Pomeranian Pair's First Egg

[1MrsMagoo]

Yesterday afternoon when I went to clean the duck/goose enclosure I got a BIG surprise: Our first goose egg! I've been waiting to get one since they began actively breeding about two weeks ago. I'll begin keeping them to incubate next week since my incubator is spoken for till then.

I am hoping that mama goose will decide to sit a nest as well. This is an awesome breed of geese who are very docile and the most aggression they've shown us is hissing while lowering their necks: I can still reach in their house at night and touch them without fear of being attacked!

Here is the goose egg with two off-white eggs from our ducks (one regular and one double yolk) and two brown chicken eggs (one large and one super jumbo).

Here are the proud parents

 

[Kevin565]

Congrats on the Egg!

 

[diggerthechickenman]

congrats on the egg...but how do you tell them apart ( boy from girl?) the look the same in the picture . what breed of geese are they?
i see one has more brown on it's neck than the other and a white ring at the base of the beak .

 

[Kevin565]

Those are Pomeranian Geese. I believe buff ones. Most Geese Breeds are not Sexual dimorphic. You have to judge more on behavior even that can be tricky. The only sure fire way is to vent sex.

 

[1MrsMagoo]

Hello all and thanks for the comments. The geese are a pair of Buff Saddleback Pomeranians. I purchased them as a 1.5 year old breeding pair earlier this year from a man with a large flock in Mississippi. Other than his word that I got I gander and goose, I based my belief that I got a pair on size and appearance.

In the original photo, the male is in the front: He is larger with a slightly different shaped head, larger buff marking on his head and neck, and larger white area around his beak. The female is more round in the face, a couple inches shorter and has both less buff and white on her head. Both of the geese have lovely blue eyes.

Here is another photo of them in which the female, Jean is in front....(named them after my parents...my mom thought I was being funny)

The gander is very protective of his special lady and I have seen him mount her almost daily for the past couple of weeks. They live with my ducks and are great protection against hawks, stray cats and small dogs (he's whipped all these since arriving). I watched him dispatch a decent sized hawk just this afternoon and then break up some roosters that were sparring a few minutes ago: He does not put up with any nonsense on his watch or in his field. My daughter calls them the Geese Police....

 

[TennesseeTruly]

They're just beautiful!!! Congrats on your first egg from them!!

Laurie

 

[1MrsMagoo]

Thanks Laurie...I REALLY love my geese. My husband likes them so much that he is not only allowing me to attempt to hatch some of their eggs, but let me order a pair of Toulouse for spring!

Rhonda

 

[Hideaway Haven]

Your geese are absolutely gorgeous. Good luck with your egg. Has your pair every raised some babies on their own. I have Pilgrims and hoping they will have babies in the spring. They are so much fun.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Beautiful!!!

congrats on the egg

 

[1MrsMagoo]

Hideaway....thanks! I'm not sure if they have raised any goslings. I was told that last spring was their first breeding season and she did lay eggs, but the breeder couldn't recall anything further. Of course, he had about two dozen buffs and nearly a dozen grey pomeranians in his flock....as well as a bunch of regular and dewlap-ed Toulouse, three kinds of heritage turkeys, dozens of chickens, and ducks wandering about as well. He was just trying to make room since he was getting over-run! I am watching his website like a hawk this coming spring in case he parts with any more.

Thanks Ms. Lydia...I

these geese!

The Poms have turned out to be such GREAT watchdogs and so awesome to watch that my husband said we should get some Pilgrim and Toulouse geese too.

. So, I used $100 gift certificate I won from McMurray hatchery last month (got 1st place in their Homesteading Photo contest) and used it to pre-order a pair of Toulouse geese...as well as a few Cayuga, Welsh Harlequin, Black Swedish, Khaki Campbell, and Blue Runner Ducks: They are scheduled to arrive the first week of April.

I know the hatchery birds won't be the best quality, but I am excited to get the Toulouse all the same. We are digging a second pond and plan on putting them either there or in the back with the goats and chickens once they are grown. I'd love nothing more than to have a dozen geese wandering around here.