Goslings of 2014 Hatch-a-long

[servpolice]

The swimming African is Cream, the gosling I thought was a gander months ago because of behavior. The African in the first picture is Gertrude, the gosling that has become very mean. All of my Africans were purchased as sexed females from the hatchery. If I do have 2 African ganders those guys can't sex a goose for crap!

At what age do Africans start growing their knob? Do the males knobs grow faster or start growing before the females? My eldest 2 Africans, Peaches and Cream, are 15 weeks, should they have knob development?

Gretude is a pure chinese haha not even near to a African! He coulden't be more skinnier!

 

[Starfire669]

I´ve used a cone with a duck which was quarrelsome with the others, not a nice character, so that went on the table.  I think geese are different to chickens to dispatch, though. I hope it goes smoothly for you. 
Why don´t you just keep the geese you really like, keep a pair of africans and a pair of Chinese, sell the others...then you can always increase next year.

I have asked on the Texas thread if anyone wants Gertrude and Noel. I guess I can always offer to sell a nice goose with Noel.
Maybel, white Chinese, is sweet but skittish.
Jezzebelle, African, allows chest scratches.
Peaches, African, is OK, not mean but not loving.
Cream, African, is apparently a gander.
Gertrude, African, is mean and also apparently a gander.

I am definately keeping Snow and Jas, and I like Jezzebelle and Cream. But if Jas is a gander and not a goose, that's not good. Maybe I'll just try and sell 1 pair for now, and see how the rest turn out.

It will be sad to see Noel go though, he also likes his chest scratches and telling me about his day. But better a good home with someone else to enjoy him, than him ending up on the table. He is too nice a boy for that.

 

[Starfire669]

Gretude is a pure chinese haha not even near to a African! He coulden't be more skinnier!

If that's true, the Ideal hatchery misrepresents their stock. All 4 brown geese were purchased as sexed female Africans! Gertrude is only 11 weeks old though, could hebe that skinny because he hasn't filled out yet?

I guess when I get African eggs from Utah I will see the difference for myself.

 

[Starfire669]

I have asked on the Texas thread if anyone wants Gertrude and Noel. I guess I can always offer to sell a nice goose with Noel.
Maybel, white Chinese, is sweet but skittish.
Jezzebelle, African, allows chest scratches.
Peaches, African, is OK, not mean but not loving.
Cream, African, is apparently a gander.
Gertrude, African, is mean and also apparently a gander.

I am definately keeping Snow and Jas, and I like Jezzebelle and Cream. But if Jas is a gander and not a goose, that's not good. Maybe I'll just try and sell 1 pair for now, and see how the rest turn out.

It will be sad to see Noel go though, he also likes his chest scratches and telling me about his day. But better a good home with someone else to enjoy him, than him ending up on the table. He is too nice a boy for that.

So I have decided to offer Noel with buyers choice between Maybel or Peaches as his mate/companion for sale. These geese have never shown aggression to humans or the ducks and chickens. My whole flock was treated last month for parasites, so should be clean. And they are healthy. What's a fair price for a 14 week old friendly gander and 14/15 week old goose pair?

 

[8GeeseALaying]

My dad died 6 years ago.  Still doesn´t seem real.  My poor mum still struggles with it.  When she comes over for visits, she always says how much my dad would hve loved it here...brings tears to our eyes.  We get accustomed to it being different.
Good to know things are still going so well with your baby.
But sorry to hear about Flop.  But what a cared-for duck he was with you.  And what about Mrs Flop?
How elegant.

Mrs. Flop was Flops mother. She is a chocolate runner i needed a companion for him so my friend gave her to me. I didnt have to worry about inbreeding due to Flops disabilities, or so i thought, her eggs were fertile but i never set them. She has been so lonely so my friend is going to give me Flops father as well, a Pekin drake. I will pick him up tomorrow. Im excited to own both his parents now.

 

[livininbrazil]

Sold 4 goslings to 2 wonderful homes. It is hard to see them go but at the same time I am am glad as I really can't keep them all. One place even had a pond! Rare in Socal.

Lovely babies. Sounds like they´ll do fine in their new homes.

 

[servpolice]

This is my African gander and he is 7 weeks old, but hatcherys that sell African's and Chinese are never pure bred! Always mix of both and that's why they are different in size :/ but they do sell pure breeds but it's rare only well managed places like metzers etc. Would have pure breeds i also ordered africans from a hatchery before and i can tell you they were no way near African! i was stupit to think that since African's are rare here :/

 

[servpolice]

Sorry for double photo haha

 

[servpolice]

Same African gander from above

 

[servpolice]

This is my Chinese gosling , Notice that the African is lighter in colour while the chinese is darker under the strip area :/
The African above and this chinese are same age .