The African and Chinese goose thread!!

[holm25]

They are beautiful! How old are they? Is it a gander and goose? I have a young pair that look similar to them. 

I am thinking of digging a pond next spring, but I am concerned it would get muddy and gross. Does your stay fairly clean?

They are 5-6 months old. Yep its a goose and gander. The water stay brown and nasty looking but its always been like that.

 

[NathanZee]

They are 5-6 months old. Yep its a goose and gander. The water stay brown and nasty looking but its always been like that.

Mine were hatched in june. Did you get them from metzer farms? How deep approximately is your pond? And do the ducks and geese always have access to it or is it fenced off? Sorry for all the questions, I just want my pond to turn out right.

 

[Stormy Cashmere]

mothergoose08 and I share our birds. Someone suggested getting ceramic eggs for the gander if he wants to sit on eggs. Is this a good idea? Would he get too attached to the fake eggs if we took them away?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Do male geese try to sit on eggs? My gander saw me getting some chicken eggs, and because they were on the ground, he came over and started moving them with his beak. He tried to pick them up in his beak. He stepped on them, and cracked two.

. But he looked like he was trying to sit on them, but just didn't know how. He did not want me touching them. The eggs are in the nesting boxes, and he can't get to them. This was the first time he has payed attention to the eggs. He is the only goose. Does he need/want to sit on eggs? What should I do?

Agreed, he needs a hen. He may be thinking he can lure a lady in by setting eggs for her. My goose hens try to hatch everything they find, even stones that resemble eggs. My Embden gander will grab any egg he sees for his girls. Its a pain, Embden will mash all but large duck eggs and their own because of their size. He will walk in the chicken coop and grab eggs out of the nest box, usually winds up breaking them.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

mothergoose08 and I share our birds. Someone suggested getting ceramic eggs for the gander if he wants to sit on eggs. Is this a good idea? Would he get too attached to the fake eggs if we took them away?

You could, but I think he would be much happier with another goose. He may mourn over them since the eggs will never hatch. Think about how it would feel living life without another person to talk to. Like us, geese are a "flock animal". It could be another breed of geese too, it won't matter to him. You don't have to allow them to hatch eggs. Goose eggs make amazing baked goods and pastry. I won't sell single goslings, unless I am certain they have a lone goose needing a companion.

 

[holm25]

Mine were hatched in june. Did you get them from metzer farms? How deep approximately is your pond? And do the ducks and geese always have access to it or is it fenced off? Sorry for all the questions, I just want my pond to turn out right. 

I got them from a supply store. They always have access to it. It is about 2-3 feet deep

 

[NathanZee]

I got them from a supply store. They always have access to it. It is about 2-3 feet deep

Okay. I think metzers supplies a lot of waterfowl for stores, but I don't know for sure. I just have one more question sorry,

do you have to keep filling it with water or does it stay full?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I make sure my geese have a lot of water, daily even if I am out there every few hours. The need a deep bucket to preen and clear their nostrils.

 

[holm25]

Okay. I think metzers supplies a lot of waterfowl for stores, but I don't know for sure. I just have one more question sorry,  do you have to keep filling it with water or does it stay full? 

Its a natural spring fed stream.

 

[NathanZee]

Its a natural spring fed stream.

Oh wow that's nice! So the dirty water flows away?