Cotton Patch Geese

[DiYMama540]

Anyone have experience with cotton patch geese? I've found a breeder that is about 2 hrs from me, and honestly the heritage breed conservation intrigues me. I'm considering getting a pair and seeing how it goes. Wondering about their general temperament and noise level? I do have neighbors close by, that have not yet complained about my birds, but I imagine if it's constant honking there will be trouble.

Sound off in the comments please! Have one grey pom who is in need of a friend (or 2). So I'm definitely on the hunt for a buddy and would rather not wait until spring hatches, but I may have to, to be able to get another Pom. I did get an Embden for a short period of time, but that didn't work out. He was a jerk to the other birds and humans as well. I highly respect all of your knowledge and advice, so help me out guys!

 

[DiYMama540]

IT'S HAPPENING!!! I'm so excited I can't stand it! Finally got in touch with the breeder and she says she has a CP gander that she feels will be a perfect match for me and my pom!! Meeting her Tuesday morning!
It hasn't bonded with any of her flocks and has been a loner..she says she really wanted to see him go with someone who's not breeding and looking for more of a pet!
So...any advice on how to try to get him integrated into my current flock? (1 goose, 2 ducks, 4 chickens)
@N ID Goose mom
@Miss Lydia
@WVduckchick
@WannaBeHillBilly
@Pyxis

 

[WVduckchick]

Lovely!
I don’t have geese, but I’d suggest like any other introduction, keep them separated, but where they can see each other to get used to each other. Then supervised visitations, see how they react to each other.
Good luck!

 

[Kusanar]

For what it's worth, a seller asking to meet you somewhere other than their farm to sell birds is not a bad thing or a sign of someone being shady. Proper bio-security means that no one that has birds of their own goes anywhere near your birds and someone that is buying birds likely already has some, so you SHOULDN'T be going to their farm to pick up birds if they are doing everything right. I am NOT standing up for the 2 cases above, but, I don't want anyone to think that just because someone doesn't want you on their farm around their birds that they are up to no good, in fact the best breeders won't allow it.

Edit to fix typos

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think you safe with the quarantine thing. Geese are hardy birds . They have a body temp of 107. Awesome news about the gander, excited for you!!

 

[DiYMama540]

Sorry for the late night update....we had a good day today! Neat discovery, made accidentally, seems Chance has better sight at night with a night light! I was a bit late tucking all the birds in bed, so I had a little lantern with me...spent some time with Chance, and he decided he was ready for a night time snack! Ate quite a bit of pellets, finished his greens, and washed it all down with plenty of water!! Didn't touch his wet food today though.
Also...caught him bathing out of his water bucket today! Dunking his head in and preening his body aaaand he was able to stretch his wings and flap today without completely losing his balance!
I'll be out running errands tomorrow and I will look for some eye drops or ointment and get that started for him. Ending today feeling very hopeful!!

 

[DiYMama540]

Yes I agree with that @Kusanar and like I said I didn't really think anything of meeting offsite untilll.... Luckily for me there won't be a next time as far as geese are concerned...I've got the perfect pair already! Chance ended up needing me even more than BB needed him. (And I'm ok with it)

Another good report so far this morning! Picked up a couple eye remedies while I was out...Terramycin ointment as well as Curicyn drops. We'll get that started and see if we can't get some bright eyed peepers on our boy!

I'll leave you with this...is BB really the best one to be teaching Chance how to goose? yes...that's her taste testing the bird bath...

 

[blackandtan]

I’m so happy he’s doing well and thanks for the updates! Most posters kind of stop once their problem has been solved, it’s nice to know the rest of the story

 

[ColtHandorf]

Goodness, I'm glad he has a home with you now. No one has suggested it, but I would imagine that he might possibly be suffering from a closed genetic pool. Cotton Patch geese are not common by any means and while the photos in the Craigslist ad show healthy adults on pasture if she started with a limited number of pairs (or just one) and subsequent pairings have been siblings it could result in products like Chance where they have visual impairment. It almost reminds me of the Merle or Dapple gene in dogs. It's why you shouldn't breed for Double Merle or Double Dapples. Receiving two copies of the gene can result in visual impairment ranging from moderate to full blindness or even the lack of eyes all together. Their hearing can also be affected.

I will say that I think the breeder was very aware of the condition he was in and pawned him off on you. If I understand correctly she was keeping him indoors in a brooder and claimed that was because he hadn't bonded with the other geese. In all actuality I believe she did that because developmentally he was behind the others and she didn't want him bonding with or contributing his genes to the flock.

When you were onsite at her facility did you see the other geese?

 

[DiYMama540]

I think you may have hit the nail on the head @ColtHandorf. Unfortunately I did not pick him up on site...she met me out at a Target. At first I thought it a bit strange but with all the crazies in the world figured she was just being safe. So I can't attest to the condition of the other birds...I can only imagine. But yes, I do feel taken advantage of because anyone who spends any time around Chance can clearly see he's got some issues. Luckily for him though, I'm a sucker for animals in need.