Toulouse Geese Thread

[Miss Lydia]

I can just imagine the dog doing a double-take!

It reminded me of the other day, I was fixing a fence down in the marshy bit, and two cavies (guinea-pigs, they´re native here, live in the wild) were chuntering along, muttering to each other as they trotted along the fence...and then they discovered I was stood there...".STOP!!" They froze, looked, chuntered a bit more as if to say "OK, Bert, what now...giant ahead!" "Left turn, look sharp", and off they trotted through the fence on the other side, the only thing I could see was the grass moving as they marched on through. Animals are great.
I used to have a tom turkey that had a set-to with a guam here. I filmed it, and still laugh now when I see it.. One little chick today got separated from the chicken, and the guam was following it...it´s a smart chick, went over to the geese, the guams don´t mess with the geese...

As for the goslings....dear little things. They do diving acrobatics in their cat-litter-tray ´pool´, all of them together, they kick out so much water! Then they get bigger and learn that they can bully the other birds...until one bird´s had enough, and sends it packing, and then what a noise!! And dad comes along and sorts it all out. I´m often down there with my birds laughing out loud at their antics...can´t imagine not having them. And then there are the ducklings...so cute too!

What are guams? and I use to have guinea pigs as pets, they are a blast. I bet that was funny when they saw, you wouldn't you love to be able to video all of this.
I know what you mean about sitting and watching the flock it makes up for all the awful things going on in the world when you can spend time laughing at their antics. I bet those goslings are so much fun.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I wonder....
How old is Sam? Could it be an age thing? Pom is 3 this mating season according to the rescue.
I'm not sure if they are really an item yet or not. They definitely hang out together most of the day, but not ALL the time. Pom lets Trina use his pile of straw as her lounging spot, and splash in "his" pool, but he doesn't let her eat or have any treats - if he sees her he comes running and nips at her to scare her away, although he doesn't hover, once she is scared away he leaves and she eventually sneaks back and gets her fill so she doesn't starve or anything. They don't snuggle or anything, and they don't sleep together.

Oh wow! That sounds bad!!!
How do you even go about training everyone without any animals getting hurt?
Or do some get hurt in the process?

Sam is going to be 7 next may, what happened here was when we'd be out with the dogs and flock if they got too close to Sam he's nip them on the butt and although we'd step in it would be too late hence Annie grabbing him by the neck, then Missy gets here and now we have 2 big Bullies, even when we'd be sitting out with everyone here'd come Missy and Sam heads down getting ready to get the dogs [we have 4] 3 are mini dachshunds who are terrified of the geese and Annie who is a mix bird dog med size. she is scared of them too but I think she snapped because she had enough of his business. Any way Celtic Oaks Farm was the one who posted on how to train and so I tried it using a long mop handle when we're out with everyone and the geese started their stuff coming at the dogs I put the handle between them that stops them in their tracks[I also use this same blue handle to herd them in of an evening] so now they know I mean business they are not to mess with the dogs, the Pecking order is Us first, Dogs second, Geese third. I still have to remind them at times since they are stubborn. But it works I also use it when Sam is at his worst during mating season or the broom just put it between me and him and most of the time he will back off I have had to sweep him with it too when he gets carried away. How come Pom and Trina don't sleep together? and Missy and Sammy don't really snuggle they do everything else together though I love to watch them walking out together they remind me of and old couple going for a walk.

 

[livininbrazil]

I wonder....
How old is Sam? Could it be an age thing? Pom is 3 this mating season according to the rescue.
I'm not sure if they are really an item yet or not. They definitely hang out together most of the day, but not ALL the time. Pom lets Trina use his pile of straw as her lounging spot, and splash in "his" pool, but he doesn't let her eat or have any treats - if he sees her he comes running and nips at her to scare her away, although he doesn't hover, once she is scared away he leaves and she eventually sneaks back and gets her fill so she doesn't starve or anything. They don't snuggle or anything, and they don't sleep together.

Oh wow! That sounds bad!!!
How do you even go about training everyone without any animals getting hurt?
Or do some get hurt in the process?

