IS THIS NORMAL FOR GEESE??

[jynxster]

I have two aproxamately 3 month old female geese. One is Toulouse one is Cotton Patch. I noticed forever the tooulouse has always had this "pouch" underneath her on the left side next to her leg, feels like feathers when I feel it. Today I noticed the cotton patch is developing the same thing same side same area. Both just feels like feathers no growth or anything. My question, WHAT IS THIS? IS THIS NORMAL? Doesnt seem to bother either one. Doesnt feel like a growth or anything. HELP PLEASE

 

[Going Bhonkers]

I just did a google search for images of a toulouse goose and it does look like the lobe is normal for that breed.

And for the cotton patch, i found this

Quote:The Cotton Patch is a “sleek” goose that resembles Greylag geese. The breed is a light- to medium-sized goose. Because of their smaller size, the breed has the ability to adjust to hot weather better than most of the heavier breeds of geese. The Cotton Patch is an “upright” goose with tail in line with back and wings, giving it a clean wedge shape without a “prick” tail. The Cotton Patch’s body is more elongated and is not rounded like that of the Shetland or Pilgrim goose. Lobe development – the fat flaps between the legs of a goose – is minimal and a single lobe, if any, becomes present with supplemental feeding. Without supplemental feed, a lobe is not present.

from http://albc-usa.org/cpl/waterfowl/cottonpatch.html

 

[jynxster]

still seems odd to me that is only like this on the one side. This toulouse has always had this "pronounced flap off to the one side (seems strange) Just today I noticed a little bit of the same thing on my female cotton patch. I had a full grown cottonpatch male a little while back, he had no suck flap at all. Am I overfeeding my geese? They free range on grass, I gicve them romaine lettuce once a night, the tow share a half head, and there is always have game bird feed and chicken scratch to munch on. Hummmmmmmmmm still looks lopsided. I will put a pic of the cotton patch here now.

 

[The goose girl]

Some breeds are supposed to have no lobes, some should have a single lobe, and yet some should have two.

Unless your geese are show quality and you plan on showing them, it really doesn't matter. Show breeders in my country have told me that they put their geese on a special diet before a show - they should be very lean. After the show, they feed them normally again - otherwise it may affect fertility.

Even in purebred show geese, occasionally a "wrong" lobe development will turn up. Breeders usually cull geese with unwanted traits.

Toulouse are heavy geese and should have two lobes. But your geese are probably not show quality. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

The Toulouse is a production Toulouse not dewlap so a single lobe is fine and normal. The cotton patch is developing one as described above, "with age and suplimental feeding". You may notice a size difference in lobe appearance depending on the time of the year too.