2 days to go to hatch and goose broke egg.

[livininbrazil]

they are adorable, glad you had some success in the end.

Thanks Ruru. And tillyita...and for the tip about the red cordial. Useful Information.
The gander here is absolutely in love with his new babies! He´s not in the pen with them, I want him to be with the goose that adopted the two singletons. But he can´t help himself! He just loves babies, the adolescents don´t appeal the same!! (well, I understand that one!). So, adoptive mum is doing a great job with the two, and most of the time the gander is with her. It´s just those fluffy little balls that he can´t resist! Now I just have to make sure they get plenty of food with Brewers Yeast!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes, a tyre. They like drums and tyres to nest in. Unfortunately one goose insists in nesting in the grasses in the marsh, but her eggs don´t ever hatch in there, silly goose. The drum is easier for me as the goslings can easily get in and out when they hatch. The geese like the tyres because they like the height. Then I cover it with half a water-tank to keep her sheltered from rain and sun. Problem is, after a month the nesting material has sunk, and it would make it difficult for little ones to get in and out, so today I took the tyre away and left her with the nesting material under the half water-tank. (I took the water-tank away to get the pics) That way they can start nibbling grass. Did you spot one little female among the 5? She´s so pretty with her big black eyes, the other girlie was snuggled in the other side.

I see her now she also has the blk bill? such precious babies. And love the story about the gander aren't they wonderful parents.

 

[Iain Utah]

Congrats! The pictures are precious. Love the momma goose.

 

[livininbrazil]

I see her now she also has the blk bill? such precious babies. And love the story about the gander aren't they wonderful parents.

Yes, I have 2 with black bills. I did once have a gosling that looked like a boy but turned out to be a girl, which apparently happens with these auto-sexing from time to time, but that was from the other goose, so I reckon I do have 4 males and 2 females. Great, I needed some males to pair off with my other mixed-breed geese. I have too few ganders with too many feathers in too many pies!

And thanks,Iain. they´re great, aren´t they?!

 

[RURU]

Ganders are just crazy for newly hatched goslings. It is so endearing on how much they love the little fluff balls!! Ganders will protect them little fluff balls too...

You might want that gander to protect the older goslings but he has a different idea...

 

[livininbrazil]

Ganders are just crazy for newly hatched goslings. It is so endearing on how much they love the little fluff balls!! Ganders will protect them little fluff balls too...

You might want that gander to protect the older goslings but he has a different idea...

And my younger gander is just dying to get a look-in too! He´s busy courting at the moment, so should have his own in so many weeks. The older gander is so sweet-natured, I can get right up to the goslings and pick them up and he´s so good, stood right next to me, keeping his beautiful blue eye on me! The mum of the tiny ones is a little edgey, but she lets me pick them up, too. Which is good, as I want them to be tame but without taking them away from her. I just sit in the pen with them, talking and stroking and picking them up. The older ones still come running when they see me, obviously because I had them indoors, so I´d like these newbies to trust me too. What a lot of work!! That means I´ll have to go down there everyday and play with them for a while! Shame!

 

[chooks4life]

Quote: Thanks, Tillyita, but in this case it wasn't a change of circumstances that caused the scouring in her. I used natural yogurt with worse results, and found some wild growing native raspberry which I fed raw, green and whole to her, which saved her life. I also used a few other things to treat her issues.

Myself and some other people are almost allergic to cordial, and can't take it without immediate kidney pain and damage, and that hyperactive toxicity behavior as a direct result; it would be one of the very last things I would ever give a lamb with pulpy kidney. Healthy kidneys can take more than sick ones, of course.

Having said that, I'm sure it may be useful information to someone, so thanks for sharing.

Best wishes.

 

[livininbrazil]

As far as I know, this is due to iodine specifically. Females of pretty much the majority of species require a higher amount, and when low levels are present more males are born or hatched. Female animals tend to be more susceptible to goiter than males for this reason as babies, because from birth/hatching onwards, they're trying to build up a concentration that will tide them through their future pregnancies/clutches. So their thyroid will often show issues before a male because their needs are higher. I've always found that very young parents produce mainly male offspring, and nothing worth breeding. So I breed young ones to get a "crop" of "munchies" which won't have any difficult choices needing to be made over which to cull and which to keep... They're all for culling. They just look flimsy compared to later generations from the very same parents when they're older.
Lol, what a little drama queen. Obviously feels bigger than she is.
Yeah, it's just tragic how small the gene-pools have gotten and how much inbreeding is being done. At least with the wild bovines, nobody's selectively bred anything in or out for certain traits/characteristics, so I'd assume that while what's left may be limited, it ought to represent a fair template of the standard for the species as a whole.
That's great. At least some folks are doing what's necessary for preserving genetic strength and viability. Breeds which are dependent on "just so" conditions aren't going to make it very far into the future, methinks. It'll be the ferals and the free rangers that'll dominate genetically.

Best wishes to all.

Hi chooks4life, interesting about the iodine. But in my case it doesn´t really make sense, as I´ve had nearly all my ducks from ducklings, so they´ve all had first "crop" and always had many more females than males. Except this one. And they all eat the same stuff, etc....well, just means I have more young males to give away for eating. Shame, they´re so pretty!

On the subject of genetic strength, it´s generally accepted that crossing breeds strengthens the offspring. When I let my chickens cross-breed I get some very attractive, hardy birds. The goslings that I have now are from birds that may or may not be related, but my next batch, due soon, will be a total outcross, so I hope they´ll be nice and strong.

Having said that, the newest goslings are so much stronger and plumper than those that died before. I´m sure that penning them in has helped, as they have a constant supply of food, and the gander can´t go off swanning around with them and wearing them out!! He does try, though, but he´s outside their pen, so mum has total control over the little ones. So nice to see. All the geese are enchanted at the newbies! Oh, by the way, the younger gander has now taken to overseeing the older goslings! These ganders!

Chooks4life, on the bovine front, there´s someone near us who keeps buffalo. I´ve only seen buffalo meat for sale once, but I´ve seen buffalo cheese for sale a few times. Ostriches are also kept here, but not many, and apparently it can be bought in a limited number of restaurants, mainly "OUTBACK"! Brazilians tend to be beef-eaters and prefer their usual foods.

Aand the two singleton goslings are learning the art of bullying very well! The youngest one chased off a young drake today that´s bigger than her! And the newest babies are watching and learning very attentively! Oh, I´ll have a crop of thugs!