Pilgrim Geese setting on clutch in AK

[snowydiamonds]

She's setting on the nest today, he's finally taking a break- he moved the nest to this corner three days ago 3/29/2008

This was only to be a temorary hen coop and I'm having a bigger barn for them moved but cannot interrupt them at this time...I've interrupted cockatiels before and they abandon the eggs.

 

[snowydiamonds]

He's hissing at me, I over-stayed my welcome, taking these two pics and sending them instead of sending them after I left the coop. Normally I only take a quick look to see all's well, feed, water and leave...he's shielding his eggs, nest and his mate. He's trying so hard to do the right thing and is very protective but has never attacked me although she has flown at the windows towards my face last week so I don't look in the windows anymore, just "talk" goose talk to them as I approach the coop before I open the door.

I'd really like them to naturally hatch and raise a brood...big expectations for a beginner.

His name is Snowflake and he's got blue eyes. Her name's Grazie, they came w/their names and are 7 years old now.

I am their 3rd owner (first owner passed away of cancer when they were 3 yrs old). 2nd owners gave them to me because the gander (they thought he was a she, didn't know the breed) tried to kill their beautiful yellow colored standard rooster (he looks like a Hungarian Yellow but I really don't know what his breed is).

I've got two runs/pens set up for them since this coop is so small and only theirs temporarily.

By this summer I'll have a large chain link fenced in pond and yard for them with a big barn so you'll see progressive pics as it happens.

AND, if the eggs do not hatch out, I have a back up plan I hope works! I'll order goslings from Triple D hatchery and stick them in there...think that'll work?

I may still try that when their's (if their's) hatch if there are only one or two...Thoughts???

 

[cgjsmith]

Hey we could have twins ha ha ha. Heres my pair of geese (I don't know if hes a pilgram gander or not. I think hes an embden.

I've not seen my goose get up once yet are they suppose to change places? C

 

[Leslie In North Pole]

Thanks for posting the pictures, beautiful birds... I am so jealous. I don't know how I am going to do it but I have got to get some pilgrim goslings in this year. I have a couple of eggs in the bator right now but if past history repeats itself, they won't hatch true. I have a lanky brown chinese from my last attempt but she (hopefully) is a sweet heart and my hubby is quite taken with her. We are wanting to eventually raise beltsville white turkeys and pilgrim geese along with the quail, pheasants, and muscovy ducks we currently have.

 

[greyfields]

I love my Pilgrims. Absolutely loyal parents. The only problem with letting them hatch their own clutch, the goslings will tend to be a bit wild... and both parents will be very protective for 9-12 months. But, with that said, there are worse parents to have. Pilgrims are just awesome geese.

the second set of photos does look like an Embden. A male pilgrim will have some black feathers on him in a random 'pattern'.

 

[snowydiamonds]

My gander is pure white w/blue eyes, no black at all and I think the second set of pics looks just like mine do. Especially if the brown/grey is a female and the white has blue eyes and is a male, I'd say you've got a pair of Pilgrims, too!

Leslie, Triple D in Wasilla ships anywhere in AK COD, will not ship out of state

(Finally have something within state!!!) They have Pilgrim goslings available April 13-19th and April 27-May 3 according to what I printed off the 'puter.

I talked w/the owner a few times as I'm wanting a small flock of buff orps w/roo and at some point, more "fresh bloodline" to introduce to my Pilgrims, he says they shouldn't be closely related at all

I'm also ordering meat chickens from him after the snow melts a bit more, it hasn't begun melting yet.

They've got quite an assortment, so I'm adding at least 3 Rhode Island roo chicks to see if one will be a gentleman instead of a caveman to my hens so I can incubate their eggs to replenish my RIR flock when needed for the next fifty years! LOL

(I'm no expert at all, just finished a Husbandry class that was included in the Veterinarian assistant courses I'm taking and having so much fun I don't think I want the biology or surgery part at this point so am taking a break from spring semester courses.)

Otherwise, depending on what happens in the next month, I'm willing to try shipping eggs. The list says the Pilgrim goslings are $17.25 ea so the breed can't be in as bad a shape as I first read online about only 500 known breeding pairs...within what area, I can't remember.

The hatchery owner says they're all chicks when I asked how old the pullets would be when he sends them. Off to work now...Cheryl

 

[cgjsmith]

I don't know how to tell the difference. I do know that pilgram ganders are suppose to have the grey featheing though. although alot of grey feathers are looked down upon. This gander is bigger then the true pilgram gander I once had. Crystal

 

[greyfields]

A male pilgrim should not be pure white. If it is, it's just a small Embden likely. As adults, you can really tell the two apart by the size differential.

 

[snowydiamonds]

looking at this information and the pics of other's Pilgrims, you do end up w/all white ganders and some w/grey or black:
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Geese/BRKPilgrims.html
so its awful hard to tell whether is the E or the P breed and I'm guessing I'll know more by the end of April or first week of May, when its time for those eggs they're sitting on are due to hatch...

 

[snowydiamonds]

In otherwords, if I do have two geese sitting on unfertilized eggs by then, I'll be ordering ganders...