Pilgrim Geese thread

[RoboDuck]

They were out free ranging. But since they're in a new and strange environment, they stay right together. And by together I mean they are grazing on grass over each others' necks. They stay in almost constant contact. And he is mostly nibbling at the little ones but he is opportunistic and will take a nibble at any wiggling tail feather he sees.

 

[Tivona]

I wish i could share pictures here but for some reason i cant but yes their bills and legs go thru a pinky stage as they are growing but they do turn to the orange. The girls go from black to a greyish pink and lighten until they turn orange. The boys will do the same except they start out with light color bills and feet. They all go through it some more than others it is very normal. I have been raising pilgrims for 7 years now. and have loads of pictures if i could only share them lol. my pictures work fine in facebook. I think it is this old computer that can not keep up with byc.

Oddly enough mine haven't done that. The mother Pilgrim, Nimbo, has and started with more flesh toned legs and feet but her bill is orange. I know not ideal for the breed. Her mate has nice bright orange legs and it seemed to pass to most of the babies. They started and are finishing with orange. Albeit they did start out a bit more of a softer orange and are getting brighter.

Speaking of coloring my gander Cirrus had perfect coloring for a Pilgrim gander till this current molt he is doing. He now has one dark feather (flight) and much more of the soft grey splash. Before he had about 4 feathers or part of a feather that were a soft grey that were visible with more grey under the wings. Anyone else see color shift in the males as the molt after the first years?

 

[Tivona]

So as I have sat and watched these geese most of the day, I have been wondering what treat they would like best. I know some of our different chickens like different things so not all geese are going to be the same either, but give me some ideas about what your geese prefer. I know some feed lettuce but what other treats can I spoil them with and make them want to come to me looking for their treats when I walk into the pasture?

Mine love kale and apples and melon. Everything else I have tried will be eaten eventually but they don't act like its a treat.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Hello everyone

.
I am thinking of getting two female Pilgrim Geese and I need some designs and ideas for suitable housing. I plan on hatching them myself and raising them up so their home will have to be able to 'grow' with them.
I was thinking of having a Goose Tractor so they can have green pick 24/7, but then a covered area to sleep and be in when it's wet. I will let them free range with the chickens most days anyway.
So any ideas?

 

[MrsSalo]

On herding, as long as they know where you want them to go, they´re normally pretty easy with it. Just walk behind them, then slightly to the right to get them to go left, etc.... But sometimes, if you want them to go to a new place, or one is feeling a bit contrary, you may need to use sticks.  sticks are wonderful things.  I use 2 10ft bamboo canes and they´ll get my geese pretty well anywhere without them getting into a panic.  The important word when working with geese is...'slowly'.  

Tonight was much better! Slowly and didn't have anyone else try to help. Just the 3 of us, they were much calmer. My hubby is tired of the droppings all over the back patio. So today when I got home he has created a 1/4 acre area for them partitioned off. They are still near us, just away from the patio

 

[livininbrazil]

Oddly enough mine haven't done that. The mother Pilgrim, Nimbo, has and started with more flesh toned legs and feet but her bill is orange. I know not ideal for the breed. Her mate has nice bright orange legs and it seemed to pass to most of the babies. They started and are finishing with orange. Albeit they did start out a bit more of a softer orange and are getting brighter.

Speaking of coloring my gander Cirrus had perfect coloring for a Pilgrim gander till this current molt he is doing. He now has one dark feather (flight) and much more of the soft grey splash. Before he had about 4 feathers or part of a feather that were a soft grey that were visible with more grey under the wings. Anyone else see color shift in the males as the molt after the first years?

I´m going to prattle....
Pilgrims should have orange bills, orange feet.
I never noticed mine looking pink, but then I only have what I refer to as pilgrim-type, or common geese, or auto-sexing geese..they also have slightly pinkish feet, their bills are orange-pink.

This is the way I look at it:
Grow developed the Pilgrim the way he wanted them. Walker has developed the cotton-patch the way he wanted them and remembered them from the locality in his youth. However, these breeds in all probability have been developed from the auto-sexing birds in Europe. The birds in Europe will have pink/pink-and-orange/orange bills. and the same with the legs too, coming from the greylags. Blah blah..
Now, in England, and I expect the same thing happens in other countries, the vacuum cleaner is often referred to as a Hoover, being the brand-name, but now is often used to refer to all of them...
So, when I refer to my geese on these threads, I´ll often use the name pilgrim, as it´s commonly known, but I very much doubt they´ve come from Grow´s birds. They´ve most likely come from another source, being plenty, of the auto-sexing birds either from the states, or europe, that developed along their own little lines quietly in some huge farms etc.....here they´re simply referred to as common geese.
We´re bound to get some differences in colour of bill, legs, etc, depending on the roots of the birds we have.
At the end of the day, all of these types of birds seem to be delightful, gentle, calm.....qualities that would be needed in the old farms that raised them so many generations back.
Hence, there´s bound to be some slight difference in the 'pilgrim'-type geese that are around, maybe not up to the pilgrim standard, but maybe not actually descended from Grow´s pilgrims as such.......
Well, that´s my theory on it. I´m very interested in the history of auto-sexing breeds, and I´ve read a lot of others´ theories on it too.

