Toulouse Geese Thread

[Turkeytruff]

Re the subject of mating, my new gander Stanley nibbles my sleeve or jeans or the actual chair (see picture below) and waggles his head back * forth and from side to side whenever I stop & sit to watch poultry TV. Is that because he is trying to flirt with me LOL?

Gertie is now following him around a bit more & he has beaked her on the neck a few times when she is close to him. That seems more of a dominance thing to me, but I don't know.
Any comments from the experts? I have also read that some females need to be 3 years old before they are mature enough to mate. He is 3, she is 1. Thanks for answering my newbie questions!

 

[aoxa]

Celtic, is there such thing as production toulouse in the buff colouring?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have been skulking around trying to catch my geese mating.... Not really! I did notice something going on with Kate acting differently in the stock tank with ducks... But she's always been duck-centric. Anyway, she actually mounted Boadica, a Cayuga duck today in one of the kiddie pools. Boadica is the largest Cayuga gal and has the most white feathers of them all. She is, however, bonded to Elvis, my only Call drake. He wasn't happy about it. Boadica ended the play before I had to intervene.

Kate then ran a victory lap, honking and flapping. Great, that probably means she's a gander instead of a goose, right?

Angus, my gander - at least I think so, about as much as I thought Kate was a goose - has taken a dislike to Madge, my MW Tom turkey. He approaches with his head and neck low, like an arrow pointed at Madge when he's strutting about all puffed and purty. Madge simply twirls and goes off to show somebody else what a Big Boy he is.

Obviously, names aren't necessarily attached to flock members appropriate to gender. Oops.

I have been skulking around trying to catch my geese mating.... Not really! I did notice something going on with Kate acting differently in the stock tank with ducks... But she's always been duck-centric. Anyway, she actually mounted Boadica, a Cayuga duck today in one of the kiddie pools. Boadica is the largest Cayuga gal and has the most white feathers of them all. She is, however, bonded to Elvis, my only Call drake. He wasn't happy about it. Boadica ended the play before I had to intervene.

Kate then ran a victory lap, honking and flapping. Great, that probably means she's a gander instead of a goose, right?

Angus, my gander - at least I think so, about as much as I thought Kate was a goose - has taken a dislike to Madge, my MW Tom turkey. He approaches with his head and neck low, like an arrow pointed at Madge when he's strutting about all puffed and purty. Madge simply twirls and goes off to show somebody else what a Big Boy he is.

Obviously, names aren't necessarily attached to flock members appropriate to gender. Oops.

They can really throw us for a loop at times, especially when it comes to gender. I have seen my Muscovy girls acting the part of drake in the pool here so not sure if thats an indication of not with geese. But my Embden gander does mate with the ducks and has for years and their all still walking around healthy. I'd say egg laying will probably give them away soon, But it looks like Kate may need a new name. but then a Tom Turkey named Madge ? well maybe not. lol

 

[aoxa]

They can really throw us for a loop at times, especially when it comes to gender. I have seen my Muscovy girls acting the part of drake in the pool here so not sure if thats an indication of not with geese. But my Embden gander does mate with the ducks and has for years and their all still walking around healthy. I'd say egg laying will probably give them away soon, But it looks like Kate may need a new name. but then a Tom Turkey named Madge ? well maybe not. lol

I've had a drake named Ruth. Also have a female turkey named Bruce.

The names make great stories. I say keep his name as Katie

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Celtic, is there such thing as production toulouse in the buff colouring?

Yes there can be, there is a BYC member who has a large flock of grey's who randomly throw buff. She doesnt do selective breeding though so cant trace where the gene is and produce it at will. Same buff coloring as our Exhibitions. They make a great table bird, and IMO should never be crossed with Exhibition Dewlaps since all that would do is down size the bird and is exact opposite goal for the buff dewlap.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Re the subject of mating, my new gander Stanley nibbles my sleeve or jeans or the actual chair (see picture below) and waggles his head back * forth and from side to side whenever I stop & sit to watch poultry TV. Is that because he is trying to flirt with me LOL?

Gertie is now following him around a bit more & he has beaked her on the neck a few times when she is close to him. That seems more of a dominance thing to me, but I don't know.
Any comments from the experts? I have also read that some females need to be 3 years old before they are mature enough to mate. He is 3, she is 1. Thanks for answering my newbie questions!

the age rule is based on Exhibition Dewlaps where as the production toulouse seem to have no issues breeding and having fertile eggs at age 1, age 2 will produce larger eggs though from the first year eggs.

 

[aoxa]

Yes there can be, there is a BYC member who has a large flock of grey's who randomly throw buff. She doesnt do selective breeding though so cant trace where the gene is and produce it at will. Same buff coloring as our Exhibitions. They make a great table bird, and IMO should never be crossed with Exhibition Dewlaps since all that would do is down size the bird and is exact opposite goal for the buff dewlap.

I was asking because of the pictures above. The buff male appears to be production toulouse from the pictures, but I did not know they came in that colouring. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[Going Bhonkers]

Re the subject of mating, my new gander Stanley nibbles my sleeve or jeans or the actual chair (see picture below) and waggles his head back * forth and from side to side whenever I stop & sit to watch poultry TV. Is that because he is trying to flirt with me LOL?

Gertie is now following him around a bit more & he has beaked her on the neck a few times when she is close to him. That seems more of a dominance thing to me, but I don't know.
Any comments from the experts? I have also read that some females need to be 3 years old before they are mature enough to mate. He is 3, she is 1. Thanks for answering my newbie questions!

Nice pictures Turkeytruff!! I think your gander IS flirting with you. But no worries, his attention will turn to your goose... eventually

Silly geese!!
More pictures, please

 

[Miss Lydia]

A little late, but congrats to Missy & Miss L on their 1st egg of the season!




Cant wait to see Walter!

Thanks GB so far 3 eggs from my girl.

 

[psue]

no eggs here yet but everyone is getting grumpy ...

Tom flew at my face yesterday while I was watering...........

Told DH he's gotta go.... we wont be raiseing turkeys after all. Me getting hurt is out of the question....... at least ganders respond when you correct them

gryeyes... we have a goose names Fred. The off gender names just kinda make you smile

... try saying Fred layed an egg without smiling

... it doesn't work very well