My Africans (A close call! 1/05)

[Soccer Mom]

Yet another week and still more changes. Don't they almost look like geese now? They are doing so well with coop training and now regard the coop as their house. I find them hanging out in there during the hot parts of the day napping. In the evening they start putting themselves inside for me. Yay!


This week had another scary challenge: a stranger taking care of them.

Pool Party!

Okay, so he wasn't really a "stranger" but a 4H boy (with his mother's help of course) whom I sometimes pay to feed and put up critters when we can't be there. He met everyone ahead of time and had specific instructions, but according to his mom, they went and hid under their house. (Such brave geese I have

) It took him 15 minutes to coax everyone out and put them up.


Getting so tall!

Personalities are still emerging. See, I'm a big believer in TOUGH GOOSE LOVE.

s fist on palm: Firm discipline! (LOL!) Seriously, I don't tolerate behavior in babies that I won't tolerate when they are grown. No nibbling of toes or tugging of clothes is allowed. They need occasional reminders, like all kids, but for the most part and can hang out in the yard and even sit on the ground with them unmolested. Then there is Brat. Meet Brat.

Bratty girl!

Can't you just see the mischeif in her face? This little girl constantly pushes the boundaries. She isn't malicious, but she is very smart and super persistent. I can see that she will be a joy at breeding time. She always has to pull on clothes and nibble on flip flops.

They are losing their baby fluff and that lovely dark strip is emerging. I just love their chunky heads and solid necks. You can see just a hint of where the knobs and dewlaps will develop on them someday.

Lovely heads!

You can see from the eyes in that picture that they were getting sleepy. I'm glad they are so relaxed around me that they can just drop off to sleep while I'm moving around them and taking pictures.

Nap time

People keep asking me how I know who is a girl and who is a boy. The truth is I don't know for sure, but I can make some pretty good guesses. I think it is easier in a group like this because I can make comparisons. Take a look at the size difference in this pic:

Sleeping boy and girl

I only wish he had his head turned to the front so you could see the difference in beaks and head size. But it is more than just the size. When you put them next to each other, the males just look...well...masculine. Some are very obvious and some are still question marks. I'm hoping

that I hit the motherlode with the straight run group of 10 and that I have 5 girls and 5 boys.

I'm having so much fun. I can't wait to see what another week brings.

 

[Wifezilla]

 

[Soccer Mom]

Quote:
You need geese! NEED, I say!

 

[smileysal]

Your babies are lovely, anyone who doesn't have geese should get them, they are a great stress reliever, laughing at their antics, the fascination of watching them grow(so fast!!!) and the reassurance of a loving cuddle and a nibble on your hair before they fall asleep in your lap making contented little whistling noises!!! Who couldn't love that!!!!!!!

 

[Mahonri]

From the pics you can tell...

They all have their own personalities don't they?

 

[Puddle Foot Farm]

So cute! My favourite part is the bright-white goose tails/butts.. There's something about them waddling around the yard that makes me laugh. (I'm probably crazy.

)

 

[Soccer Mom]

We're all crazy here.

They are all unique--10 individuals. They've been hatched together and raised exactly the same way, but they are all so different, from my cautious, protective Schnitzel, to aloof but sweet Weezie, to my clever and obnoxious Brat!

 

[Soccer Mom]

My gang are still growing like crazy. They don't really fit in their little tubs anymore, but that doesn't stop them from trying.

I don't know WHY they insist on trying to squeeze into the little tubs when they have a pond and two kiddie pools, but they do.

And that is one of my smallest girls. You should see the boys. Schnitzel can't do anything more than stand in it, but that he does. Silly!

Today they were all in a tizzy because my DH had to burn one of the brush piles. They didn't know w here to hide, so Mama Goose had to come to the rescue. I "led them to safety" and they hid behind their house. I even moved a water dish. It's nice and shady back there and they like to hang out in the trees anyway. I sat on the stoop back there and they all circled around chattering like mad, telling me all about the BIG SCARY FIRE.

Whenever DH would come back there, they would stop talking and turn and look at him. It was the the silent treatment. He had to laugh. "They blame me for the fire. I'm not the nice man with treats. I'm the bad pyromaniac now!"

Some of them have lost almost all the baby fluff off their heads, but for a select few, it still clings in patches, giving rise to some ridiculous looks including the mohawk and the...

THE MAD PROFESSOR!

But as the fluff vanishes, the shades of brown left behind are truly gorgeous.

Of course after all the excitement, everyone needed a nap.

Like most flocks, they still nap in a big pile. Where is the pile? Apparently eight birds CAN fit in a kiddie pool if they don't mind a mash up.

 

[Southerngirl]

I l love your updated pics this week. Such beautiful babies !!

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Hi, I love your pictures!! I have been following their growth and trying to compare with my two.

When do they start to get the knob and dewlap, does anyone know? Mine look exactly the same and are the same size, so I am thinking they are both either boys or girls.

I just bought 2 mating pairs who are 5 months old compared to my two who are almost 2 months old.

I was also wondering if these geese will mate with more than one female?

If my two end up being females will the other two males breed with them or do I need to find them their own males?

I know if they are both males, the they are sorry out of luck right?

I would really appreciate any help and advice with my sweeties.
Thank you.