 

[livininbrazil]

Tonight was much better! Slowly and didn't have anyone else try to help. Just the 3 of us, they were much calmer. My hubby is tired of the droppings all over the back patio. So today when I got home he has created a 1/4 acre area for them partitioned off. They are still near us, just away from the patio

Spot on! Why do geese always want to congregate in the places where we walk?????? My huby has a place where he mixes his concrete as he´s building an outhouse, and where do the geese love to sit and poop? Yep! right on that nice smooth area that he mixes it up. At least it´s quick to clean up, and it´s great manure!

Hello everyone

.
I am thinking of getting two female Pilgrim Geese and I need some designs and ideas for suitable housing. I plan on hatching them myself and raising them up so their home will have to be able to 'grow' with them.
I was thinking of having a Goose Tractor so they can have green pick 24/7, but then a covered area to sleep and be in when it's wet. I will let them free range with the chickens most days anyway.
So any ideas?

Hi again. You´ll have a great time with a couple of female pilgrims. The bigger the tractor the better, geese eat huge amounts of grass. And browse throught the threads and read what interests you. You´ll learn so much. Especially read the threads about raising goslings and the health probs they can get, the diet they need (very diff to chicks), etc, and have fun. we´ll be wanting to see, of course!!!

Just edited to add a question...which is most commonly used there, the name pilgrims or settler geese? I read they were slowly changing to use the name settler geese where you are.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Quote: Oh hay

. I didn't recognize your dp, you are on every Goose thread aren't you hahah.

Ok, so the bigger the better even if they will free range most days. I do plan on moving the tractor every day (given that I make it light enough) so they shouldn't run out of grass.
I have gone through most of the Goose threads and Googled Goose houses but they are all pretty much just permanent homes. I guess I'll just look at chicken tractors and then adjust it for Geese

.
Yes, I have saved all those pages on which you told me the required diet etc.
Umm...well I haven't really circulated through the Australian Goose world just yet but when you Google Australian Pilgrim Geese it comes up with Settlers and on Facebook people mostly put adds up for Settlers, not Pilgrims, so yeah I'd say it's probably changing.
Thanks, cluckcluckluke.

 

[livininbrazil]

Oh hay

. I didn't recognize your dp, you are on every Goose thread aren't you hahah.

Ok, so the bigger the better even if they will free range most days. I do plan on moving the tractor every day (given that I make it light enough) so they shouldn't run out of grass.
I have gone through most of the Goose threads and Googled Goose houses but they are all pretty much just permanent homes. I guess I'll just look at chicken tractors and then adjust it for Geese

.
Yes, I have saved all those pages on which you told me the required diet etc.
Umm...well I haven't really circulated through the Australian Goose world just yet but when you Google Australian Pilgrim Geese it comes up with Settlers and on Facebook people mostly put adds up for Settlers, not Pilgrims, so yeah I'd say it's probably changing.
Thanks, cluckcluckluke.

Most of us are on most of the threads, we just love our geese!

And thanks for letting me know about the change of the name.. it´s interesting, and most probably more accurate.
I like your idea of a moveable goose run. I´m thinking of how to design one myself now. I´d only need 4' high, and a little shelter from the sun, no roof, as there is very low pred threat here. Although I could use that black plastic plant shading stuff if needed, and I´m thinking about making it with bamboo which would make it very light to move around. I reckon 10' sq. would be workable. Two people could move that if it were made of bamboo.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Quote:
Why is Settler Geese more accurate then Pilgrims??? Is it something to do with when Captain Cook came to Australia he brought with him these Geese, or don't Pilgrims go back as far as the 1600's???
hahah, I have got you inspire now have I. Well we can share each others ideas. Bamboo is a great idea but I don't think we have any lying around and I don't really want to have to buy anything.
I have already made their little sleeping hut and should be able to extend it as they grow. Now I just need to make their run. We work using the metric system over here so what is 10ft sq to metric?
In Australia, especially down my way, the biggest threat in terms of predators we have would be foxes, Goannas and large eagles. Would any of these attack an adult Goose? I know Goannas won't, they'll just take the eggs, but what about eagles and foxes? *touch wood* I haven't seen a fox around our way for about 3 years now (to many dogs about) but there is still the chance.