INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Chaneys Ranch]

A question for folks with A GOOSE:
@jchny2000 @SallyinIndiana and others!

In the most recent Acres Magazine, there is an article with Joel Salatin asking him to update what he's learned since updating the Pastured Poultry Profits book. I was pretty excited to read what I'm quoting here regarding guard animals for chickens. Wondering what y'all think who have had geese.

Now remember. He says 1 GOOSE per flock of chickens. Not several geese. Here's the quote...please comment:

Quote: Pastured Poultry Since 1991 By Joel Salatin Acres Magazine March 2015

YES, and totally true, but you can have more than one and they still do their job quite well.. I currently have 13, or 14 geese.This is one of many reasons why I always have kept them, my parents and grandparents. Last year, my entire years hatch went to a Vet in Mooreland, IN. He raises several hundred meat birds for market annually. He uses electric netting, pasture rotation, and his only issue was hawks, other flying predators. Not since he bought all my young adults! He has called me several times since, thanking me for teaching him about my geese. I raise started goslings that are from the beginning imprinted with other species and people. Ferocious against any flying predator. Bear in mind, geese are no match for a dog, or coyote. Goslings are also in danger until they are mature enough to handle a hawk.

I have raised one batch of Polish chicks and had 3 of 7 not make it past the first couple weeks. I did everything the same as with many other batches of chicks as far as water, feed,electrolytes etc. I don't know why b/c that's the only time I've tried but they just seem more fragile than lots of other breeds. Mine were by themselves, not mixed with others and all the same age. I never figured out exactly what/why happened but they are notoriously (from reading) harder to raise

They are harder to brood. I loved the breed, like silkies, but they are not a reality for our farm setting. I do keep the games, but they are my "pet breed" the rest are dual purpose here. My modern games actually live in a parrot sized cage indoors, my OEGB are outside but confined full time now after the hawk attacks a few weeks ago.

Spent some time with my precious Frou-frou today when I got home from class. First of all, if anyone is wondering, here is the wound I found. It's amazing how invisible it is with her feathers down! I put it in a spoiler for those of you who are not wondering.

This was before it was cleaned today. It looks a LOT better than when we found it, just from getting cleaned and treated over the weekend. I was sick with worry when I found her like this, but I feel much better about how she's doing now.


Frou-frou was mad at me for leaving her in the dog crate again. So mad that she wouldn't even look at me, but she certainly had a few things to say about it!



"Honk-honk!"



"I'm mad at you!"




She had a little something to drink while I was with her.



"BLUB!" See what I mean about graceful?

I just loved how this picture turned out. No flash. You can just tell the cogs are turning in her little head...

And some close ups of her lovely, splashy feathers.

Love this girl.

She is healing nicely! She is a doll, and just gorgeous!
I have seen this wound type from 3 things, a roo got his head stuck on the goat fence, and had scraped his neck raw trying to get loose. I had a hen with injuries from repeated mating, she seemed to be a "favorite" so I had to remove her from a flock. More recently another hen, and no clue what happened but she is a mean aggressive hen, so am guessing a fight with a turkey. 2 of the 3 had a large area of exposed flesh, and all 3 healed well.
Often, just one spot being opened will lead to a bad wound, usually from repeated scratching with dirty claws. Even the cleanest coop, they can start an infection. More infection, more scratching.. and it gets bad quickly.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
Yes same chick, OHH I really hope not roo, this is the smallest comb of all 8 I kept. I didn't keep any of last years so... maybe my hen luck isn't happening with the LO?
This is the original group at about 12 weeks, 2 years ago in June lol, I started with 15, and whittled it down to 4 birds that had type and color that fit for me.






Most of the hens have big combs. They were so in your lap loveable! I would sit down in a lawn chair and have my lap, arms, shoulders buried in birds! They were close in age to my BA so they all grew up together. As soon as they saw me coming they all ran to me, just too sweet

 

[wheezy50]

This is my new Modern Game bantam hen. She was rehomed to me b/c the others in her flock picked on ner too much. So, she is living in my garage for a couple months until it gets warmer. Hope to add a few more of these guys this spring, by far the most docile, calm bird I've been around. She spends hours sitting on the armrest of the couch watching tv with me.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

This is my new Modern Game bantam hen. She was rehomed to me b/c the others in her flock picked on ner too much. So, she is living in my garage for a couple months until it gets warmer. Hope to add a few more of these guys this spring, by far the most docile, calm bird I've been around. She spends hours sitting on the armrest of the couch watching tv with me.

Oh she is precious!

You will just adore her! They are such an amazing pet, and so very tiny in stature. Wait til you see the egg she lays too

 

[wheezy50]

Also, I got some of Jchny2000's LO chicks! 8 healthy, happy little guys (well, hopefully just a couple "guys")

 

[wheezy50]

Oh she is precious! You will just adore her! They are such an amazing pet, and so very tiny in stature. Wait til you see the egg she lays too

Didn't you have some MG eggs hatching about now? Any luck yet?

 

[ellymayRans]

Yes same chick, OHH I really hope not roo, this is the smallest comb of all 8 I kept. I didn't keep any of last years so... maybe my hen luck isn't happening with the LO? This is the original group at about 12 weeks, 2 years ago in June lol, I started with 15, and whittled it down to 4 birds that had type and color that fit for me. Most of the hens have big combs. They were so in your lap loveable! I would sit down in a lawn chair and have my lap, arms, shoulders buried in birds! They were close in age to my BA so they all grew up together. As soon as they saw me coming they all ran to me, just too sweet

They are beautiful! I'm sure I'm wrong?! Always best to have a group, much easier to pick them from a lineup!! Lol!

 

[ellymayRans]

Also, I got some of Jchny2000's LO chicks! 8 healthy, happy little guys (well, hopefully just a couple "guys")

I'm craving chicks! These in the bator just can't hatch soon enough! It seems like forever since I've had any! Day 21 is Thursday for the Naked Necks and couple test silkies.

 

[ellymayRans]

For those of you with dogs. News covering story of Purina Beneful possible issues. I have to find the story now cuz we didn't record the 11 o'clock news!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Also, I got some of Jchny2000's LO chicks! 8 healthy, happy little guys (well, hopefully just a couple "guys")

They are looking good! Such loving little babies, I adore this breed. Its so hard to tell, then one day you look at them, and the roosters have fluffy tails, and huge combs. My hens combs came in pretty large, but you look at my trio now and you wouldn't know it. The original groups wound up 9 hens, 6 roos. I should have kept more hens! Was trying to be very particular on who I kept.The hen with the dark lavender comb was my favorite, and a fox took her that spring. That's when I bought more geese!

Quote: Lockdown and anxiously waiting!!!! Hatch is due 2/26 and am a nervous wreck

I want to have around 4 hens and my roo eventually. Would love to find a splash hen in Johnny's colors. I need to get better pictures of him, this was on my older phone and not a good pic. For others not sure of the MG size, he is eating crumble out of a small crock used for hamsters, guinea pigs etc.

Quote:

You aren't kidding, I cant tell until about 6 weeks or so! I have 5 from week 1, and 3 from week 2. If I have even 2 hens I will be happy. My backup LO rooster went missing last week, so now I really only have my trio as adults, has me very unnerved. I will keep the next 2 weeks also and then be offering up eggs/chicks for our chickenfest auctions!
I wish I would have had more feedback on last years chicks. I sold locally and only heard from one person a few months later. They wound up with 2 roos, 4 hens and brought me back an extra rooster. I will always take roosters back and find homes for them if possible.