The African and Chinese goose thread!!

[Going Bhonkers]

Here's the gang this morning out checking out their new surroundings.
How in the heck do you all tell these guys and gals apart? I can tell the males from the females, but telling who is who from there is just out of the question right now, LOL. It will definitely take some time.

Congrats on your new geese! Welcome to the family!

I've wondered how how people with large flocks tell their geese apart (other than using leg bands)! Maybe by their personalities? Its a lot easier when you have a few. Our geese were identical when they were babies, but we were able to tell them apart by a scar that Nine has by his beak (he cut himself trying to get out of their box when he was 2 weeks old). Nine has grown a bit larger and is more protective of April, so we think he's a gander.

Going Bhonkers and PandaPaw, I have enjoyed looking at the photos of your Chinese Whites as they have grown. They are both beautiful. Lets me fill in the gaps on what Ninya looked like as a baby growing up. While we have a ways to go with little Ninya, I can picture her fully feathered now.

I read Ninya's rescue story, and she looks like she's doing better! The TLC her & her little buddy are receiving from you are doing wonders. I'm rooting for you guys

.

 

[pinkchick]

Thanks, I am already so in love with them and they are sooooooo elegant and beautiful. I love when they arch their heads and necks like the swans and I so already want more babies.

 

[zooweemama]

My babies are here. I've only had them since yesterday. Read my drama here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/679358/new-gosling-with-eye-infection

Chuck and Sarah (if you are familiar with the now retired funny spy tv show Chuck- that's where our names came from).

Meet Chuck. He is still congested. When he shakes his head goo flies everywhere. Poor thing


Meet Sarah. Here eyes are looking better today. (see link above for yesterdays pics)


Chuck in front (see snot?) and Sarah never far behind.


How sweet are they? They 'hug' frequently.

 

[Going Bhonkers]

My babies are here. I've only had them since yesterday. Read my drama here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/679358/new-gosling-with-eye-infection

Chuck and Sarah (if you are familiar with the now retired funny spy tv show Chuck- that's where our names came from).

WELCOME, CHUCK & SARAH!!!

 

[zooweemama]

Thanks Bhonkers!

It's all so bittersweet. I am still half waiting for something to happen to Sarah. Her eyes starting looking rough again tonight. I put them in the tub again (they couldn't even get their tummies wet unless they sat down) to encourage Sarah to wash her face. After she sees Chuck do it - then she got busy big time. Cleaning her nares and preening like crazy. Even though I have a cup of water for them in their brooder- she mostly ignores it for some reason. Chuck doesn't though. Geese aren't water monsters like ducks are they? Or maybe something is wrong with my geese. They are SO darn tidy! They do fling the water a bit but nothing major. They take little sips mostly. Maybe they will get messier as they get older/bigger?

My ducks were just a hot mess so I am waiting for it but the goslings are pretty clean actually.

 

[Going Bhonkers]

Thanks Bhonkers!

It's all so bittersweet. I am still half waiting for something to happen to Sarah. Her eyes starting looking rough again tonight. I put them in the tub again (they couldn't even get their tummies wet unless they sat down) to encourage Sarah to wash her face. After she sees Chuck do it - then she got busy big time. Cleaning her nares and preening like crazy. Even though I have a cup of water for them in their brooder- she mostly ignores it for some reason. Chuck doesn't though. Geese aren't water monsters like ducks are they? Or maybe something is wrong with my geese. They are SO darn tidy! They do fling the water a bit but nothing major. They take little sips mostly. Maybe they will get messier as they get older/bigger?

My ducks were just a hot mess so I am waiting for it but the goslings are pretty clean actually.

Yeah, I found that they got messier as they got older. By their 2nd & 3rd week, I had to do a LOT more cleaning than I did before. They even splattered their food & poop on the walls of their little box. I think they thought it was funny.

