Desperately want Tufted Buffs, please advise!

[LauraL3]

I have been waiting a full year for this as I have a cousin who tells me about her geese & how great they are, but will defer to everybody's judgement...

I currently have 4 hens, 2 drakes & 3 ducks. Can I get a pair of Tufted Buff geese from Metzer's, have them imprint on me, and when they're bigger have them live outside with my chicens/ducks?

In the summer I have a LARGE fenced area with a pool for them to use & always lock them in the house/coop at night. I also let the ducks free range the yard most of the time during the day...

What's the chances that everybody will get along? Also, is it possible to get ONE gosling, have it imprint on you & integrate it into the duck/chicken flock?

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Sorry but if the gosling imprints on you it is going to think it is human. How well would YOU integrate into the duck/chicken flock? i would get 2 goslings to raise together and try to raise some ducklings or chicks at the same time for best intergration into the flock. The imprint instinct is very strong in geese. If allowed to imprint on you they literally think that you are their Mama and when you leave them they are very distressed.

 

[LauraL3]

Thanks for your reply...That's why I'm asking!

Don't want to make any foolish mistakes that I'll regret later... I figured I'd ask people who know better than me! We'll be hatching out some ducklings in the Spring so I could definitely do what you suggest.

If I raise a pair, would they still come to me when I go outside?

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Only if they like you! Do your ducks and chickens come to you when you go outside? Buffs tend to be friendly while my tufted Romans tended to be shy around me. What the cross would do is hard to predict. (a can of treats usually made all the birds to like me more )

 

[LauraL3]

All my birds are very friendly & come when I call... Usually it's because I bribe them to like me with spinach! Well, that's good to know that the buffs are friendlier. We'll see if anybody else has an opinion. I'll take any and all comments.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

I have a pair of Tufted Buffs from Metzer's and love them! They are beautiful and I agree that they are a bit less shy than my Tufted Romans. They are also broader and a bit heavier than the Romans. I would highly recommend them and I just love dealing with Metzer Farms. They're the best! Three years running with ordering from them and not one issue with customer service or the birds they've sent. I'm getting ducks from them for the first time this Spring - rec'd their catalog just last evening. Spring can't come fast enough!

Good Luck - I hope you enjoy your Tufted Buffs as much as I enjoy mine.

Joni

 

[rentmecheap]

I just placed my very first waterfowl order from metzer's. Ordered 4 buff geese and 15 ducks for the march 28th hatch date.

Can't wait till they get here.

 

[LauraL3]

Yesterday 10:58 am
jojo@rolling acres farm
Overrun With Chickens

How loud are they? They're pretty docile right?