I screwed up - Adolescent Buff Determination

[EeyoreD]

The title says it all, I screwed up. My geese had their best year ever this year and I didn't want to disturb the family dynamic. It was the first time there really was one.

But I screwed up. Maybe I'm just dumb but I can't determine gender of American Buffs by sight until they start fighting/mounting each other (basically spring). And I'm so used to losing so many younglings (of any species and I've never tried vent sexing) I never sexed any of my goslings.

Is there a way I can at this point?

One is older - pretty much fully feathered with attitude but it's beak is still mustard and not orange. How can I determine sex on that one?

Four others are more tufty/fuzzy and have at least 10 days to true adolescence.

I just want to (weirdly) identify one gander to complete the possibility of pairs (I'm one male short and the nesting geese know it). But I feel like I've left it too late to determine sex.

Can anyone tell me I didn't? Or how to?

Thanks~!

 

[Miss Lydia]

The title says it all, I screwed up. My geese had their best year ever this year and I didn't want to disturb the family dynamic. It was the first time there really was one.

But I screwed up. Maybe I'm just dumb but I can't determine gender of American Buffs by sight until they start fighting/mounting each other (basically spring). And I'm so used to losing so many younglings (of any species and I've never tried vent sexing) I never sexed any of my goslings.

Is there a way I can at this point?

One is older - pretty much fully feathered with attitude but it's beak is still mustard and not orange. How can I determine sex on that one?

Four others are more tufty/fuzzy and have at least 10 days to true adolescence.

I just want to (weirdly) identify one gander to complete the possibility of pairs (I'm one male short and the nesting geese know it). But I feel like I've left it too late to determine sex.

Can anyone tell me I didn't? Or how to?

Thanks~!

Not sure if flockman can help you since he has buffs but might be worth PMing him.

 

[flockman]

You could post pics of them. I will look at body shape and size and listen to their voice. Oncethey are about 4 months old I notice the males really walking taller than the girls. I usually wait till they are fully feathered.

 

[EeyoreD]

You could post pics of them. I will look at body shape and size and listen to their voice. Oncethey are about 4 months old I notice the males really walking taller than the girls. I usually wait till they are fully feathered.

Thank you so much! I can't really go out with the phone/camera today because it's raining hard but when I can I will post pics and vid if I can make them talk. (I assume I don't have to worry about you sussing out the adults from the kids I have questions about)

And thanks Miss Lydia for invoking flockman!

 

[flockman]

I am truly no expert! Hopefully servepolice can help.

 

[RURU]

I have been studying the voices of my goslings and am finding out that the ganders (males) get their adult honk way before a female will. Both of my ones I thought were ganders from hatch are. I also held back 3 I believed were a goose (females). The ganders are honking already like I said and the 3 I know one for sure is a female and I believe the two grey saddlebacks are females as well.... Because they are still peeping. So females voices come in a lot later than gander's do. I guess because they are lower in tones than the ganders.

Just try it and see if it works for you as it has for me.

Plus also ganders have thicker bone joints then females do.

 

[EeyoreD]

OK finally some pics - not the greatest but they don't pose like I want them to. Stupid geese.

I've marked my adults with m or f as appropriate - there are a couple in the back I haven't marked - they're not in a position I can tell who they are but they're also not a gosling so I don't care about them. Basically I have 5 goslings and I have no idea what they are.

Note - I have one gosling (marked in one pic as ?o) that is older than the others. It's not dimorphism, it's just had more time to eat.

Thanks for any thoughts. Not looking for guarantees just looking for tips! (I think if you click the pics will get bigger)

 

[EeyoreD]

Plus also ganders have thicker bone joints then females do.

I'll give the voices a shot but, weirdly they're very quiet! ALL of them! This whole year has been bizarre from the birds to the garden. And annoying.

When you say thicker bone joints are you talking "ankles" (for lack of a better word - maybe knee? - the bit 2-3 inches above the foot. Or more exactly the first obvious joint above the foot)?

 

[RURU]

I'll give the voices a shot but, weirdly they're very quiet! ALL of them! This whole year has been bizarre from the birds to the garden. And annoying.

When you say thicker bone joints are you talking "ankles" (for lack of a better word - maybe knee? - the bit 2-3 inches above the foot. Or more exactly the first obvious joint above the foot)?

The leg ankle joint. They also seem to be a bigger gosling when hatched also. It takes years to learn how to see how to tell the differences. When I first started in Sebastopol's I had all whites and not knowing anything about them could not tell the difference in colors on male and female goslings until I read up about them. That was easy with white male lighter female dark cap and saddle on the back.
Now I am in colored Sebastopol's and a whole new ball game on sexing them!
So far I have been right one the voices. Males develop their honk way before a female does. My ganders have already their honks for the past almost month. The females are still peeping...

 

[flockman]

OK finally some pics - not the greatest but they don't pose like I want them to. Stupid geese.

I've marked my adults with m or f as appropriate - there are a couple in the back I haven't marked - they're not in a position I can tell who they are but they're also not a gosling so I don't care about them. Basically I have 5 goslings and I have no idea what they are.

Note - I have one gosling (marked in one pic as ?o) that is older than the others. It's not dimorphism, it's just had more time to eat.

Thanks for any thoughts. Not looking for guarantees just looking for tips! (I think if you click the pics will get bigger)

I could be wrong but I think that 0? is a male. Since it has attitude and seems to have a tall stance like a gander that would be the one to keep. I go back and forth. I think you have 2 maybe 3 ganders. I would say that you have 2 ganders and maybe 3 geese. I am no expert but just by looking at the pictures that would be my guess.