are goslings supposed to enjoy swimming?

[sydney13]

well today i put my gosling on her harness and took her on a walk down the street and through the woods to a pond to see if she would swim. The neighbors all thought she was historical and they all came out to watch her

so when she got to the pond she would drink out of it but didn't want to walk in it. do most goslings have to slowly learn to go into the water and swim or do they do it right away?
Thanx

 

[whitecra]

I put mine in a small pool when he was just a couple days old and he loved it. He was diving the best he could. It was so cute. This is my first so I don't know if they are all like that or not. He is now a week and a half old.
chris

 

[sydney13]

my goose enjoys being in a area were she can stand in but she doesn't go were she can't stand. do most goslings act like that

 

[sillysister74]

While they have baby down, the goslings seem to have an inherent underdstanding that water deep enough where the feet cannot touch bottom is dangerous. I believe when your baby gets it's big bird feathers it will be ok and swim like crazy. Mine would not swim in the creek until they got their feathers in but would wade in the pool. I guess that is an istinct they are born with to keep them alive.

 

[[email protected]]

They are being a good child for you, not going in without mamma, if you go in, the goslings will go in, but they won't go in further than you go.... have fun, I still have to get in everyday!! jennifer

 

[Puddle Foot Farm]

In my experience, you have to get them swimming SUPER young to make them "have fun" in the water (which can be dangerous for goslings). Otherwise, they're rather bored in it and whiny. I had a trio of goslings that loved water, but we started them at 3 days old. My other goslings (12 this year) didn't get the privilege of swimming until they were older, and when I took the two oldest out the other day and put them into a brand-new, deepish, GIANT kiddie pool, they looked at me like, "So what am I supposed to do with this, mom?" Eventually, your goose will like swimming, but for now she'll probably just wade/preen in it.

 

[Kim65]

Check for leeches and snapping turtles . . . put your bathing shorts on, and walk in. You have to get in with her. She'll swim close by you. Then unless it's real warm where you are, have a dry towel to carry her home in. Just stand about at your knees and make sure she doesn't seem to struggle to stay afloat.

The belly and chest feathers seem to grow in first, which is very useful for swimming and keeping them afloat after about three weeks of age or so.

 

[Goosehaven]

Unless you introduce them to water very early, it will take a little time for them to enjoy being in the water and swimming. My adults all love to swim and bathe in the lake and none of them were raised by their previous owners around water, not even baby pools. It took weeks after I got them for them to even venture into the water, let alone enjoy it. My four goslings, who are now around 12 weeks old, have just been introduced to the lake over the last week. We are taking baby steps everyday and each day they are enjoying it more and more. I just let them go at their own pace. They started out and just stood at the edge digging with their beaks under the water. Then they progressed out a little deeper until they now swim. They will only play in there when I'm with them and the minute they think I'm going to walk away they get out and follow me.

 

[noahsgeese]

I let my geese play in there pool when they were younger but only once they had there feathers that make water just slide off of them!

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
They usually follow their mother into the water. since you are the mother it may follow you if you go. If not geese are more land birds than ducks she may be happy with a basin where she can splash-wash or she might like the gentle spray from a hose to do her washing in. Mine would get out of the pool to play under the sprinkler system.