Pilgrim Geese thread

[cluckcluckluke]

Quote: Thanks. Would this be it? http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Geese/AutoSexRussellDec03.html

Quote: I have just asked on FB and people haven't even heard of the breed so I am very doubtful about their existence over here in Australia.

I think I'll have to go for the 2m x 2m. I don't like the sound of a muddy and wet tractor.lol.
With your tractor are you planing on having wire as a base and allowing the grass to go up through it or will you leave it open and just put a wire skirting around the out side to stop predators digging. I know you don't have and predators, but if you did what would you do?

Ok, so no chicken. That was one of the main reasons to have the Geese is so they would imprint on us and be sort of 'pets'. I doubt they will be allowed inside though.lol.

 

[livininbrazil]

Thanks. Would this be it? http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Geese/AutoSexRussellDec03.html

I have just asked on FB and people haven't even heard of the breed so I am very doubtful about their existence over here in Australia.

I think I'll have to go for the 2m x 2m. I don't like the sound of a muddy and wet tractor.lol.
With your tractor are you planing on having wire as a base and allowing the grass to go up through it or will you leave it open and just put a wire skirting around the out side to stop predators digging. I know you don't have and predators, but if you did what would you do?

Ok, so no chicken. That was one of the main reasons to have the Geese is so they would imprint on us and be sort of 'pets'. I doubt they will be allowed inside though.lol.

Yes, that´s it...interesting reading.
And I´m not surprised about the cottonpatch (I imagine you mean the cottonpatch) breed not being known over there...it´s been standardised as a breed only very recently.
I wouldn´t put wire on the bottome myself, as the geese don´t have such tough feet as chickens do. The wire could cause them to have problems, sores etc.
Geese make great pets...my first three I imprinted on me, but they only ever came indoor the first 2 weeks of their lives for warmth. They slept in a cloed-up cardboard box on top of the fishtank for warmth. After the first week, they slept in the closed cardboard box on the floor indoors, then a bit later they slept in the cardboard box outside in their run....etc etc.
Have fun with your tractor.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Quote:
I have yet to go over it but it does look good.
I was hoping you'd say that. Saves a bit of wire now hahah. I wasn't planing on, it usually just squishes the grass anyway.
I can't wait to get them, they sounds like great fun.
Thanks, you too. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

 

[Miss Lydia]

We have had her one week. Her? ligaments in her hock joint are so "lax" that they wont hold the joint properly. the closest thing that i can find is perosis but instead of the ligament being too short, they are not short enough. her tibia is also laterally rotated, however very functional. she eats the starter crumble for goslings with added nutritional yeast and probiotics. she gets frozen peas or any other fruit and veggie that she will eat for a treat. she doesnt seem to like many things outside of her crumble and peas. when we let the ducklings forage in the grass she is with them in the yard, but all she cares about doing is being held. i know the farm where she came from uses a local mill for grain (that doesnt formulate for each breed) and all the birds are free range. One of my ducklings has a crooked tail and now the goose has this leg issue. Everything that i have been able to find on the internet points to nutritional imbalances. I have mazuri waterfowl starter on order to pick up this week.

Thanks for the input! I havent been able to find a nutritional sheet (human food or edible plants to keep) specifically for pilgrims. it would be awesome if one was posted on this thread =) ANY advice with her would be greatly appreciated. FYI I am not opposed to taking her to a vet, however with previous experience of my rehabbed muscovy, i have found that the avian vets in this area dont really like waterfowl.

I believe she imprinted on a human as well. I have absolutely no experience with geese at all but none of my ducks act the way she does. Farmer told me that they kept her with the chicks in their bators because she couldnt free range with her leg. they also said that she was handled a lot and that she was a boy. they were too busy at the market for me to get any other info from them.
I have very little experience with waterfowls prior to the last 4 months. I am a massage therapist with a vet tech work history of 6 years so I know the proper way to support tape a hock joint.

any advice is appreciated =) here are some pics of her legs the first day we got her.