I hope Sarah is doing better today

 

[zooweemama]

Every day is an adventure! They are already eating more, drinking more and flinging poo more. Oh my! LOL I guess that's to be expected when one eats more. haha! They are both doing fabulous! Chuck is very outgoing and chatty. He talks a lot, he calls for me a lot...he calls for me just so I can watch him eat? It's hilarious. He will call and call and call and then I come by the brooder and squat down and talk to him. He stops calling and goes over to his food to eat and peeks at me to make sure I am still watching. Sarah although not bashful is a lot quieter than Chuck. Chuck 'calls' and Sarah 'peeps' and not very often. Her eyes looks SO much better. Now I have to wait for the darn neosporin base to wash off around her eyes- that's part of the reason that her eyes still look matter down but they are clear and not angry looking anymore. Sarah is fatter than Chuck! My husband LOVES Chuck. He comes home, says all his hellos to our kids and slowly makes his way right over to Chuck to talk to him. It's so so sweet.

Anyone have any new adventures today?

 

[pinkchick]

Zoo~ They are adorable! Are their eye issues and snotty issues clearing up?



Questions for all the geese folks....I'm confused (easily done, LOL).....Are my geese Chinese or African?

I've been reading as much as I can and looking at 100's of photo's and can't figure out for sure what they are. 2 of them are distinctly different colored in the head area then the others are. Only 2 of them (the 2 that are different) have Dewlaps. With a questionable one on Ben (photo'd below).
Is it true that they can take up to 3 years to fully mature and develop their breed characteristics such as the dewlap and knob?

Here's a couple photos...hoping you guys and gals can help me out.



Here is my Big boy Ben, does it look as though his dewlap is developing?


This is one that is colored differently in the head area, like a gray and shaded differently then the others, there are 2 like this and the other one is much younger, no knob yet but just starting to develop the dewlap. Please excuse the funky angle of the photo...they were all just in the tub for a bath and preening afterward.






Checking out what's flying over head.





A photo of the 3 goslings that we kept. I rehomed 4 of them to a wonderful lady nearby where they will have a super home.
Following me around out in the grass and getting our first taste of a blade or 2.



A photo of my DH cuddling one of the babies........he is in love with the Geese. My chickens.....nope won't have any part of them, but the Geese are a whole nudder story.

 

[pinkchick]

Zoo~ I apologize, I'm on dial up and when I started posting and asked how they were doing there was not a post yet. Glad they are doing better. I'm having a great time with the 3 goslings we kept. I love walking into the brooder room and they immediately look up and start peeping and try to come over to me.

 

[zooweemama]

Zoo~ They are adorable! Are their eye issues and snotty issues clearing up?



Questions for all the geese folks....I'm confused (easily done, LOL).....Are my geese Chinese or African?

I've been reading as much as I can and looking at 100's of photo's and can't figure out for sure what they are. 2 of them are distinctly different colored in the head area then the others are. Only 2 of them (the 2 that are different) have Dewlaps. With a questionable one on Ben (photo'd below).
Is it true that they can take up to 3 years to fully mature and develop their breed characteristics such as the dewlap and knob?

Here's a couple photos...hoping you guys and gals can help me out.



Here is my Big boy Ben, does it look as though his dewlap is developing?


This is one that is colored differently in the head area, like a gray and shaded differently then the others, there are 2 like this and the other one is much younger, no knob yet but just starting to develop the dewlap. Please excuse the funky angle of the photo...they were all just in the tub for a bath and preening afterward.






Checking out what's flying over head.





A photo of the 3 goslings that we kept. I rehomed 4 of them to a wonderful lady nearby where they will have a super home.
Following me around out in the grass and getting our first taste of a blade or 2.



A photo of my DH cuddling one of the babies........he is in love with the Geese. My chickens.....nope won't have any part of them, but the Geese are a whole nudder story.

First- great pics. Second- they are perty-full! Third- your husband is sweet on your geese like mine is- adorable! Fourth- they look like African because of their heavy bodies. BUT I am far from expert so I digress... I am however an expert in cuteness and the last 2 photos are especially cute!