My new ( and first ! ) GOSLINGS! So, WHat do I have?

[Bleenie]

arent Toulouse very short, compact goslings? they have bigger heads and short necks with fatter bodies, as babies anyway. i am not sure as they start to grow. i checked out Metzer Farms pics before i got my newest babies because the lady said the possibilities were Tououse & Brown Chinese. mine dont have solid feet/bills though so i dunno, still hope theyre purebred.

 

[Goat_Walker]

Lol, im just happy to have these little snuggle bugs! Bernard is my favorite! the friendliest of all. Though they all seem to love me when they see the food bowl, lol.



So, since i know almost nothing about geese and tons about ducks - anyone care to tell me about temperment?Behavior? Egg laying? when I can tell the gender ( thats my main concern) ? anything about these guys would be helpful! Im learning as I go and so far i can safely tell any other new goose owner that they poo a TON and eat grass like there is no tommorrow! and they make the cutest little noises that make your heart melt!


When they extend their necks at me, it is a good sign right? Because they do that ALOT. Whenever they see me they extend those cute little necks and trill at me!

I Loves them!!

they are the best snugglers ive ever had! Although, as far as feathers and fluff go, ducks do smell better. I could sniff healthy duck feathers all day. Geese, not so much.

 

[shelleyd2008]

If they are extending their necks and chattering, that's their way of greeting you. If they are stretching their necks and hissing, well that means back off

You can probably tell the sexes on them if they are all chinese by three months or so. You'll probably have to post new pics here, but I'm sure you'll be doing that anyway.

Temperament: Ganders are usually more outgoing/aggressive, it's worse if you make them 'pets'. If they are somewhat scared of you, they won't be as likely to attack

Geese (females) are usually more shy/standoff-ish, the only time my goose tried to get me was when I was messing with her nest. The ones I have now were not 'people-raised', so they hiss at me when I'm loving on 'their' babies (that the stole from me

) but they don't try to bite.
Geese don't really like dogs, mine bite any dog that gets too close. Usually it's not a problem, but one of the dogs (at least) likes to bite back. So you'll need to train the dogs to stay away or keep the geese penned.

Egg-laying: Geese will often lay the season after they are hatched (season being approximately March through June for most breeds). The goose will lay an egg every other day usually. Just like other birds, if you take the eggs, she'll continue to lay, but geese don't lay as long as other birds.

Diet: Geese are strict herbivores, they will eat mostly grasses when available. Mine, even my young ones, eat very little feed during the non-winter months.

 

[Goat_Walker]

THANK YOU!

Hmmm... Well My white chinese are the not as friendly and more likley to step out of reach of my hand, where as Bernard is ok with letting me reach down and pet him/her

 

[Bleenie]

As my 2 White Chinese(Owen & Izzy) got older they started to get more independent, they don't care for being picked up or handled a lot now but if i squat down and baby talk to Izzy she will come closer and nibble/kiss my arm a little, like my Muscovies do. Owen sometimes lets me pick him up to put him in the pool still but that's about all the touching they want, lol.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Beautiful birds....soooo will you be raising a flock of geese soon?? adding more and more. I am going to look at some muscovies next month...

 

[Goat_Walker]

Lol, Mom will prolly make me get rid of half my ducks before i get more geese

But if I have two ganders then i might be able to convince her to let me get another female, lol