Goose lovers – please help!!

[CelticOaksFarm]

We cant get straw at all, just costs too much to buy after hauling it in. Use only stall pellets and shavings.

Some lines of sebbies are known for slow feathering, others are known for retaining feathers very well. Same goes for some lines of dewlap toulouse, they grow rapidly compared to others.

 

[Iain Utah]

Thanks! I think Spirit understands this will help her and her attitude is great!

I'm jealous of you all with warm weather right now. The snow is nonstop here! Pretty sure we have gotten 10-12" so far. The africans won't leave the pond, even for feeding time... and the dewlaps have packed down a small area where they like to sleep and are not going near the deep stuff.

 

[Triplell]

Hi everyone!! I am just catching up and so glad to hear about Spirit. We are just cold and wet. It has been drizzling now for two day's. The high's have been in the low forty's and the low's are in the low 20's. We are looking for snow sometime this weekend along with sleet, YUK !!! It is amazing that we live in MN and it seems like most people for get how to drive in the stuff. My Geese are paing off slready and 1 pair has been seen breeding too. I have 2 pens save for them and have made one just for all the roosters that I'm sure I have with all my baby BA. I also have 2 Creme Legbars that are going to be a wonderful pair too.I have to go and do chores but will be back when I'm done. BRRRRRRR

 

[Marty1876]

Hi all, we've got done ahead of the storm. After much raking, and then going over the ground several times with a 4 ft super magnet to get metal. I'm so glad, we've found about 3 lbs. of old square nails, medium age nails, scraps, shavings, and rusty bits. All better. We skipped the leaves when a friend showed up with a load of straw for us. I sent him home with a trio of ducks for his wife and daughter. Great trade, IMO.

We've got straw stored up and down, and used to for fencing too, which takes up a little more room, but its nice and cosy.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi all, we've got done ahead of the storm. After much raking, and then going over the ground several times with a 4 ft super magnet to get metal. I'm so glad, we've found about 3 lbs. of old square nails, medium age nails, scraps, shavings, and rusty bits. All better. We skipped the leaves when a friend showed up with a load of straw for us. I sent him home with a trio of ducks for his wife and daughter. Great trade, IMO.

We've got straw stored up and down, and used to for fencing too, which takes up a little more room, but its nice and cosy.

Looks good Marty, Batten down the hatches!

 

[Iain Utah]

Awesome picture! Jealous of your nice set up. I need to get on my hay guy to get oat hay to use for the geese. They have been getting my good horse hay. Any more pics???

My africans finally came up from the pond for dinner. Silly things have plenty of shelters. Not sure why they stay on the pond in bad weather. Here they are:

Here are the dewlaps. Hubby has the next two days off and we are making it a mission to set up shelters for this group, not that they seem to mind:




The special needs group have both the little shelter in the middle and the deep padded floor shelter in the back corner. I have not seen them go near either one since it started snowing.


And then there is Tank, just chilling inside on a pile of hay (Spirit is standing on the right):

 

[Marty1876]

We might have to take away a 5 x 10 spot at one end for goats! Looks like I've found a reg. nigerian dwarf avail Dec. 5th (she's nursing quads right now) in milk, and found some others allready covered due Feb-Mar. All registered, from milking lines. The one is milk is most questionable, as she's never been milked, but I'm game.

Ian, those pics are beautiful! Oh, what lovely snow. I would have worried about our geese but I wanted the sebbies in even warmer place, and not out in late fall/early winter storms. Now, the Anconas will take over the old goose building. They are laying now, so I'm seperating out for better males tomarrow, and putting chosenn birds into pen w/building for nightly lock up.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Congrats on the goat find Marty. Time to build strong walls with good gates to keep the goats in. The cooler temps this last week had the goats here being really rotten. The youngest was trying to break in to raid the chicken feed. If you think everything is secure now, goats will teach you otherwise. They will also show you how quick they will go over and through fencing to eat all of the feed you lay out for the ducks and geese. Our girls go over 3.5' fences like they were nothing, and think goose and duck bowling is loads of fun. Our wither is a good old boy who just wants scratches.

 

[Marty1876]

The goats I had years ago were real jumpers too! I told DH we'll need 6' fencing to seperate the goat area. I remember mine would not clear a 6', and I'm hoping nigerians don't go over 6' either! The grain is all kept in the garage, not the barn, so no worries there. There will only be hay and straw in the barn. If they break into the rest, they'll have to eat boxes and nibble wood. (now that would also suck). They won't be able to get out of the barn at all. Once those giant doors are closed and bolted, all hope is gone. I'm debating on what to use for fencing. I'm planning a 1/2 acre 6' fence (like for the ducks, but heavier and better posts) for just the two does I will keep. I do not foresee me keeping a doe kid w/o selling a doe. I really just want the milk. I found a breeder here near me, and I'll be getting one doe from him. He uses AI, so I'll probobly try to arrange services at the same time. Best way, apparently, to get the goods from really awesome milking nigerian lines.

How high do dwarf nigerians fly, anyway? I am assuming that what held my lamanchas a few years back will still work for smaller goats.

 

[psue]

Hey Paulla, how are Napolean and Josephine doing? Are they still Jerry's favorites?

They are doing great and of course they are still the favorites

Napoleon has decided that he doesn't want to be the flock master and when Squishy notices something Napoleon looks up as if to say " you got that kid?" and goes back to what he was doing

Hi all, we've got done ahead of the storm. After much raking, and then going over the ground several times with a 4 ft super magnet to get metal. I'm so glad, we've found about 3 lbs. of old square nails, medium age nails, scraps, shavings, and rusty bits. All better. We skipped the leaves when a friend showed up with a load of straw for us. I sent him home with a trio of ducks for his wife and daughter. Great trade, IMO.

We've got straw stored up and down, and used to for fencing too, which takes up a little more room, but its nice and cosy.

Nice set up Marty!

Awesome picture! Jealous of your nice set up. I need to get on my hay guy to get oat hay to use for the geese. They have been getting my good horse hay. Any more pics???

My africans finally came up from the pond for dinner. Silly things have plenty of shelters. Not sure why they stay on the pond in bad weather. Here they are:

Here are the dewlaps. Hubby has the next two days off and we are making it a mission to set up shelters for this group, not that they seem to mind:




The special needs group have both the little shelter in the middle and the deep padded floor shelter in the back corner. I have not seen them go near either one since it started snowing.


And then there is Tank, just chilling inside on a pile of hay (Spirit is standing on the right):

thats lots of snow it would help with the 16 inches we are short of rain fall for this year.

As per Marty's request......
Napoleon and Josephine pictures taken as we put them up tonight