Fat Butt or Egg Butt??

[Bleenie]

Earlier this year I adopted a flock of 7 geese and rehomed all but 2. I still don't know what sex they are since they're the same size but so far neighter are agressive at all like my Chinese gander has recently started to become. They have started getting pretty 'heavy' looking in the rear though so I am really wondering if they're both females and maybe Owen is being a jerk because they're going to start laying??

The "girls" should be about 7-8months old now.

#1

#2

And Owen, being a real Jerk again..

At least my cute little Brown Chinese gander still talks to me and is sweet

 

[Bleenie]

anyone?

 

[Kim65]

Here's my thoughts . . . some goose breeds develop fat butts, like Toulouse, American buffs, they can almost drag the ground (formal name is "keel"). I seriously doubt you have "egg butt" this time of year, as geese only lay seasonally (in the spring).

I vote for Fat Butt

 

[Bleenie]

Okay, happy to hear that... I am SO not ready for any goosey babies! They get whats call "all purpose poultry" which is really just the duck food at my local feed store but the do more free ranging and forraging than anything, so when i noticed their heavy keels it really suprised me.

thank you for the reply

 

[roboboy]

The keel is actually the breastbone not a fat butt. The paunch on your bird is developing. Both males and females have them, but females do ted to be larger as it will eventually become part of or be near where the eggs are developed. The paunch usually gets larger as the birds age especially on females who are laying or just finished laying for the season. On your bird I don't think it's anything yet other then a young bird growing up, I wouldn't expect eggs till next year, it's late in the season and therefore unlikely.