The difference in curly and smooth breasted Sebastopols

[pips&peeps]

As a person that breeds show winning sebbies..... (RESERVE CHAMPION WATERFOWL TRIO AT INDY AND MANY OTHER WINS UNDER MY BELT)

As far as using smooth breasted birds in a breeding program, that is up to the breeder. Of course, they are not APA accepted but that was not the question. I have seen many curly sebastopols lately that have poor breast feathering that would appear to be smooth breasted, but they are just bad examples of the breed.


Oregon Blues:

Yes, they are different. Angel wing is when the last joint on the wing gets turned outward and is fused that way as the wing grows. The bird will look like a "747".

Twisted wing tip is just that, the tips or phalanges, as I call them, twist a bit because of the large twisted feathers protruding from them and generally they will also stay like that for the rest of the goose's life.

Although many researchers and books say not to feed high protein, I do something different; I feed less carbs. I try to feed less corn in the diet and have lots of grass and exercise for growing goslings.

If you think about wild waterfowl, the goslings do not have access to corn or wheat, etc as they mature. They eat grass, bugs and whatever is swimming in the water. All these items are high protein. If you look in most man made feeds the first ingredient listed is corn. So I try to limit the feed and have it is yielding some better results for me.

The sebastopol is prone to TWT because of the frizzle gene causing the feathers to twist as they grow.

 

[Cottage Rose]

Thanks for that info Jean.
I LOVE your quote!

 

[pete55]

Great information Jean and thank you

As a novice with the Sebastopols I'll be watching out for TWT and to see if there's any difference between matings as we've paired our Curled Gander with a Curled and Smooth Breasted Goose. We've already planned to limit the feed and encourage the goslings (thats if we do breed any) to have a high percentage of graze in their diet.

Its all a learning curve with them this year

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

So glad to see three of who I would call highly knowledgable and successful goose breeders chime in. I am honored to own geese from both CottageRose and Pips&Peeps to go along with our Holderreads geese, and YES even our 3 smoothes. Very grateful to Pete and his hatching knowledge. I hope to pass along the knowledge they have shared, and produce birds as nice as theirs.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i thought one of my girls had angel wing when she was young, but now thinking it is really twisted wing tip. Just the ends stick straight out on both sides. i reduced the feed and increased greens when she was younger, hoping to correct it. Wrapped it with that stretchy vet wrap but she kept pulling it off. A friend suggested duct tape, but i didn't have the heart to use it. Not sure if you can see in this picture, but they jut out on each side. She is a sweetheart, though. Don't mind the greens hanging out of her mouth.

 

[pips&peeps]

Looks more like slight twisted wing tip to me.

This is angel wing in a muscovy.

 

[Cottage Rose]

So glad to see three of who I would call highly knowledgable and successful goose breeders chime in. I am honored to own geese from both CottageRose and Pips&Peeps to go along with our Holderreads geese, and YES even our 3 smoothes. Very grateful to Pete and his hatching knowledge. I hope to pass along the knowledge they have shared, and produce birds as nice as theirs.

Off Topic
You're too kind with your praise and you are appreciated.

I would like to add, I get a little embarrassed with what I feel is undue adulation.
I don't consider myself some noted breeder, rather I simply strive for betterment
of the breed through selective breeding which isn't always successful.
My new disclaimer is I'm merely a great promoter of the breed
and take pretty pictures.

At any rate I appreciated your generous comments and I agree
Jean and Pete rock! We are all greatly blessed to have folks like these who generously
share their time and knowledge with lack of ego, honesty and kindness.
And may I commend you for your efforts to produce quality Sebastopols. Good job!

 

[Cottage Rose]

A picture speaks a thousand words.
Thanks Jean.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Thank you for the picture and input. i never knew such a thing as twisted wing tip existed until this thread.

 

[ChristineR]

Jean (and anyone else who wants to chime in), what manufactured feed to you give your goslings/geese?

I feed Mazuri waterfowl to my ducks, but I looked at the feed tag and it has animal products (fish meal and porcine fat) in it which is OK for the ducks, but geese are strictly herbivores, right?

I try to give all my animals (horses, birds, dogs, etc) a life that as closely approximates what they'd be doing in the wild as possible--especially for the horses and birds. The dogs are perfectly happy living like people.