Spirit - the amazing grey dewlap toulouse gander!

[RURU]

Iain I am so happy to hear that Spirit is walking better now and will be able to walk and be a normal goose!!!!!

 

[LightningTFarm]

Janet, that is wonderful news about Spirit!! I know he will continue to make progress and will lead a very long, happy life with you. What a devoted goose mama you are!!!

 

[LightningTFarm]

Hah! I just saw the Wonder Woman graphic that Mrs. Magoo sent you. Remember what I told you about my niece dressing up as Wonder Woman for Halloween, only she didn't say it correctly and insisted she was "Woman Woman"!!

That's you - Woman Woman!!

 

[Triplell]

Could you make a three sided shelter for the outside ganders? You could also buy a "calf shelter". We have them at all the farm supply stores in Wisconsin. They are make of hard plastic and do not have a bottom, but you could put them on pallets/plywood and put straw over that. I have started putting my Geese into their barn for the night and I have to catch each one to get them inside. Once they are inside, they seem to like it.

Those calf shelters are very very expensive. I could make them a three sided shelter outside. I can't tell who is a gander or goose. I did open the gate to their summer shelters but they will have snow to go to them. I will just put their feed outside twice a day and that will have to do.

 

[Miss Lydia]

J, so happy to hear about Spirit.!!

 

[Iain Utah]

Thanks, everyone!! It seems we have turned the corner and are on the home run stretch.

Lightning!!

GREAT to see you!! It's been a while. How are Atticus and Finch???? Got any new pics??????

 

[Marty1876]

Happy to hear of Spirits progress.

I've been busy with the new goats. One is an escape artist beyond all experience. The other is a terrible milker. She hold still, but even milking every 8 hours, she's only giving about 1/2 cup each time. I'm not a happy camper about that. I'm trying to buy a much better doe from a lady in Texas now. She's a top 10 milker for U.S. Nigerian Dwarf - Jobi stock. She was deeply sympathetic on the phone. Her does regularly give 700-900 lbs a year. This doe isn't even giving a lb a day.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Happy to hear of Spirits progress.

I've been busy with the new goats. One is an escape artist beyond all experience. The other is a terrible milker. She hold still, but even milking every 8 hours, she's only giving about 1/2 cup each time. I'm not a happy camper about that. I'm trying to buy a much better doe from a lady in Texas now. She's a top 10 milker for U.S. Nigerian Dwarf - Jobi stock. She was deeply sympathetic on the phone. Her does regularly give 700-900 lbs a year. This doe isn't even giving a lb a day.

What will you do with the doe you have now Marty?Sorry this hasn't gone so good.

 

[Marty1876]

Well, she's beautiful, and has a lovely (but non productive) udder. I will probobly sell her to someone for what I paid, which was a good price really, considering how expensive they are. The better milker cost more than my calico blue eyed doe. Its really too bad, as she's one of the loveliest goats I've ever seen.

 

[Triplell]

Sorry Marty for your experiance. Perhaps she is starting to dry up? They can only milk for so long before they need to be rebred and start milking again. I have very good friends who have dairy cows and they had the same problem with some cows they bought. Or if she isn't used to your routien yet, is her udder real hot and getting lumpy? If so she may have mastitus or even a bacteria infection. The change in feed can make a differance too. I'm not making excuses but if she was milking good before you bought her there just might be a reason for the change. We used to raise sheep and this is how I know what can change is a doe so fast. We had some great milkers but when we sold them the same thing happened to the new owners. Our good milkers were used for our bottle babies when they only gave birth to a single or twins to offset the cost of buying a bag of milk. Just for some thought. I am sorry just the same.