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A _L_ P
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 Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 2:51 am Post subject: Raising a baby - goose, that is |
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Have you come across Freecycle? It>s a yahoo group based in many
locations where people who have stuff they don>t want, or people who
want stuff, can post, idea being to re-use instead of wasting, and
generally everyone has a nicer life through fostering the ideas of
generosity and helpfulness. Anyway that>s where someone posted that she
wanted a new home for Sydney and Mavis... and now on with the story:
I>ve been offered a goose - a gosling - when it>s hatched. The owner is
giving away the parents, had found a home for them by the time I
contacted her, but meantime Mama Goose had cunningly got herself a
nestful of eggs and commenced to sit. They are Sebastopols and I>ve
ALWAYS wanted one, ever since I saw the first small black and white
photos in an old chook book, but now my section is too full of garden...
next best thing: a good friend with a big untended section who reacted
with enthusiasm to the suggestion, including the part where I raise the
baby till it>s big enough to be easy-care.
I>ve been googling, found some information including
http://www.almostheaven-golden-retriever-rescue.org/goose-pet.html which
you absolutely MUST read, then if you dare to tell me you didn>t hoot
and guffaw, well, knock me down with a feather why dontcha!
Anyway, what>s the experience of others in this group? The owner seems
to think it>s OK to take the youngster away a very few days after
hatching and even said it>d probably be OK outdoors with a box to
snuggle into. It>s a - fingers crossed, weather please don>t make a
liar of me - warm spring here in Otago, New Zealand, but I still have my
doubts about that.
Grain feed? But protein is necessary, so what - poultry pellets, turkey
crumbles which are higher in protein??? Grazing wouldn>t be sufficient
for a growing gosling would it?
Advice eagerly awaited.
A L P |
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AriesVal
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| Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:54 am Post subject: Re: Raising a baby - goose, that is |
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On Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:51:14 +1300, A _L_ P wrote:
[quote]Have you come across Freecycle? It>s a yahoo group based in many
locations where people who have stuff they don>t want, or people who
want stuff, can post, idea being to re-use instead of wasting, and
generally everyone has a nicer life through fostering the ideas of
generosity and helpfulness. Anyway that>s where someone posted that she
wanted a new home for Sydney and Mavis... and now on with the story:
I>ve been offered a goose - a gosling - when it>s hatched. The owner is
giving away the parents, had found a home for them by the time I
contacted her, but meantime Mama Goose had cunningly got herself a
nestful of eggs and commenced to sit. They are Sebastopols and I>ve
ALWAYS wanted one, ever since I saw the first small black and white
photos in an old chook book, but now my section is too full of garden...
next best thing: a good friend with a big untended section who reacted
with enthusiasm to the suggestion, including the part where I raise the
baby till it>s big enough to be easy-care.
I>ve been googling, found some information including
http://www.almostheaven-golden-retriever-rescue.org/goose-pet.html which
you absolutely MUST read, then if you dare to tell me you didn>t hoot
and guffaw, well, knock me down with a feather why dontcha!
Anyway, what>s the experience of others in this group? The owner seems
to think it>s OK to take the youngster away a very few days after
hatching and even said it>d probably be OK outdoors with a box to
snuggle into. It>s a - fingers crossed, weather please don>t make a
liar of me - warm spring here in Otago, New Zealand, but I still have my
doubts about that.
Grain feed? But protein is necessary, so what - poultry pellets, turkey
crumbles which are higher in protein??? Grazing wouldn>t be sufficient
for a growing gosling would it?
Advice eagerly awaited.
A L P
[/quote]
I used to hatch and raise geese. One gosling by itself is going to be very
lonely. When they mate they mate for life. If you take on this bird do get
at least one other to keep it company. Preferably one of the opposite sex.
You can buy growers pellets but you won>t need to feed that for long as they
mature quick quickly.
--
Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent
of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.
http://ariesval.co.uk/val/ |
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Jill
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 2:17 pm Post subject: Re: Raising a baby - goose, that is |
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A _L_ P wrote:
[quote]
I>ve been offered a goose - a gosling - when it>s hatched.
[/quote]
You need two, and goslings imprint. They NEED Mommy.
Chicks and ducklings are very happy to be with their own kind, goslings need
a mom.
Any that we have had left on a nest once the rest of the brood are off and
away, either because they are late hatching or just weaker, have gone down
the jumper for most of the first day.
Otherwise you end up with distressed peeping incessantly.
A sling is a great way to carry them around. Remembering to have the bottom
end aimed away from the body!
Even as an adult one goose is never going to be as happy as a couple, they
are flock creatures.
Beware of over doing the protein. They get angel wing and developmental
problems.
Sweet fresh grass is the very very best thing, but you often have to teach
them to pluck it, and they DO not like being left alone in a pen.
The best time to raise them is in the spring and early summer, not the
winter.
It will need to be indoors when not outside during the dry days, without
anything to give them heat they will chill outside. They are still babies
without the homeostasis of an adult.
Its not for the feint hearted, they are MUCH more demanding than others, but
do like watching the telly. Large old towels are essential as they bring
their bottoms with them everywhere they go.
--
regards
Jill Bowis
Domestic Poultry and Waterfowl Solutions
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine Nursery
Seasonal Farm Food
http://www.kintaline.co.uk |
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Vortex3
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 7:53 pm Post subject: Re: Raising a baby - goose, that is |
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I agree, we hatched two goslings earlier this year and lost one due to an
unfortunate accident at 3 days old. The other gosling needed CONSTANT and I
mean constant attention 24/7. The children were put on a rota to supervise
it outside during the day ( lucky it was school hols !! ) We now have two
geese and they are absolutely fine. One is a very bad idea !!