Aww my goodness bless her heart, I can't think of anyone better suited to care for this gosling than you and your son, I hope you can help her.

 

[andreacroyle]

Aww my goodness bless her heart, I can't think of anyone better suited to care for this gosling than you and your son, I hope you can help her.

Thanks Miss Lydia, I hope we can give him/her the care she needs. Farmer says she is a gander but her coloring is off. So we will have to wait and see. I really dont care of sex she is. She is super sweet.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks Miss Lydia, I hope we can give him/her the care she needs. Farmer says she is a gander but her coloring is off. So we will have to wait and see. I really dont care of sex she is. She is super sweet.

Keep us updated on how she is doing. It's amazing the obstacles these animals can over come with help.

 

[SHE_WOLFIE]

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?

Yes my boys change until about the 3rd moult then they stay about the same. They are supposed to have a small amount of grey on the rear end and/ or a little on the wing tips but not above that especially around the head and neck should end up all white but give them a few moults to settle on their color before culling or selling them. My females do not develop the white on the face until they are over a year usually around the third moult before they are done also but they should only get it on the face if there is a lot of white down the neck that is not as desirable.also look for a proportionate head compared to the body when they are finished growing. They should also have double lobes on their bellies.

 

[SHE_WOLFIE]

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.

Mine adore fresh young dandelion greens! that seems to be their favorite i collect a bucket before they go to bed at night and give it to them in their pen.

 

[SHE_WOLFIE]

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?

You might consider a 8x8 or 12x 12 chain link dog kennel. They are not too hard to move as you just walk them over or just pull them across the lawn. Inside you can use a dog house like the igloo for some extra shelter. If you buy a kennel used it is probably cheaper than buying the wire fencing and whatever you would use for the frame of a cage. It is free standing so it can just be drug around. I use them a lot for the smaller babies before i let them free range with the older goslings and geese. If you need to you can put some cattle or pig panels on the ground to slide it onto so predators can not dig in but i have found that i dint need to worry about digging predators so much during the day. You can also put bird mesh over the top to keep flying predators out.

 

[RURU]

We have had her one week. Her? ligaments in her hock joint are so "lax" that they wont hold the joint properly. the closest thing that i can find is perosis but instead of the ligament being too short, they are not short enough. her tibia is also laterally rotated, however very functional. she eats the starter crumble for goslings with added nutritional yeast and probiotics. she gets frozen peas or any other fruit and veggie that she will eat for a treat. she doesnt seem to like many things outside of her crumble and peas. when we let the ducklings forage in the grass she is with them in the yard, but all she cares about doing is being held. i know the farm where she came from uses a local mill for grain (that doesnt formulate for each breed) and all the birds are free range. One of my ducklings has a crooked tail and now the goose has this leg issue. Everything that i have been able to find on the internet points to nutritional imbalances. I have mazuri waterfowl starter on order to pick up this week.

Thanks for the input! I havent been able to find a nutritional sheet (human food or edible plants to keep) specifically for pilgrims. it would be awesome if one was posted on this thread =) ANY advice with her would be greatly appreciated. FYI I am not opposed to taking her to a vet, however with previous experience of my rehabbed muscovy, i have found that the avian vets in this area dont really like waterfowl.

I believe she imprinted on a human as well. I have absolutely no experience with geese at all but none of my ducks act the way she does. Farmer told me that they kept her with the chicks in their bators because she couldnt free range with her leg. they also said that she was handled a lot and that she was a boy. they were too busy at the market for me to get any other info from them.
I have very little experience with waterfowls prior to the last 4 months. I am a massage therapist with a vet tech work history of 6 years so I know the proper way to support tape a hock joint.

any advice is appreciated =) here are some pics of her legs the first day we got her.

Awe poor baby. I sure wish I knew how to wrap that leg. That leg I do believe a vet needs to see weather they like waterfowl or not. There should be something a vet can do. Find you a good bird vet that takes geese. I am sure there is a way they can help that baby.....