Goose lovers – please help!!

[Iain Utah]

As many of you know, five months ago, I bought buff dewlap Toulouse hatching eggs from a lady I found on ebay. I continued to buy eggs & later goslings from her (I have 4 buff & 3 grey dewlaps from her stock). I recommended her to others on this site, as I absolutely adore the babies I have from her stock.

Anyway, the lady has found herself in way over her head with 200 chickens, 150 geese, 40 emus, and 7 ostriches. She needs to liquidate her stock before her husband sends them all to the meat auction. For geese, she has mostly grey dewlap Toulouse. She also has quite a few buff dewlap Toulouse, large brown dewlap Africans, and a couple dozen large white dewlap Africans.

As I personally do not want to see any of the healthy, sound and otherwise valuable geese wind up as dinner, I am working with a couple of rescue groups to coordinate a mass effort to place as many of them into good homes as I can.

Here’s the rub. She is not NPIP certified, nor have her birds been tested. So, California placement is preferable. However, the lady and I are trying to get a vet there to have them tested, as there is a sanctuary local to me that has room for them (plus I have room for a couple dozen) to hold them until they could be shipped to those who may want some, and I am more than willing to personally go there with my trailer to get them, if we can get them tested. Any help, even if just a crazy idea to suggest, is appreciated.

Thanks, Janet

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

The greys are in far better condition than the buffs are. However if you google dewlap toulouse pictures most of the birds you will see are 4-7 years old and older. They dont develop fully by 1 year unlike other breeds. They also do not prefer large pastures, smaller space is good and they require far more feed than other breeds to keep them in proper condition. If you feed them the same amount you feed a Sebastopol they will remain underweight. Think slow like a sloth and large like a hippo.

 

[Iain Utah]

Here is the story: http://fox13now.com/2012/08/07/summit-county-woman-rescues-hundres-of-geese/

 

[Iain Utah]

Jerry, I'm glad you are keeping his name... and I love the name for the girl.

I talked to the guy who is "babysitting" them at the airport tonight. He said they are doing fine and will catch flights out in the morning.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

I would bet good money one of your older girls is laying, not the 4 month old buff juvenile. Egg weights increase as the girls mature, so last years weights should be larger this next laying cycle because those geese are a year older. Our 2011 Sebbies had medium sized eggs, where the 2010 girls were visibly larger. The 2011 girls should be similar in size in 2013 to the 2010 girls with those hatched this year producing a smaller egg.



Just for reference point here since I know in the past others have not known what a fertile yolk looked like. Fertile is like comparing O and *

 

[Miss Lydia]

As many of you know, five months ago, I bought buff dewlap Toulouse hatching eggs from a lady I found on ebay. I continued to buy eggs & later goslings from her (I have 4 buff & 3 grey dewlaps from her stock). I recommended her to others on this site, as I absolutely adore the babies I have from her stock.

Anyway, the lady has found herself in way over her head with 200 chickens, 150 geese, 40 emus, and 7 ostriches. She needs to liquidate her stock before her husband sends them all to the meat auction. For geese, she has mostly grey dewlap Toulouse. She also has quite a few buff dewlap Toulouse, large brown dewlap Africans, and a couple dozen large white dewlap Africans.

As I personally do not want to see any of the healthy, sound and otherwise valuable geese wind up as dinner, I am working with a couple of rescue groups to coordinate a mass effort to place as many of them into good homes as I can.

Here’s the rub. She is not NPIP certified, nor have her birds been tested. So, California placement is preferable. However, the lady and I are trying to get a vet there to have them tested, as there is a sanctuary local to me that has room for them (plus I have room for a couple dozen) to hold them until they could be shipped to those who may want some, and I am more than willing to personally go there with my trailer to get them, if we can get them tested. Any help, even if just a crazy idea to suggest, is appreciated.

Thanks, Janet

That is so awesome of you to help like this, I hope it all works out and you can find homes for them all.

 

[zooweemama]

That is so amazing! I don't think I can personally take on any more birds right now. But would you happen to know some of the ages of the birds? Are any of them goslings, young adults older adults? I have 2 goslings and we are head over heels for these guys. I hope some people that have room can take some in!

 

[1MrsMagoo]

Iain:
I am happy to hear you have stepped up to help her and the birds...it is very kind of you!

First, excellent work and great job about thinking of the NPIP testing: Once the NPIP testing is done, it will open up a whole lot more placement opportunities.

Next, I know this is going to be a lot of work for the two of you, but you are going to need to catalog or at least make a list of everything she needs to disperse: Breed, gender, age if known.. Then, you are going to need to cull all the sick birds of each type.

Next, you could take some photos and put them on the for sale section here on the website and also locally on Craigslist. I would then mention the ads here in the California state thread (till she is no longer NPIP pending) , and then threads for each of the types of birds: Like you did here for the geese.

Oh, also call the local 4-H clubs or extension agent (if they have those there) and/or FFA people and see if they need any birds for the kids. Our local 4-H guy would jump at a chance like this for the kids and probably even come help sort them and catalog them.

Keep us posted and fingers are crossed you will be able to find all the feather kids decent new homes.

 

[Iain Utah]

zoowee.... she has 13 brown africans between 2-5 months old. She also has a handful of white african juveniles.

Mrs Magoo, thanks for the info!! I have estimates of adults & youngsters per breed, but am working on actual numbers. Most, if not all, of her birds are 3 years or younger. 1/3 are juveniles between 2-5 months old.

Most likely, I will personally drive out there next weekend to do a better personal assessment of needs. The lady is working very hard to get a local vet there this week too. We will be unable to get her NPIP certified (I have spoken to Cali NPIP board at length). However, I can get a 30 day health certificate to bring them into Utah, then my Utah inspector said he could easily get me NPIP certified so I can ship nationally once weather is cool.

Thanks everyone for the support and pm's. Please keep them coming. We will save these birds... so help me!!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Iain, sign us up. As I said in PM lets just get them to your location and go from there.

You work the details of your drive (trip planning) I will offer up and and all help I can on figuring out details and making it smoother.