Question about my goose molting...

[sred98]

I noticed the other day that my Brown Chinese had no flight feathers.

My first thought was that my neighbors had clipped his wings (there was an incident with them taking some of my birds and clipping their wings and keeping them) but remembered they are terrified of him.

Then, in the barn I noticed that there were a lot of large feathers around on the ground. I got him and laid him out on my lap and verified that his wings weren't clipped, but that every single flight feather was basically quills with a little tuft of feather starting to show.

Do geese normally moult their entire flight feathers at one time?? I've never noticed anything like that with my chickens. He has been a little depressed acting lately...not as talkative or cuddly.

He's eating and bathing fine, he's not sick, just not as happy. Of course, if half of my feathers were gone, I guess I'd be depressed, too!

No mites, injuries, anything like that. Other than the flight feathers, he looks normal.

Shelly

 

[CMV]

My goose dropped all her flight feathers 2 weeks ago very rapidly. Within a week they were all gone. She looks very funny with little stubby wings. I am guessing that their molt follows directly after their laying season ends, so the timing is right. My goose stopped laying the beginning of June and by the end of June she was naked.

 

[Kim65]

Mine dropped theirs pretty much over a week's time.

I think their wings are tender with the new feathers coming in. Plus, they instinctively know they can't fly (not that they ever could). Come to think of it, mine were a little grumpier and skittish there for a while.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

mine had the silly, stunted, pink wings last week, now his feathers are coming back in. my BFF came over and collected the feathers he lost... i don't know what she's going to do with them

 

[sred98]

Thanks for the replies!

Makes me feel better. I noticed today that they are starting to feather in, so it looks like he'll be back to normal, soon!

He's a year old, so this is our first molt.

Thanks again!

Shelly

 

[Sarabob]

yes..i have embden geese..they have been losing all their flight feathers over a 2 week period...I really thought something was wrong...thanks for all your reassuring comments. They do look a little funny with nub wings...how long does it usually take for them to grow back? My neighbors dog is always chasing them.