Toulouse Geese Thread

[Miss Lydia]

Week 7 of Molly's babies:
We were on vacation for a week or so. Didn't really go anywhere, but napped a lot. The kids are as tall as Mom now, and showing some good mullets. The largest one is the most Toulouse-like, and the others are a mix. I did get a snap of Dad close to the kids:
They were all hitting the tall grass this morning. Molly would be the tallest one in the back on the right; 2nd from left.

Molly is getting more comfortable with me being around here and her babes lately. I got to pick one up and inspect him/her when it got stuck in a feed sack. I fished it out and held it for a few minutes. Molly didn't even hiss after the first minute. That's as close as I've gotten to them since they hatched.

They are so pretty and my goodness how big they are, looks like a perfect place to live. and dad looks like he is on guard duty.

 

[clmschke]

I'd love to have them get close enough to pet, but Molly is a 'no touchy' goose. She keeps them well away. We sit outside with the flock almost daily so there is hope one day she'll get close enough to pet. Not to mention she has the best voice......love her call.

 

[gryeyes]

In the past week, I have noticed an interesting development in Caleb's behavior amongst the three girls: he's sweet on Zoe. They sometimes take walks together, side-by-side, away from Dora and Ariel.

When swimming in the pond, Caleb is always closest to Zoe. He still swims around and with Dora and Ariel, but his stopping point in any sweep is always wherever Zoe is paddling. He holds his wings slightly away from his body so he looks more "triangular." I don't know if that explains it, but he holds his neck in a perfect S curve, which contrasts with the almost perfect straight line of his folded wings angling from his shoulders to a point just below the tip of his tail feathers. In comparison, the girls look like pillows drifting on the surface of the water. With necks and heads. They snake their necks, stretch them out, gabble and bill things, flick water every which way, while Caleb looks very self-important, really close to Zoe.

It's adorable. He was gently preening some feathers on her folded wings as she half-napped, floatng gently against him.

 

[RURU]

What you are seeing is him beginning of his courting her and beginning to bond for next Springs breeding season. He has taken a fancy to her and is trying to make an impression. You will see even more courting signs when Spring starts coming in next year.

 

[kukupecpec]

Wow Molly's babies are getting so big! How cute they all look running around together!

And definitely keep us updated on Caleb's courting! That sounds like fun to watch!!!


If I got a baby boy toulouse for Trina next spring, could she see him as a mate or would I need to get an already grown boy for her?
I know it's only a small chance to begin with because she was mostly raised just with people and chickens, but I've always known I wanted to get more geese and would love to get her a mate that we could raise too.


Lunch at Beyond Bread - she is so well behaved in public EXCEPT that she knows the lettuce (for interested passerby's to give her a treat) is in my purse, was sure she could get that bag down herself!



Bubble bath! She only gets a good cleaning once, maybe twice, a month if she get's stinky. She get's lots of plain old water baths, but she takes those outside in her new big rubber tub! It's just the perfect size for her!


She's too quick for me so this was my best bubble head shot lol



Relaxing at bedtime

 

[Rigo]

Hello everyone i was just wondering at what age can Chinese geese breed? i have a male and female that are 6 months old and mating but the female still isn't laying eggs. The male is also being very aggressive since about a month ago. Any ideas?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Wow Molly's babies are getting so big! How cute they all look running around together!

And definitely keep us updated on Caleb's courting! That sounds like fun to watch!!!


If I got a baby boy toulouse for Trina next spring, could she see him as a mate or would I need to get an already grown boy for her?
I know it's only a small chance to begin with because she was mostly raised just with people and chickens, but I've always known I wanted to get more geese and would love to get her a mate that we could raise too.


Lunch at Beyond Bread - she is so well behaved in public EXCEPT that she knows the lettuce (for interested passerby's to give her a treat) is in my purse, was sure she could get that bag down herself!



Bubble bath! She only gets a good cleaning once, maybe twice, a month if she get's stinky. She get's lots of plain old water baths, but she takes those outside in her new big rubber tub! It's just the perfect size for her!


She's too quick for me so this was my best bubble head shot lol



Relaxing at bedtime

Trina has gotten so big, and beautiful. If you get a gosling next year [gander] I'm thinking Trina will take it to raise just like her own. and when he is grown they will be a pair. I hope she doesn't drink the bath water. and love the pic of her with a bubble head.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello everyone i was just wondering at what age can Chinese geese breed? i have a male and female that are 6 months old and mating but the female still isn't laying eggs. The male is also being very aggressive since about a month ago. Any ideas?

I'm not sure on Chinese although 6 months seems awfully young for mating. But here is the Chinese thread ask there. And

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/540708/african-or-chinese-geese-confused/20#post_11912198

 

[kukupecpec]

Trina has gotten so big, and beautiful. If you get a gosling next year [gander] I'm thinking Trina will take it to raise just like her own. and when he is grown they will be a pair. I hope she doesn't drink the bath water. and love the pic of her with a bubble head.

Thanks! We love her to death! She's a blast to watch. She is starting to honk more than peep and I totally LOVE it! When she gets a good scrub down she's not in the water long enough to get more than one gulp. Her outside tub is free from soaps and such so she drinks that, although >I< think its a little icky to poop and then take a nice big swig lol, so that get's changed multiple times a day.
I think I will try to get my hands on a baby gander in the spring, hopefully she will take to him! Even if she doesn't raise him, I mostly want her to have a friend. She chases the chickens, but they don't snuggle or anything and I think she would enjoy a buddy to cause a ruckus with in the yard LOL

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks! We love her to death! She's a blast to watch. She is starting to honk more than peep and I totally LOVE it! When she gets a good scrub down she's not in the water long enough to get more than one gulp. Her outside tub is free from soaps and such so she drinks that, although >I< think its a little icky to poop and then take a nice big swig lol, so that get's changed multiple times a day.
I think I will try to get my hands on a baby gander in the spring, hopefully she will take to him! Even if she doesn't raise him, I mostly want her to have a friend. She chases the chickens, but they don't snuggle or anything and I think she would enjoy a buddy to cause a ruckus with in the yard LOL

I think so too, it took a while for my gander to realize he was a goose being raised by a duck and living with them for so long, But he does now and it's a joy to watch the 2 of them together,. Yes get her one as soon as you can I waited over 6 years.