Anyone ordering from Metzers

[RiverOtter]

I also posted this in Ducks - I hope that's ok

I'd like to split an order with someone within an hours drive of 72565. All we want is a sexed pair of geese.

BTW, Yes, I do know that they will ship so few birds. I don't want to do that for 2 reasons.
1- I feel that even with a heat pack, it's just not as safe. When they huddle they not only give each other warmth, but also stability as they brace against each other and I believe comfort as well. I want as stress-free a trip as can be managed. MY DD has been waiting a year for these geese!
2- It's expensive. Instead of just the charge for the geese plus 1/2 shipping, there is a minimum order charge of $35, a small order charge of $12 and then full shipping, which brings a pair of goslings to 61.50 ... Ouch!

So if there is anyone near me who just wanted a few ducks or goslings and would like to split an order with me, please let me know.

 

[jack & mommy's duckies]

I've placed an order with Metzer...... I'm way way way to far away from you to have you join in. But trust me if Metzers didn't think it was safe for the birds they wouldn't ship them. And you can always order a few more birds and grow them out and sell them in the fall. The dayolds I raise (African geese) are only $15 each when day olds but I get $100 each in the fall. So you could alway get back some or all of your expence by getting 2 pairs....and selling later. Also, what if you only get 1 pair and something happens to one of them...then you will have one lonely goose.

Just some thoughts???

 

[cracking up]

I talked to my feed store last year and they ordered me a sexed pair (white Chinese) for 30.00 total. They sold the rest of the ducks and geese that came with them for about $10.00 each but it was worth it to me. I know my feed store orders from Privett and I've always been happy with my chickens and ducks (and geese). Good luck.

 

[RiverOtter]

The feedstores near me all order from Cackle. If I was going to go that way I'd talk myself into ordering enough more chickens to make up the box worth. Actually, we tried that last year but Cackle and several other places had a bad year for geese and finally after 2 1/2 months they sent the rest of the order without them.

It's funny you should deal in Africans, that's actually what we want. The only Africans I've seen from Cackle (seen after our order didn't come) are lightweight . Bigger then Brown Chinese, but not by much. These are for my DD and she would actually love the Giant Dewlap Africans, but we're just trying to get her the best we can afford. She saved up the money herself.
She'll be doing a little showing in 4H. Though the way our local 4H show is set up

... if you're the only one there with something that kinda-sorta looks a little like it should you get Grand Champion (which I feel teaches kids nothing)
No private breeder anywhere near offers sexing, and the only one I know of who actually has Africans and not Brown Chinese is impossible to get a hold of. LOL, as in, "Why do you bother having business cards when you literally never answer your phone or return messages???" (Says she's too busy to answer the phone, then complains about having to take birds to auctions) Very frustrating.

Only if it becomes an absolute, down-to-the-wire necessity would I order just 2. It really makes me nervous. Also, then I'd have to put in most of the cost, and my DD is really so proud that She is buying Her geese Herself, kwim? She's been saving from last year just so she could say that. I can not emphasize enough how much she wants these geese.

In a solitary goose emergency - we have been offered any number of mutt geese, goslings, goose eggs. And locally an adult goose sells between $6 and $10. While we would get the first healthy, suitably aged goose we could find in an emergency, lone-goose situation, she really, really loves the African geese and that is the only breed she wants.

 

[cracking up]

She really should get what she wants and I think you're smart to go for good quality geese. It's a huge commitment and it's so much easier if you're proud of your animals.

 

[RiverOtter]

Anyone?

I can't be the only person around here who will order from Metzers this year.

 

[Rosebud 18]

I'll be ordering from Metzers this year but I'm in Tn. close to the Ky. line. I want to get mine the first week in april, only trouble is I can't make up my mine what I want. I'm thinking seriously of getting a pair of the pilgrim geese and some welsh harlequin ducks. But I don't know.

 

[RiverOtter]

Now, if I were picking geese for myself, I think the Pilgrims are beautiful.
And while we do want ducks eventually, we don't have anything built for them yet. LOL, DH wants Cayugas, I want Welsh and DD wants Saxonys. I think that may be a decision for another year ...

Too bad you're about 4 hours away

 

[crazy goose lover]

Have you considered letting her hatch eggs. That is how my daughter and I got started. Bought the eggs on ebay. Was a fun thing to do together. If you don't have an incubator you could probably borrow one. We did.

 

[RiverOtter]

CrazyGooseLover, we have thought about it, and we do have an incubator. Just hatched out some quail and will be doing more of those, lots of chickens and I've a friend with Muscovy eggs we may try. LOL, we're on our way to hatchaholics!
We've talked about possibly being able to get very good quality geese that way.

But what we've decided is that for these, her very first geese, she wants to be 100% sure of getting them (most of our packages come here with at least one serious dent in the cardboard) and she wants to be certain to get a male/female pair, less for breeding then because she feels they will be happiest that way. I'm sure we'll hatch some goose eggs in the future, but after last year's drama I just want to be 100% sure of her getting the exact geese she wants.