I just purchased two 2-week old American Buff goslings. I'm super stoked, because I've been eyeing this breed out for a while! I've raised day-old goslings before, but not 2 week-old goslings. I'm sure its the same, but these goslings were reared by adult geese, so I think they're a little traumatized right now.
I brought them home and went straight into the yard. After unboxing them, I put them next to me and they ran as far away from me as possible. I don't know why I assumed they would automatically consider me as their owner, but I did, and was very disappointed, haha! I had to collect them and immediately take them into the house. They've been in the brooder for quite some time, just sitting there. After 6 hours they finally began to eat. What would you feed them? The previous owner fed them pelleted feed, but they also had an entire yard of grass to eat. I'll be feeding them a crumbled "all-purpose" feed. It's what the farm supply suggested for baby geese, since it's the only thing non-medicated. They also recommended a red wheat supplement and granite grit. I understand that 80-90% of their diet is grass, so do they need constant access to the yard? I don't have a place for them yet, and will need to build something. Is the brooder fine for now until I build something for them outside? I can clip grass and kitchen greens for them as often as possible. Will they imprint on me? We plan to handle them constantly.
Any advice would be great!
Brandon
I brought them home and went straight into the yard. After unboxing them, I put them next to me and they ran as far away from me as possible. I don't know why I assumed they would automatically consider me as their owner, but I did, and was very disappointed, haha! I had to collect them and immediately take them into the house. They've been in the brooder for quite some time, just sitting there. After 6 hours they finally began to eat. What would you feed them? The previous owner fed them pelleted feed, but they also had an entire yard of grass to eat. I'll be feeding them a crumbled "all-purpose" feed. It's what the farm supply suggested for baby geese, since it's the only thing non-medicated. They also recommended a red wheat supplement and granite grit. I understand that 80-90% of their diet is grass, so do they need constant access to the yard? I don't have a place for them yet, and will need to build something. Is the brooder fine for now until I build something for them outside? I can clip grass and kitchen greens for them as often as possible. Will they imprint on me? We plan to handle them constantly.
Any advice would be great!
Brandon