How FAST do goslings grow??!!

[BeckyBoo]

Hi, our Toulouse goslings are 13 days old now. Because I'm sad I weighed them when they were born and they weighed 4oz and 4 1/2oz each......

They are now 13 days old so I weighed them again.......ONE POUND FOUR OUNCES!! Yes, I said 1lb 4oz!

Is this NORMAL??!! They're on chickcrumb and they go out and eat grass (they just LOVE grass!) and I haven't given them anything else yet (apart from what they find when they're out) because I thought they were a bit young for treats. Just as well or they'd be MONSTERS!!

As you can see I didn't realise they weren't supposed to be in the water for another week or so, but they LOVED it, underwater swimming, heads down, lots of splashing

BeckyBoo

 

[pete55]

Hi

Your babies are lovely and growing fast. Yes Toulouse grow very fast but you're right to also give them grass as well as their starter crumbs. Once they get to 3 weeks they appear to grow even faster!!!

Here's a pic of our at 5 weeks and 3 weeks so you can guage the growth rate. Enjoy them while they're babies as they soon feather out

 

[BeckyBoo]

Oooooh, you've got exhibition Toulouse, how lovely. We were given our two eggs totally at random when we went to get hens eggs, and although they're Toulouse they're production ones (I think they're called) The breeder did have one exhibition bird and it would be SOOOO lovely if one of ours turned out to be from her, but I don't think we'll be that lucky. Your big birds look absolutely gorgeous, SO huge and feathery

BeckyBoo

Edited to add - Pete, checked out your BYC pages (well, one of the so far) and saw your dog - he's lovely! I've got a mastiff cross called Delilah - she's pretty chilled out with all our birds too

And on a practical note - how good are they at flying? Geese I mean, not dogs! I clip our hens wings, should I do the same once the big birds are all feathered up?

 

[The goose girl]

Goslings grow awfully fast - you can almost see them growing. Don't worry about feeding them too much, rather the opposite.

Goslings will continue their growth regardless of the feed. If the feed is inadequate, they will starve - and they can quickly starve to death.

 

[toadbriar]

Mine seemed to grow feet one day, bills the next, then necks... every morning a surprise! It's amazing.

Also, that's the cutest mastiff ever.

 

[pete55]

With our Dewlaps we dont have to worry about flying as they simply cant get airbourne

Pleased to hear you're enjoying your Toulouse - they're our favourite breed

 

[Denninmi]

Quote:
Yes, but how could you not know? My oldest one that is now a little over 2 weeks starts peeping up a storm if her food or water is empty.

I guess you could mean in terms of quality, not quantity.

 

[The goose girl]

Quote:
Yes, but how could you not know? My oldest one that is now a little over 2 weeks starts peeping up a storm if her food or water is empty.

I guess you could mean in terms of quality, not quantity.

Exactly. Some people mistakenly believe that when there's plenty of grass, that's enough for goslings.

Domesticated geese are bred for meat and fast growing, so they will need a supplement. And we generally want them all to live and thrive, not just enough to ensure survival of the species.

Some people seem to transfer their own need for a healthy and not too plentiful diet to their geese and withhold the feed when they seem to have eaten "enough". Kind of scary, isn't it? Well, it's probably easier to take away the goslings' food than to let your own icecream stay in the freezer...

 

[BeckyBoo]

Mine have got chickcrumb down all the time, they can come and go to it and help themselves - think I might have to go and get another bag, they eat masses!! And just to show her most gorgeous, happy face, here's Delilah again....

BeckyBoo

 

[toadbriar]

*dies of cute* now you need some exhibition toulouse as well, you know.. to match the wrinkles