Ok gosling experts, here's a puzzle for you...

[EvenLater]

So...Cas visited the vet yesterday, just a checkup to make sure everything's good, and it is (he's healthy as a horse!), but here's the thing. Vet ages him at about 8 weeks due to his development, and based on my research that's what I thought too. He's pretty fully feathered (95%) minus just his head and a small portion of his neck. He weighs 8 pounds! My problem is that the math on his age isn't adding up?

I got him on April 25th, and due to his size, his fresh umbilical, sleepiness, etc led me to think he was no more than 2 days old and still recovering from hatching, but at that he should be going on 6 weeks old this weekend not 8 weeks old, and his size and feathering don't seem to match with him being that age? Two weeks is a big difference in a gosling, so how do I know which is right?


(The day we got him, April 25th)


(Taken today June 3)

Any ideas who is right? Is it possible he was older when I got him and just small?

 

[sourland]

I think the telling factor here is the still attached/fresh umbilical when you got him. I would guess that he is a rapidly growing/maturing 6.5 week old.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think the telling factor here is the still attached/fresh umbilical when you got him. I would guess that he is a rapidly growing/maturing 6.5 week old.

I have to agree the umbilicus is your answer. He sure is a pretty gander.

 

[EvenLater]

I have to agree the umbilicus is your answer. He sure is a pretty gander.

He's a BOY? You think so? That's awesome! I don't feel so bad that I've been calling him a "good boy" LOL

I wonder though...did I do something wrong that made him develop faster than he should have? The vet says he's a "picture of health and very strong" but I worry now that maybe I did something wrong?

 

[Miss Lydia]

He's a BOY? You think so? That's awesome! I don't feel so bad that I've been calling him a "good boy" LOL

I wonder though...did I do something wrong that made him develop faster than he should have? The vet says he's a "picture of health and very strong" but I worry now that maybe I did something wrong?

I was actually going by what you've been calling him[he] I have no idea at his age what gender. Probably nothing your doing although saw his diet on another thread he eats better than most of us.

 

[EvenLater]

I was actually going by what you've been calling him[he] I have no idea at his age what gender. Probably nothing your doing although saw his diet on another thread he eats better than most of us.

Lol! When I make his salad my hub just eyes me like a sad puppy as I pull out fresh veg and fruit and say "This is for Cas, this too, this is also for Cas..." He just looks at me and asks "Do I get any?" LOL

 

[jtn42248]

My 8 Toulouse goslings will be 7 weeks old this Saturday/Sunday. They are all the same size now as the adults and they have most of their adult feathers. Their heads and necks and some belly feathers are still more down like. They still peep rather than honk but I have heard someone in the crowd make a feeble attempt at a honk which sounds more like a prolonged peep.

So, based on my bunch and the pictures and descriptions you give above, I am guessing Cas is in the 6-7 week old range at this point.

Oh, and he is a really handsome fellow.

 

[Dayna Robertson]

What kind of a goose is Cas? He looks EXACTLY like my goose that I'm trying to identify!

 

[Carrosaur]

What kind of a goose is Cas? He looks EXACTLY like my goose that I'm trying to identify!

He's a gray Pomeranian I'm telling you!! I'm going Togo out and take pictures of my Pomeranian and you will see!!!

 

[EvenLater]

Yes, I believe he is a Gray Pomeranian, and a good specimen at that! His bill and feet are remaining pink/flesh tone instead of turning orange! His markings aren't quite "show" standard though (has one dark feather on one wing and his "saddle" looks bigger than it should be) but I think he's gorgeous! If you Google either Gray Pomeranian goose/gosling or they're also sometimes called a Saddleback the pictures will tell you if yours matches!

What kind of a goose is Cas? He looks EXACTLY like my goose that I'm trying to identify!