Seabastapol house goose question

[iajewel]

I have been watching the breed for about 5yrs now and seriously thinking about getting a Seabie for about 3. I have just about talked myself into it. I have decided to get one, and make it a house goose. My question is are males or females better pets? I would prefer a girl. However this is a long term comittment and would like the gender with a temperament I can live a long time with.
Also are they like most geese and bond well with humans? I would prefer to get eggs, however my hatch rate is really bad with goose eggs. I think they bond better when you talk to them in the shell and are there when they hatch.
I don't know anyone that sells eggs, and I would need about 6 to get one. Ya.. I really stink at goose eggs. What do you think is my best bet?
Anyone that has raised them, or had one for a pet I would love to hear from.

 

[iajewel]

Quote:
That is what I would have said a year ago. Last spring I had one gosling hatch. Just one, and of course it couldn't be alone. So, Emilee and I became friends, not by my choice, by his.. yes.. I learned that Emilee was a he... It was an amazing journey and me, not being domestic or maternal in anyway. If there is a puppy in a box, I will walk right by it. I don't do the Mama thing. I have lived on a farm long enough to know, I don't want to be the mama. With Emilee that changed due to his imprinting. I found myself learning allot about myself through the goose. I also learned things from him about my own poultry I never would have known and it made me better with the out door ducks and poultry in general.
A friend sent me some diapers, yes they make diapers for these things and the more grass they eat the happier everyone is. The diapers work really well, you just need to change them and thats not hard. In the summer when your out side most of the day you don't need them. Its not really that bad. Not as long as they have lots of grass.
Then one day I was standing there about 2' from Emilee and a hawk came down and picked him up. TWO BLOODY FEET.. and that was that. I miss that relationship and I miss what I was learning.

A pet goose is not for everyone. They are like a baby that will never grow up. You will never have a time you don't have to change diapers. You will never have a time you don't have a mess to clean up. You will never again as long as you live go to the bathroom by yourself or take a shower alone. Its allot to think about given that they live 30yrs, or more.

Its not for everyone, however those that do have them, would not change it for anything. I have spent the past few years talking to people that have done this for the long haul and yes, many do give up the pet as they can't deal with it. Those that can, it has changed their lives forever and in a good way. Its not a pet in the basic sense as it really does teach you about yourself and transform your life in a way that is hard to describe.

We all have pets.. we have a dog we can leave at home when we go to work, or the store. We have cats that want us to leave and go to work or the store LOL. This isn't a pet.. this individual has to go with us, there is no choice. When it bonds, that bond, that imprinting is deeper then You are my mom and I will grow up and leave. That imprinting is a connection that passes that up and creates a link that will cause the goose to mourn, even die with out you. It is an internal connection
Its not for everyone, but for those that it is.. its IS.

 

[KansasKid]

Hmm i would like to see a Seabastopol... lol

I would go with a female since you want eggs.


As far as hatching, you would be better off ordering goslings from somewhere if you can't hatch well as eggs will get expensive fast depending on where you get them from.
Check the sebastopol goose thread here to see who breeds them and who sells, also check the duck forum for 2012 breeders as they post geese there too.

 

[iajewel]

Never thought of the duck thread. I did look for the Seabastapol thread and didn't find one after sorting through many pages. I will look again. thank you.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Sebastopol thread , it isn't spelled with an A

 

[Cottage Rose]

Geese eggs are harder to hatch out than chicken eggs.
Day old goslings would be more of a sure thing.
Geese are seasonal spring layers so you will only get 30-50 eggs annually.
If you want waterfowl eggs in more abundance you might want to get Khaki Campbells
or Runner Ducks which lay lots of eggs, especially Campbells.
Please feel free to join our Sebastopol Geese specialty for more helpful information.

Link below.

 

[iajewel]

I don't know where you got it I want eggs from the pet? I was talking about eggs vs day old goslings.. sorry for the misunderstanding.
I would like to know if the males or females make a better pet, it really doesn't matter to me what I get, male or female. The differences is there are way cuter clothes and diapers for the girls then boys. I have Buff, Cayuga and Muscovy ducks for water fowl eggs and a hoard of Blue Orpington Chickens.
I had a baby goose and its funny how bonded a person can get to a goose, but the imprinting seems to go both ways. I was out in the yard and a hawk came right in front of me and picked her up, nothing I could do. I just want a pet goose again. It was a unique and special relationship I had never experienced before, and I liked it.

 

[TennesseeTruly]

I know someone who had a Sebastopol as a house goose and just this year she gave her up for the gooses own health. House geese seem to have health issues that outside geese don't have. They're not exposed to sunlight and doing the "natural" things that normal geese do. This was a female goose who never laid an egg until she went to her new home. She's 3 years old and JUST laid her first egg.

She's had a myriad of health issues, all which the vet, her previous owner and others have said it was due to her living indoors. Now she spends most of her time outdoors but does come indoors as well and she is a healthy happy goose.

That being said, we had a house gander for 8 months. Although he didn't stay in the house all the time. If my husband had his way he would still be living in our home. I put my foot down and made my husband build him a pen and a house and Peter is much happier outside. And so am I! LOL

If you're absolutely determined to have a house goose, know that your goose needs fresh air, sunshine, and lots of grass to graze on. Dressing them up and having them live indoors is sweet, cute, and funny....for the humans. Not so much for the geese in the long run.

Laurie

 

[iajewel]

I agree that any animal that is not allowed to "touch the earth" that includes people that live on concrete, have more health issues. I live on a farm, so my goose would be out side all day with me. It would be in the house when I am, in the winter , more and in the summer mostly at nights. This will not be a problem for my goose, however I do think you bring up a valid point. When I have ducks that need extra care, they come in the house and I go out side, sometimes digging under the snow to get grass from the edge of the hay ground to cut into their bowls. Grain and only grain is bad for them, again, I agree. I think a wild animal as a goose is, should have access to its natural environment. This I do give them and would give the goose.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Give me a couple of seconds to contemplate the concept of a goose living in the house.

Big strong wide wing flapping, all the goose poop, all the chewing and taking of anything shiny ........ better you than me.