"different" goose... When culling is not the best option... PIC added

[Mojo Chick'n]

I got a pair of pilgrim geese (metzers) to keep my lone buff (hatched) baby company. The female has a turned bill - bottom part is fine, top is half turned sideways.

She eats just fine, and since she hatched this way, I am sure she has no idea that she is different. She is growing and thriving.... and the funniest thing I've ever met.

If I were planning to breed to sell, then she would have been a cull - if Metzers had noticed, she would have been a cull. However, she is quickly becoming my best buddy, and I am glad they failed to notice her deformity.

Ethel (the other two are Fred and Lucy) follows me everywhere in the yard and loves to chat with me. She will let me know (I didn't know I spoke goose, I guess I learn quickly) when she wants something, and exactly what she wants. If I get it (right) for her, she will rub her head on my leg and let me know I'm a good slave, and have done well.

I'll get some good pics of her tomorrow - but right now a storm is coming through and our lights just flickered... I may lose this before it actually posts.

meri

 

[adrian]

Aww, they sound so sweet! I'm glad to hear the pilgrim girls are so nice, I hope I get some girls out of my pilgrim eggs which are due next week.

I agree, deformations shouldn't be the cause for culling in most mild cases... They are animals, too, after all. There is always a home for birds that are not good for meat or show.

Can't wait to see pictures.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Found some pics I took the other day - cropped one for a close up.

Lower left hand corner - you can see her bill best here...

It's hard to catch her NOT eating

meri

 

[Duck Keeper]

Did she lose the upper part of her beak maybe? ;
In shipping? Or due to some nutritional deficiency?

I saw a duck at a pond like that once...

It was disgusting. Only the soft palate (or whatever it's called in birds) was left on top, but the bottom was fine. People are so stupid to feed them bread and other junk! It's too bad nobody really cares though...


She certainly looks like she has personality!

 

[momof247371]

She is too cute~ Im glad she is triving and doing well. as long as she can eat and keep up with the others she will be just fine.. good luck with her!

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
We thought when she came that she might have had an injury during shipment. But it didn't "heal" and it looked more like a hatching thing, once the softer tissues came off the top of it.

She's only two months old or so, and she came like that when we got her from Metzers, so not a nutrional deficiency (unless it was with her parentage - and Metzers has a pretty good reputation when it comes to that stuff.)

meri

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
I believe she is smarter than the other two. My gander (Fred) follows the swedish ducks a lot - and Ethel will hang out more with Lucy when he does this. Ethel seems to be the "leader" of the group. She is very independant.

meri