Rommy Tries to Fly

[rainplace]

My untufted Roman, Rommy, has been trying to fly. He's about 13 weeks old. Everyday I take him and the rest of the flock to the park a few times a day so they can graze on the clover, dandelions and grass. There's a hill and he spends the first five minutes running up and down the hill trying to fly. I'm rooting for him! My question is, will he be able to do it? Is he the right age (his wings look fully feathered to me)? Is there anything I can do to help him?

 

[Kim65]

Most domestic geese breeds can't fly. The Canada's that have been domesticated can, but the rest of them pretty much don't.

I think they've been bred for meat and fat for too long.

My juvenile geese could get a couple of feet up in the air but couldn't manage to get any further, or more than ten or so feet.

As they got older and heavier, they couldn't get off the ground at all, but enjoyed running up and down their "runway" flapping their wings like mad and calling as IF they were flying.

My current goslings are about the same age and are really trying hard to fly too but so far are just flapping a lot with no lift

 

[rainplace]

 

[Kim65]

Well, ya don't want him to fly into another persons yard or into danger. I feel a little sad that they are birds who can't fly, mainly because of how we've bred them . . . but penguins can't fly, and neither can emus and ostriches.

They make up for flying with their absolute grace in the water

 

[rainplace]

I was hoping that before he got too fat he would have a few moments in the breeze. My runners have gotten minute amounts of lift and one in particular went end over end when she got more lift than she knew what to do with(it was hilarious!) but Rommy tries so much harder than the rest of them, that I was hoping he'd actually get somewhere.

 

[Ashmeade]

Be happy that he can't fly. I had an adopted Canada goose that recently flew off with a wild flock. Best for her, I know, but I miss her dreadfully...

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Could you hire him a flight instructor? don't laugh too hard is is easier for a goose to learn from a flying goose. Romans have those short legs and short wings which makes take-offs and landings hard for them. sometime a young goose will get a couple of feet off the ground, panic and crash about 50% will never try again without a flying goose to reassure him that he should fly. I mean you don't fly, most ducks don't fly, He will think it is normal to stay on the ground. BTW a strong headwind helps a lot!
I see there is a post stating that Domestic geese don't fly. All my lighter geese flew, Chinas, tufted Romans and Pilgrims flew and I don't mean that 4 foot off the ground 100 yards max "flight" either. I mean 1/4 mile to the pond and fly over the house on the way back type. I had to learn to not have any long runways in my pens to keep them home. My muscovy drake would chase the geese with sex on his mind. They would run flapping and learned they could out fly him. If you don't over feed, parents will teach goslings after the molt when the parent's feathers are in the best condition. I suspect that most of my young ones were conceived on the pond since there wasn't much going on at the kiddy pools.

 

[rainplace]

I wish I could hire a flight instructor! Your post makes perfect sense to me Goosedragon. When I picked Rommy up at Holderreads, I thought he told me they could fly, but I have read people here saying so much that they can't, that I thought I misunderstood what he was saying. I flap with him... does that count?

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Can't hurt, before I had the muscovy I used to race them from my mail box to the house in my pick up each evening. The first one to fly hit my garage door and knocked himself loopy, he sorta hung back after that until the rest were flying and shamed him into trying again.