The African and Chinese goose thread!!

[NathanZee]

Thanks, she should be fine. I put her on the higher protein chick feed for a week, and then I will let her back in with the rest of the flock. I candle at 7 days once the goose is definitely brooding. You will know, she will leave the nest once a day, all a big rush. Eats, broody poops (nasty stuff!) , swims and goes back to the eggs.

Good! Elizabeth is definitely broody, she was hesitant to come outside. But when she did, she ate fast, pooped a huge and very smelly poop, and flew like crazy for excersize after we took to to swim.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: Awesome news! Mark today as day one. So excited for you!

 

[NathanZee]

Awesome news! Mark today as day one. So excited for you!

Today as day 1? She started incubating the night before last. I'm excited too!

 

[nightowl223]

If your goal is eggs it won't hurt to add goose hens a bit. I know you have one fella for sure and he will appreciate more ladies in his flock.

Thank you for that logic.

I was thinking along the lines of perhaps they paired up and that's that - dunno why I thought that, but I did. If more ladies would be accepted, that sounds like a plan!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I was so excited to be able to find some goslings for sale about an hour from me. I have called hatcheries all over the US and have tried every local feed/farm supply around, and even tried craigslist with no luck.I purchased 9 fertile goose eggs out of LA and had them shipped to me with all but 1 sole egg being viable. I hope that poor baby makes it. It should hatch in another 8 days and i hat for IT to be alone too. Anyhow, I was planning to go get a few of the gosling tomorrow but they are not sure what breed they are because they are "hatchery choice". I know they are at least a week to 10 days old. Is there any possible way to identify their breed by just looking at them at this young age? I am the person who took in the toulouse goose after her mate was hit and killed on a busy country road a few weeks ago. I've been trying my best to find her some babies or a mate. None of her eggs were fertile

She has taken up with our Maremma and tries to follow him around the farm. I'd much rather she hang out with the chickens but she is extremely fond of our huge white LGD!
If anyone has any suggestions on gosling identification , I'd really appreciate it (or a website i could use for reference). I won't be leaving until after work tomorrow (4-20) around 3pm if you care to reply.
BTW, I really enjoy reading all the posts and am learning a lot about these amazing creatures!
Thanks so much!
Angela

Meyer hatchery may have geese. https://www.meyerhatchery.com/productinfo.a5w?prodID=BOCS

My brown Chinese gander, and Embden came from them, i sold the other 3 Chinese all were boys.
Sadly, many folks are honestly afraid of them, and don't keep them. A newborn gosling is the most precious little thing. I spend a little time with my babies every day to bond them to human social connection. Ganders will go through a teen phase where they may try to dominate you. You just have to be firm and teach the geese whats socially acceptable. They can learn, and respond well. If the day came I had to make choices I will always keep geese here.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
They do pair up some, but once a goose is sitting the gander will breed to other hens.

 

[atmaclean]

Meyer hatchery may have geese. https://www.meyerhatchery.com/productinfo.a5w?prodID=BOCS

 
My brown Chinese gander, and Embden came from them, i sold the other 3 Chinese all were boys.
Sadly, many folks are honestly afraid of them, and don't keep them. A newborn gosling is the most precious little thing. I spend a little time with my babies every day to bond them to human social connection. Ganders will go through a teen phase where they may try to dominate you. You just have to be firm and teach the geese whats socially acceptable. They can learn, and respond well. If the day came I had to make choices I will always keep geese here.

Thank you. I did try Meyer Hatchery also. Unfortunately, they didn't have any until sometime in June! Yes, I raised a tolouse gander who was very bonded to me but because he didn't have a mate (he was the only baby left at the feed store), he was overly protective of me and would charge and bite anyone who came to our house. I had to put him in the backyard when anyone came over. It was that bad. This tolouse female goose we have now is not like that at all. She just comes to greet us when we are home and is very sweet.

Any suggestions for identifying the goslings?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: With chinese, you will have to wait a bit and watch for body shape and appearance. Boys have longer necks, longer legs. Other breeds can be harder to identify. There is the option of vent sexing but it can harm them if not done right. I usually wait it out but have a lot of extra room for my overflow of goslings.

 

[atmaclean]

URGENT!!

Thank you for the info on sexing. I was able to get 3 goslings of one breed and a yellow gosling of another breed. I don't really care what sex they are, I really would like to know what breed they are. I have an urgent need, however. The little yellow goose is not doing well when I got home today. The other 3 are running around like crazy, but it was all by itself laying down. I immediately brought it inside and put it in the brooder with a heat lamp. It had a heat lamp in the coop/outdoor run, however, it was outside when I got home. It was about 75 degrees outside today. I am terribly concerned that it may die. Can you give me some advice on what to do? I tried to syringe some water to it, but I just have no clue how to treat geese. I've done chickens and parrots and wild birds, but that is about it. Hopefully, someone will get this message before it is too late. There is no discharge from vent or eyes. I'm watching it now to monitor food intake and water intake. It was eating fine when we got home from the farm store yesterday. Unfortunately, I was gone all day at work and just got home. Thanks so much! Angela

 

[atmaclean]

The little one didn't make it. I tried giving it water and a slurry of food, but it wasn't enough. Not sure what on earth could have happened. It was perfectly fine this morning and the other 3 are doing fine. I have a heat lamp for them in a huge indoor/outdoor run. I close the doggie door at night and keep them in the inside part which is probably 5'x6' with the heat lamp in one corner and plenty of food and water. I have sand in the floors so I can easily clean out the poop every day with a special rake/fork I made. It is probably 8' tall to the roof and the sides are oak boards half way up and then welded wire (1x2) on the upper half and then wood again at the very top. So there is ventilation, but not much down low where they are. The outdoor portion has grass and clover and dirt and a huge tree and it is probably 10'x20' so has plenty of room for them to run around and play. It is made of 6'x10' chain link panels lined with welded wire so no one can escape through the holes. I am so upset. I didn't have a tube small enough to try tube feeding it so I just offered it a spoon with the slurry in it. I was able to get a little bit in it, but I think it was too little too late. I'm going to add some "Farmer's Helper" to their feed tomorrow. They are on a wild game starter made by Southern States and lots of fresh water. I guess I could have added the probiotics and electrolytes to their water like I do the chickens, but it won't help now. The others are playing, eating, and drinking and seem to be doing great. I tried putting our rescued Toulouse female in with them but she did not seem to take to them. She would occasionally peck at them and after being in their all night and day, I just decided to let her back out with our dog and hope she will be friendly with them as they get older. I feel like such a failure. For failing that little baby and for failing to help our rescue goose find friends. I'm also terrified that I am doing something wrong - I can't bear to lose another of these precious little babies. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!