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@Teri313 thanks for sharing the story of Sophie and her ducklings!
I was wondering, is it the average for geese to live so long or is Sophie a special case? I had no idea they could live 21 years.
Thank you Miss Lydia! I'm still finding my way here, but I'm figuring it out. I'm gearing up for my next challenge after the ducks, which is chickens, so I was glad to find this forum. It's hugely informative and everyone is really friendly.
What a wonderful life Sophie has. Chickens will be a walk in the park compared to ducks
Thanks Ren2014. You're right, she's done pretty well for herself! I just started using heat lamps for them a few years ago because our winters up here in Maine have been pretty rough lately, and she LOVES her lamp. The ducks don't seem to care, but she is all about that lamp. And as far as chickens go, I just wish I had realized sooner that she doesn't really need water fowl friends. Chickens will do just fine. And I'm sure they'll be a lot neater. The ducks can be pretty messy with their water, which can be a bit of a drag in the winter.
@NorthFLChick geese can live 40 yrs or more. Read about one living till 80.
@Teri313 precious story and pics..Welcome to BYC.
Hi NorthFLChick - Yes, they can get up there in age. She was 5 years old when I got her and I've had her for over 16 years now. She had been somebody's pet, then they gave her to a neighboring farm. I got her because someone dumped a Toulouse goose in the farm pond across the road from us, so I took her in. We named her Henri. She was super sweet and followed me everywhere, and I realized she needed a friend, so I ended up at that other farm looking for a companion for her, and there was Sophie with a bunch of other geese. The farmer's girlfriend felt kind of bad that she had been a pet and was now headed for the freezer with the others, so she told me to take her. They were great friends, but Henri became ill and died within a year. So during all these years, Sophie has had a variety of geese and ducks as companions, but she has outlasted all of them. She's a tough old girl!