Penny
" Jill" <news@NOSPAMkintaline.co.uk> wrote in message
news:6l0nnfF9nlavU1@mid.individual.net...
[quote]A _L_ P wrote:
I>ve been offered a goose - a gosling - when it>s hatched.
You need two, and goslings imprint. They NEED Mommy.
Chicks and ducklings are very happy to be with their own kind, goslings
need a mom.
Any that we have had left on a nest once the rest of the brood are off and
away, either because they are late hatching or just weaker, have gone down
the jumper for most of the first day.
Otherwise you end up with distressed peeping incessantly.
A sling is a great way to carry them around. Remembering to have the
bottom end aimed away from the body!
Even as an adult one goose is never going to be as happy as a couple, they
are flock creatures.
Beware of over doing the protein. They get angel wing and developmental
problems.
Sweet fresh grass is the very very best thing, but you often have to teach
them to pluck it, and they DO not like being left alone in a pen.
The best time to raise them is in the spring and early summer, not the
winter.
It will need to be indoors when not outside during the dry days, without
anything to give them heat they will chill outside. They are still babies
without the homeostasis of an adult.
Its not for the feint hearted, they are MUCH more demanding than others,
but do like watching the telly. Large old towels are essential as they
bring their bottoms with them everywhere they go.
--
regards
Jill Bowis
Domestic Poultry and Waterfowl Solutions
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine Nursery
Seasonal Farm Food
http://www.kintaline.co.uk
[/quote] |
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A _L_ P
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:28 am Post subject: Re: Raising a baby - goose, that is |
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Vortex3 wrote:
[quote]I agree, we hatched two goslings earlier this year and lost one due to
an unfortunate accident at 3 days old. The other gosling needed
CONSTANT and I mean constant attention 24/7. The children were put on a
rota to supervise it outside during the day ( lucky it was school hols
!! ) We now have two geese and they are absolutely fine. One is a very
bad idea !!
Penny
" Jill" <news@NOSPAMkintaline.co.uk> wrote in message
news:6l0nnfF9nlavU1@mid.individual.net...
A _L_ P wrote:
I>ve been offered a goose - a gosling - when it>s hatched.
You need two, and goslings imprint. They NEED Mommy.
Chicks and ducklings are very happy to be with their own kind,
goslings need a mom.
Any that we have had left on a nest once the rest of the brood are off
and away, either because they are late hatching or just weaker, have
gone down the jumper for most of the first day.
Otherwise you end up with distressed peeping incessantly.
A sling is a great way to carry them around. Remembering to have the
bottom end aimed away from the body!
Even as an adult one goose is never going to be as happy as a couple,
they are flock creatures.
Beware of over doing the protein. They get angel wing and
developmental problems.
Sweet fresh grass is the very very best thing, but you often have to
teach them to pluck it, and they DO not like being left alone in a pen.
The best time to raise them is in the spring and early summer, not the
winter.
It will need to be indoors when not outside during the dry days,
without anything to give them heat they will chill outside. They are
still babies without the homeostasis of an adult.
Its not for the feint hearted, they are MUCH more demanding than
others, but do like watching the telly. Large old towels are essential
as they bring their bottoms with them everywhere they go.
I hadn>t heard anything about the geese for a while so emailed the owner[/quote]
in the weekend. It seems that Mavis got bored with sitting: no babies :-((
which makes life easier but far less fun! I was looking forward to
raising them till they were big enough to go and live with my friend who
has more unused ground - ungardened, long grass, a big shtoopid cat to
annoy....
A L P |
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Jill
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 3:47 pm Post subject: Re: Raising a baby - goose, that is |
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A _L_ P wrote:
[quote]I hadn>t heard anything about the geese for a while so emailed the
owner in the weekend. It seems that Mavis got bored with sitting: no
babies :-(( which makes life easier but far less fun!
[/quote]
sorry you didnot have the experience but probably just as well.
I was looking
[quote]forward to raising them till they were big enough to go and live with
my friend who has more unused ground - ungardened, long grass, a big
shtoopid cat to annoy....
[/quote]
too nit pick - -geese need short sweet grass, not long rank grass
;)
--
regards
Jill Bowis
Domestic Poultry and Waterfowl Solutions
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine Nursery
Seasonal Farm Food
http://www.kintaline.co.uk |
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A _L_ P
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 4:36 am Post subject: Re: Raising a baby - goose, that is |
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Jill wrote:
[quote]A _L_ P wrote:
I hadn>t heard anything about the geese for a while so emailed the
owner in the weekend. It seems that Mavis got bored with sitting:
no babies :-(( which makes life easier but far less fun!
sorry you didnot have the experience but probably just as well.
[/quote]
Awww, they>d have had a nice home and 2 Mums, or should I say one Mum
and one Nanny to take over when Mum went on holiday!!!
[quote]I was looking
forward to raising them till they were big enough to go and live
with my friend who has more unused ground - ungardened, long grass,
a big shtoopid cat to annoy....
too nit pick - -geese need short sweet grass, not long rank grass
;)
Just like chooks eh, they like you to shorten it with the mower or[/quote]
weed-whacker first but then they keep it short instead of letting it
grow back to a rank mess all over again?
A L P |
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