I find it really interesting that your geese and Miss Lydia´s geese are so different to mine. It has to be a breed thing, I suppose. My ganders are real gents with their own gals. They stand back and let the mums and gozzies feed first, then when the gozzies are almost done, they mosey in to see what´s there for them. Even with super-yummy things like lettuce. The mums won´t start to eat it until the babies have had a good portion, then the gander has the bits he can find afterward. There´s only one that breaks the rule, and that´s the auntie that has "adopte" her sister and 4 goslings and behaves more like the male of the flocklet, and she´ll scoff the lot given a chance...even takes it out of the gozzies´mouths!!! So I have to hover with her, make sure she´s being polite!

(I push her head away) On the other hand, the gander just stands by, won´t even take it if I offer it to him! Until the right moment......I think they´re amazing.

Goslings snuggle for warmth, but my geese like their space, even the couples. No touchy-touchy thank you!

And training can be done with leads. That gives a good amount of control. None should get hurt if you do it steadily and consistently.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I find it really interesting that your geese and Miss Lydia´s geese are so different to mine. It has to be a breed thing, I suppose. My ganders are real gents with their own gals. They stand back and let the mums and gozzies feed first, then when the gozzies are almost done, they mosey in to see what´s there for them. Even with super-yummy things like lettuce. The mums won´t start to eat it until the babies have had a good portion, then the gander has the bits he can find afterward. There´s only one that breaks the rule, and that´s the auntie that has "adopte" her sister and 4 goslings and behaves more like the male of the flocklet, and she´ll scoff the lot given a chance...even takes it out of the gozzies´mouths!!! So I have to hover with her, make sure she´s being polite!

(I push her head away) On the other hand, the gander just stands by, won´t even take it if I offer it to him! Until the right moment......I think they´re amazing.

Goslings snuggle for warmth, but my geese like their space, even the couples. No touchy-touchy thank you!

And training can be done with leads. That gives a good amount of control. None should get hurt if you do it steadily and consistently.

Sam is very respectful of Missy he lets her eat first and is very much in love it's me he wants to be hateful too. but I just pick him up and snuggle him or sweep him with the broom if he gets to carried away, yes Embden can be pretty stinkery Missy just minds her own business and although she bullies the other flock members has never acted like she was even remotely interested in biting me. All this may change if they have some goslings.

 

[livininbrazil]

What are guams? and I use to have guinea pigs as pets, they are a blast. I bet that was funny when they saw, you wouldn't you love to be able to video all of this.
I know what you mean about sitting and watching the flock it makes up for all the awful things going on in the world when you can spend time laughing at their antics. I bet those goslings are so much fun.

I´d love to have a video permanently fitted to my head!!

Be a bit hot, though!!! The things I see! So funny. Re-telling the story never does it justice.

There´s a little dirt road that goes past our place, and people can see my geese etc from the road when they pass. They often slow down to look. Even moreso when I go down there to feed them, because the birds all wait at the top of the hill by the gate, then all go running/flying/stumbling etc to keep up as I take them back down the hill near the river to feed them. They make quite a big flock altogether, they look really nice. I still have the tiniest babies in a pen with mum. Just as well, they´d get flattened in the rush!

I just think that so many people are so busy trying to get the latest technology to save time, and they don´t,...they just keep going to get more to save the time that they never save.....and we´re here with our simple but delightful little creatures that make us so much more satisfied with our lives....nothing to beat it.

I have a photo of a guan (sorry, typing error in the previous post) but it´s on the other computer... Or I´ll have a go at posting the video I took.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I´d love to have a video permanently fitted to my head!!

Be a bit hot, though!!! The things I see! So funny. Re-telling the story never does it justice.

There´s a little dirt road that goes past our place, and people can see my geese etc from the road when they pass. They often slow down to look. Even moreso when I go down there to feed them, because the birds all wait at the top of the hill by the gate, then all go running/flying/stumbling etc to keep up as I take them back down the hill near the river to feed them. They make quite a big flock altogether, they look really nice. I still have the tiniest babies in a pen with mum. Just as well, they´d get flattened in the rush!

I just think that so many people are so busy trying to get the latest technology to save time, and they don´t,...they just keep going to get more to save the time that they never save.....and we´re here with our simple but delightful little creatures that make us so much more satisfied with our lives....nothing to beat it.

I have a photo of a guan (sorry, typing error in the previous post) but it´s on the other computer... Or I´ll have a go at posting the video I took.

I bet that is a scene watching all the flock taking off down the hill. and couldn't have said it any better, the simple life so much more enjoyable. At what age do you let the youngest out with the rest? I learned the hard way last year one of our week old ducklings got trampled in a mad rush for treats one morning. Broke my heart. I keep my ducklings and mamas separated by fencing till 3 weeks old now.

