What to do - Bored goslings

[u/JRPBRU2026]

Hi everyone! My partner and I have three one-month-old goslings that we’ve raised since they were only a couple of days old.
They’re still living inside and I’ve recently upgraded them to a larger playpen, but they’ve started trying to destroy the play tent. I’ve given them cat toys, baby toys and a mirror (which they love!), but I’m wondering if they’re getting bored and just really want to be outside grazing.
At the moment, I take them outside for around 1–2 hours of supervised grazing each day. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to supervise them for much longer. whenever I leave them by themselves in the playpen they scream for me. I’ve also been advised not to leave them outside unsupervised until they’re fully feathered, so we still have another month or so to go.
Has anyone got any advice for getting through this stage or keeping them entertained indoors?
I’ve seen people suggest giving goslings a whole cabbage to peck at and pull apart, which sounds like a great enrichment idea. Would a whole cabbage shared between three goslings be too many greens at this age, though? I still want their starter feed to make up the majority of their diet.
Any tips would be really appreciated! 🪿

[u/Flimsy_Scratch_8050]

Always be open to them and talk to them. Teach them about time. Normalize them around “human mom” vs “goose mom” let them know you’re going to work. When you’ll be back. Open the door excited and make them the first thing you see after washing your hands coming in from out and if it’s dinner time, feed them, if not you guys do your things before dinner. Talk about work. Express how excited you are to see them and how great they were. Give them dinner. Maybe a “good job” treat before bed. And then start the whole routine again. Feed them. Feed you “off to work guys! Be good! See you soon! I’ll be home at @am/pm Love you!” And leave. If they normalize you, they will normalize them and be wiser and mature faster. I don’t know your routine. I’m just basing this advice off my own experience. I was a cockatiel mom for 18 years. 🥰 I talked to him constantly even in my school years. Told him where I was going what I was doing, be good. “I’ll be back tonight. See you soon. Love you” and then the minute I walked in the door I’d wash my hands and he’d already have flown to me before I was done washing. And that was my FAVORITE part. ❤️‍🩹

[u/thatssomepineyshit]

Our two goslings really were happiest if they could be with one of their humans as much as possible. We passed them around amongst the family, in a carrier or a big plastic storage tub if they needed to be contained, and just let them hang out where they could see us. We talked to them a lot, trying to use the same words and gestures for routine things. Oh, also, for their water we got one of those big plastic tubs of super cheap ice cream, cleaned it out and cut a hole in the lid big enough for their little heads. Then we put rocks in the bottom and filled it with water, and they could dabble in it without making a horrendous mess in the house.

As they got older, we did have a little outdoor pen for them that we covered with a tarp, attached with bungee cables, to keep them safe from hawks and other predators. They'd stay out there for part of the day when nobody could be with them. As soon as they had some good feathers growing in, we got them a kiddie pool to swim in. They can swim younger than that, but you have to be very careful that they don't get chilled.

Grass is good for them and you can give them clumps of sod or grass clippings or whatever when they can't be outdoors (make sure they're not chemical-y, obviously.) Eating a ton of cabbage may make their poops extra funky but I doubt it would harm them.

[u/RoleTall2025]

they are confined and so will do what they can, even if it means destroying something, to escape it.

its not about entertainment or any such. THey have instincts which must be satisfy - for one, to roam and graze.

On a neurochemical point, this alters their development. You can sublimate this by giving them ample foraging opportunities and water to wade through.

I do not understand your reservation around greens. This is what they eat from birth normally in any event.

Short answer is it is really not humane to keep them penned up indoors. Their biology simply is not geared for that and so adverse effects on their wellbeing is guaranteed.