Goslings of 2014 Hatch-a-long

[debbie50chicks]

i live in central fl (daytona area) and there are adds for goslings in the daytona craigs list and every time i go to the farm swap there are geese. i dont know if there are farm swaps on the west coast. but if you want a goslings that bad (doubtful of eggs this time of year) a 2 hr drive isnt really that bad.   you could also call the farm supplies stores in that area. here are two  links through facebook for farm swaps. 
https://www.facebook.com/BarbervilleFarmSwap

https://www.facebook.com/bunnellfarmswapandmarket

Thank you so much! I will certainly look into these. :-D

 

[Starfire669]

It has been a while since I posted any status updates about my goslings. I don't think I can call them that any more, they are big. It turns out that Snow is a goose not a gander! I have no idea why she was so aggressive before, but she has now settled down. Noel is the only gander in the flock, which means he has 3 white Chinese and 4 African girlfriends. So I guess Noel is spared from culling for this year, lol. I have been trying to sell some of my extra females but no one in my area is interested. I'm building an addition to the goose and duck house (they are side by side) so that I have enough room to winter all of them. Then next spring I should be able to sell my extras.

I do have a question though. Is it normal for a female goose, who was hatched this spring, and who has not laid any eggs, to try and sit a nest? Because Snow is running the ducks off their nest and trying to sit the eggs. She isn't dedicated, she gets off during the hottest part of the day, and I go raid the nest at that time. But every morning she goes back there and sits for a couple hours on that nest.

 

[andreacroyle]

@Miss Lydia I cant find the message where you asked me to post the pics so i will do it here. I got the idea from https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

The storage bin has grown as she has grown. the clips are those big paper clip things. i keep them down cause she got her beak stuck in one when she was little. and the material i used was a canvas bag you buy at the grocery store. it is a bit more water resistant. the show mat has suction cups so it doesnt slip and keeps some of the poo at bay. I cut holes for her legs to fit through and i lower and raise the height depending on if she needs rest. i prefer to have it clear because she can see through it and i can keep an eye on her legs. Sorry that the last pic of her legs is hard to see, i just got done cleaning the bin and those are water drops. my husband os going to buy a cart for it to sit on so it is easier for us to roll it from room to room.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Miss Lydia I cant find the message where you asked me to post the pics so i will do it here. I got the idea from https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

The storage bin has grown as she has grown. the clips are those big paper clip things. i keep them down cause she got her beak stuck in one when she was little. and the material i used was a canvas bag you buy at the grocery store. it is a bit more water resistant. the show mat has suction cups so it doesnt slip and keeps some of the poo at bay. I cut holes for her legs to fit through and i lower and raise the height depending on if she needs rest. i prefer to have it clear because she can see through it and i can keep an eye on her legs. Sorry that the last pic of her legs is hard to see, i just got done cleaning the bin and those are water drops. my husband os going to buy a cart for it to sit on so it is easier for us to roll it from room to room.

Thanks for the pic I will forward them on. it looks great.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It has been a while since I posted any status updates about my goslings. I don't think I can call them that any more, they are big. It turns out that Snow is a goose not a gander! I have no idea why she was so aggressive before, but she has now settled down. Noel is the only gander in the flock, which means he has 3 white Chinese and 4 African girlfriends. So I guess Noel is spared from culling for this year, lol. I have been trying to sell some of my extra females but no one in my area is interested. I'm building an addition to the goose and duck house (they are side by side) so that I have enough room to winter all of them. Then next spring I should be able to sell my extras.

I do have a question though. Is it normal for a female goose, who was hatched this spring, and who has not laid any eggs, to try and sit a nest? Because Snow is running the ducks off their nest and trying to sit the eggs. She isn't dedicated, she gets off during the hottest part of the day, and I go raid the nest at that time. But every morning she goes back there and sits for a couple hours on that nest.

What a nice blessing for your gander his very on Harem. lol and sounds like Snow is practicing some Chinese do lay in the fall so you may see eggs soon than next spring and the ole saying practice makes perfect may apply to getting nesting practice started.

 

[Starfire669]

What a nice blessing for your gander his very on Harem.  lol  and sounds like Snow is practicing some Chinese do lay in the fall so you may see eggs soon than next spring and the ole saying practice makes perfect may apply to getting nesting practice started.

I will keep an eye out, i thought i wouldnt get any goose eggs till spring. Snow and Jasmine are both on my keepers list, they have wonderful personalities and I can handle them easily. If Snow is already practicing, she may turn out to have a high maternal instinct. This would be wonderful as I could maybe get her to adopt goslings I hatch in the incubator next year. I still really want some white Africans, and brown Chinese.

 

[8GeeseALaying]

Miss L is right about some chinese laying in the fall. Last year my mildred gave me 8 eggs. Im hoping she will again this fall. My Sally didnt lay an egg at all this spring so maybe she will be my fall layer this year. I need more eggs for ornaments thats why i like fall layers.

 

[8GeeseALaying]

Here is my other Tufted x Toulouse gosling. Almost feathered. Its a paint! And im sure its a gander. The pic is fuzzy because the little squirt never walks slowly. I swear i came up with a "Runner" goose lol

 

[Starfire669]

Miss L is right about some chinese laying in the fall. Last year my mildred gave me 8 eggs. Im hoping she will again this fall. My Sally didnt lay an egg at all this spring so maybe she will be my fall layer this year. I need more eggs for ornaments thats why i like fall layers.

It just seems strange to have such a young goose lay this soon. I mean, she was a fuzzy baby this spring!

 

[8GeeseALaying]

It just seems strange to have such a young goose lay this soon. I mean, she was a fuzzy baby this spring!

How many months old is she now? I was thinking that she was an early hatch?