 

[livininbrazil]

now we have 2 big Bullies, even when we'd be sitting out with everyone here'd come Missy and Sam heads down getting ready to get the dogs [we have 4] 3 are mini dachshunds who are terrified of the geese and Annie who is a mix bird dog med size. she is scared of them too but I think she snapped because she had enough of his business. Any way Celtic Oaks Farm was the one who posted on how to train and so I tried it using a long mop handle when we're out with everyone and the geese started their stuff coming at the dogs I put the handle between them that stops them in their tracks[I also use this same blue handle to herd them in of an evening] so now they know I mean business they are not to mess with the dogs,

I didn´t even think about training geese to be nice! Only my biggest dog is scared of them! The others keep their distance because they know they have to, but not because of the geese...they just bluff. I have one dog that isn´t afraid of anything. She´s great, very naughty, but she has a nice nature. She stands there, the geese put heads down and go at her..she just stands there. The geese nip her...she just stands there...the geese decide to back off...she just stands there...

By now, the biggest dog is already hiding in his kennel!

That´s how I like it, as the geese would always come off worse if there was a stand-off. Most of the time the dogs are separated from the birds by an electric fence, just to make sure.

 

[livininbrazil]

Sam is very respectful of Missy he lets her eat first and is very much in love it's me he wants to be hateful too. but I just pick him up and snuggle him or sweep him with the broom if he gets to carried away, yes Embden can be pretty stinkery Missy just minds her own business and although she bullies the other flock members has never acted like she was even remotely interested in biting me. All this may change if they have some goslings.

That depends on how tame she is...my 2 pilgrim/cotton (don´t know what to call them) type geese are quite protective, as they were bred free-range, but my 3 mixes that I raised are fine, I can take out their eggs, goslings, whatever and they´re ok. Even the ganders (pilgrim type) now have learned that I won´t do anything to hurt the babes, and are also ok, the youngest just hisses a bit, even though they were both bred free-range! I reckon you´ll have a lot of fun if you get goslings next year.

 

[livininbrazil]

I bet that is a scene watching all the flock taking off down the hill. and couldn't have said it any better, the simple life so much more enjoyable. At what age do you let the youngest out with the rest? I learned the hard way last year one of our week old ducklings got trampled in a mad rush for treats one morning. Broke my heart. I keep my ducklings and mamas separated by fencing till 3 weeks old now.

Yes, me too....3 weeks. But with me, it´s more to let the goslings grow and feed well, as I lost those 4 at the beginning of the season that were free-range. Also I worry that when there´s a heavy down-pour that the goslings could get swept away in the stream, as the water runs through fast. And, at 3 weeks the goslings are too big to get through the pig-wire that surrounds the place. So, 3 weeks it is, although sometimes I´ll let them out with mom for a bit if I stay around and it´s not feed-time. That way they also get familiar with the yobs (older goslings) before the big day. They all go grazing. The tiny ones love to imitate the older ones, trying out what the older ones have (just the same as them, of course...grass greener..?) It´s great. Today it´s raining a bit, so I´m in-and-out, but I can still watch them from up here in the house. The four baby ganders are getting their feathers in, and look lovely. Can´t wait for the pieds (mixes) to feather up, too...they´re just starting.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes, me too....3 weeks. But with me, it´s more to let the goslings grow and feed well, as I lost those 4 at the beginning of the season that were free-range. Also I worry that when there´s a heavy down-pour that the goslings could get swept away in the stream, as the water runs through fast. And, at 3 weeks the goslings are too big to get through the pig-wire that surrounds the place. So, 3 weeks it is, although sometimes I´ll let them out with mom for a bit if I stay around and it´s not feed-time. That way they also get familiar with the yobs (older goslings) before the big day. They all go grazing. The tiny ones love to imitate the older ones, trying out what the older ones have (just the same as them, of course...grass greener..?) It´s great. Today it´s raining a bit, so I´m in-and-out, but I can still watch them from up here in the house. The four baby ganders are getting their feathers in, and look lovely. Can´t wait for the pieds (mixes) to feather up, too...they´re just starting.

Be sure to keep pics coming so we can follow growth too. it's so much fun to watch the changes taking place. None of your ganders fight?