance then a goose. Ducks are lighter weight and smaller then geese. There are things a parrot can do that a goose can not. Think, think think and know your bird. Keep safety first and above all. Parrots can walk a high wire, geese, no. A goose will need a fat, wide based, low to the ground Balance Beam. If you keep it safe and fun for your bird your bird will look forward to spending the time with you on the equipment.

Part of the fun of making your equipment is decorating it. If you look at Dog Agility Equipment you will find that the pieces are decorated with dogs and or paw prints. How cute to make your course with birds and bird foot prints. Use a paint that will last and wait for it to dry and dry well before adding your bird to the mix.

Remember that without a diaper your bird is a bird and will make a mess on the equipment. You will need to clean that mess after each agility training section.

Is this a new concept? My goodness NO! People have been teaching birds tricks and tasks and agility, well, probably as long as people have kept birds as pets.

You must think and keep it safe. You must build your equipment so that your bird can manipulate it safely and correctly. You must work with your bird so that it understands what you are asking it to do...bring treats.

There are many types of Agility Jumps. The one you will start with for your bird will be the size you need for the size of the bird, with very low bars, if not bars on the ground, and stable enough so that if the bird lands on it to perch the jump will hold it's weight.

Start slow and easy. Some birds will get this the first time you ask, some will be afraid of the equipment. With the bar(s) very low on the jump, with you on one side and the bird on the other, call you bird over the jump with your hand or finger pointing down, if not touching the ground so that the bird knows you want it on the ground, not in the air.

Weave Polls can be something as simple as Wooden Dowels sharpened and stuck into the ground. They need to be far enough apart so that the bird can walk easily between them. For a chicken approx. 2' apart, for a goose 3' apart.

As you walk with your bird, you will stay on one side of the Weave Polls and use your hand to "guide" the bird around the polls, going first to the left then to the right, then to the left.... be patient. The bird may do really well at first then try to skip a weave. If you bird is weary of the polls, try cutting them shorter.

A Teeter Totter is a piece of board that pivots on a totter that can be a small log or the like. A Teeter Totter is a lower piece of equipment than the Sea Saw and is probably all one should use for most birds. You can use a 6' long 2" x 4" board screwed to a small log that is consistent in size so that it is very even from one side to the other, you want the teeter to be smooth and even when it pivots.

This is not a real easy piece of equipment to teach and should not be taught until your bird is doing well on other pieces such as the Dog Walk and Balance Beam. Your bird should trust you and the equipment before training this piece.

more to come

For some birds, such as geese, your Dog Walk might just be a 2" x 6" x 4' laid on the ground for the bird to walk along. For a chicken you might use a 2" x 4" x 8' raised on legs 3' high for them to walk along. The idea of this piece is for the animal to walk along the plank from one end to the other without leaving it. Again, do not hurry birds, it is not about speed as it is with dogs and other animals.

Your best bet for an Open Tunnel for your birds are plastic barrels with both ends cut out. You will certainly not want anything too long or too dark or your bird will fear it. You can use a 30 gallon plastic barrel (car wash places usually will give them to you) for most types of birds. White in color will be the easiest for the bird to get used to.

The idea here is for the bird to sit on the box, or platform, or just a square of PVC piping when and for how long you tell them to. With dogs it is like 5 seconds. With birds you can decide, again, birds should not be in a hurry on the agility course.

A Pedestal is not a standard piece of agility equipment, but would be a good or cute place for your bird to finish the course with a "ta da". Birds can easily be taught to "curtsy" on the pedestal and it would add a lot to your little show. You want your Pedestal to be low enough for the bird to get up on by itself, but high enough to look like a Pedestal. You can paint it and make it fancy, but make sure the top is of a surface that the bird will not slip on.

The contents of this page for GOOSE AGILITY is still under construction. Please check back later!

-- The My Pet Goose Team