Gaggle of Geese Lovers

[JRies]

We had a warm day today hit 45 I went out and pulled weeds from the pasture and they all helped. They did 4 pretend flights for me enjoying the exposed land. Its hard to explain but I keep planting cool season grass for the kidos but its been such a drought so I pull about 400 square feet of weeds off the land and expose the grass they can still enjoy and they all come to help. Really they just want to root anything they think I may have left behind. But when its cold they just miss me.

Its funny I started out with a small flock of geese 6 girls and one boy (was a recommendation from the hatchery knew nothing about geese). Most were re homed to good people. I only have the one my grandson named Daisy Duck. I call her MaMa since she has raised all the babies/adults I have now.

Such a tiny girl but respected by all..

I Loved hatching and the babies WOW what a experience. But decided I wanted to be responsible if I was hatching it should be to improve so I got a education on what I should be doing.

I was so Lucky when the Holderred's understood and by chance I got 4 of there 1 day babies and the Johnson Buffs. This year the whites from Johnsons also.

BUT the best experience with all of them is being with them working with them as a flock and spending time with them.

My guess is the geese all feel the same way. When there used to seeing me and I go in Dam its cold there just lost.

Breeding season is now just around the corner cant wait.... But till then I probably need to get some heated mittens so they dont think there forgotten..

 

[telandra2]

It actually got above freezing today so I know what you are feeling. I chased the geese down to their pool in the middle of the meadow and 5 minutes later they were back in no-grass-just-mud pen. *sigh*.

A rescued a brown African pair from the neighbor's back yard, then got 2 more girls. Spring came and I added 2 White Chinese goslings. Of course they had goslings of their own. Geese math is worse than chicken math . I'm up to 12 and they and they ducks are going through 2 40lb purina duck pellets a week, at $20 a bag . No one here wants to buy goslings, or geese now that they've grown. Hopefully knowing sexes for sure come breeding season will get some buyers.

 

[JRies]

It actually got above freezing today so I know what you are feeling. I chased the geese down to their pool in the middle of the meadow and 5 minutes later they were back in no-grass-just-mud pen. *sigh*.

A rescued a brown African pair from the neighbor's back yard, then got 2 more girls. Spring came and I added 2 White Chinese goslings. Of course they had goslings of their own. Geese math is worse than chicken math . I'm up to 12 and they and they ducks are going through 2 40lb purina duck pellets a week, at $20 a bag . No one here wants to buy goslings, or geese now that they've grown. Hopefully knowing sexes for sure come breeding season will get some buyers.

Your goose math is fantastic. That is just 2 pair right....

 

[ColtHandorf]

Thought I would bring this tread back to the front for a moment. Been really cold REALLY COLD. The geese make it five feet out the door in the morning and lay down to warm there feet. Then get to go back in the barn I give them till 9am with water and food. We have been lucky by 9am the sun hits and warms the ground so they can come out. But I dont think they have gotten uses to the time change. I put the geese away at 4pm everyday Its a ritual but cant get the time right for them 3pm. So things are semi warm. They still have a hour to play and catch up but NOOOOOO!!! Its time to go home. This is them talking to me saying where is she... Time to go home>>> No sooner opened the porch door to walk out and they all headed home but looked back to make sure I was coming. Got to the barn all 19 turned to look at me and waited till I said Home. Then took there position in order of the flock on who got to go in first and who rounded up the flock in the back. Its going to be a long winter for all of us...

Thankfully we haven't had more than flurries of snow. Mine are still content to splash around in their mud puddles.

 

[Goosebaby]

My gander Roxby is now “washing the dishes” for the first time last night.

“Washing the dishes” is something that started with my gander Parsnip “Roxby’s dad” and has been slowly adopted by some of my other geese. Basically it’s what it sounds like, they’ll grab their food bowl, drag it over to their bucket, and hoist it in.

Personally I doubt it’s actually about cleanliness and more of a protest at finding some food item they don’t like or indignation that their bowl is empty, because that’s usually when it gets done, when they don’t like their food or it’s empty.

Parsnip in particular also does it when he’s done eating, there could be a lot of food left, but if he’s done he’s done, never mind the other geese! I’ve had to start weighing down his bowl so the others can eat!

Last night Roxby finished up his dinner at some point and decided that what he should do about his empty bowl was to dunk it in his bucket, he had managed to drag it out of it’s bin and over to the bucket, unfortunatly it’s actually wider than the bucket so he managed to cover the bucket partially with his food bowl.
He seemed quite proud of his achievement regardless!

 

[ColtHandorf]

Parsnip in particular also does it when he’s done eating, there could be a lot of food left, but if he’s done he’s done, never mind the other geese! I’ve had to start weighing down his bowl so the others can eat!

You could try the peacock thing. They take a rubber food bowl and mail it to a large board so the birds can’t tip it over. Apparently you can’t hang feeders because they are such strong fliers, if they hit the wire or whatever it can do a lot of damage.

 

[Goosebaby]

You could try the peacock thing. They take a rubber food bowl and mail it to a large board so the birds can’t tip it over. Apparently you can’t hang feeders because they are such strong fliers, if they hit the wire or whatever it can do a lot of damage.

I weigh it down with a rock, nailing it down would be a good idea but he spits water into his bowl so much I have to wash it daily. The only ones messier are the ducks.

 

[Goosebaby]

This only happens to Delphi, my only white goose...

 

[ColtHandorf]

What’s she sporting?

 

[Goosebaby]

What’s she sporting?

Mud, in the hottest new shade of the season.