Visiting My Gaggle of Geese
For those of you asking how my geese are doing, they're all doing great and thriving here at my Bedford, New York farm.
I currently have 17 beautiful geese. I’ve had Pomeranian guard geese for many years, but I also keep Sebastopol geese, Toulouse geese, African geese, and Chinese geese. They all reside in a large enclosure outside my stable and next door to the peafowl, where they have lots of room to roam, a number of pools, and a shelter that provides ample shade, protection from strong winds, and a safe place to nest and lay eggs.
Here are some of the latest photos, enjoy.
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- My geese have a large yard, but they love to gather close together most of the time. And do you know, a group of geese on land is called a gaggle. This is because when geese get together they can get quite noisy and rowdy.
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- And, while the term “goose” may refer to either a male or female bird, when paired with “gander”, the word goose refers specifically to a female. Gander is the term used to identify a male.
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- I have several goose breeds. Here is my pair of Chinese geese. The Chinese goose is refined and curvaceous. The Chinese goose holds its head high. Its head flows seamlessly into a long, slim, well-arched neck which meets the body at about a 45 degree angle. Its body is short, and has a prominent and well-rounded chest, smooth breast and no keel. Mature ganders average 12 pounds, while mature geese average 10 pounds.
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- Here is a closer look at their heads. Its bill is relatively long and slender, with a large, rounded, erect knob that attaches to its forehead.
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- Here, one can see the difference in body type between the slender Chinese goose, the Sebastopol on the right, and the darker African goose in the back. The Chinese geese most likely descended from the swan goose in Asia, though over time developed different physical characteristics, such as longer necks and more compact bodies. The Chinese goose is a very hardy and low-maintenance breed.
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- This buff-brown goose is a Toulouse. On this breed, the bill is stout, the head large and broad, and the moderately long neck is thick and nearly straight. Often suspended from the lower bill and upper neck is a heavy, folded dewlap that increases in size and fullness with age. The body is long, broad and deep, ending in a well-spread tail that points up slightly. The Toulouse has a rounded breast, and often exhibits a wide keel. The abdomen is double-lobed and often brushes the ground, particularly in females during the early spring.
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- This is the full body of a Toulouse goose. Geese are grazing birds which means they eat a variety of different items. They eat roots, shoots, stems, seeds, and leaves of grass and grain, bulbs, and berries. They also eat small insects. I provide them with fresh greens from the gardens every day and also fortify their diet with a mix specifically made for waterfowl.
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- Everyone asks about the Sebastopols. These birds are considered medium-sized birds. Both males and females have pure white feathers that contrast with their bright blue eyes and orange bills and feet. Sebastopol geese have large, rounded heads, slightly arched necks, and keelless breasts.
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- And what is most striking is the plumage. The plumage of the head and upper two-thirds of the neck is smooth, while that of the breast and underbody is elongated and well-curled.
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- I have several Sebastopols – most were bred, incubated and hatched right here at the farm.
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- This is one of my pair of African geese – a breed that has a heavy body, thick neck, stout bill, and jaunty posture which gives the impression of strength and vitality. The African is a relative of the Chinese goose, both having descended from the wild swan goose native to Asia. The mature African goose has a large knob attached to its forehead, which requires several years to develop. A smooth, crescent-shaped dewlap hangs from its lower jaw and upper neck. Its body is nearly as wide as it is long. African geese are the largest of the domestic geese.
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- These two African geese are often found together in the yard. Geese don’t sweat like humans, so to keep cool on very warm summer days, they open their mouths and “flutter” their neck muscles to promote heat loss.
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- And remember these two? If you follow my blog regularly, you may know these Pomeranian guard geese – the oldest of my gaggle.
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- Although these domesticated geese are not good fliers, they do love to spread their wings. Due to their large size and upright posture, these birds can’t really fly. Domestic geese have larger back ends than their wild counterparts and stand more upright.
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- In flight, a group of geese is called a skein, team or wedge. On the water or flying close together, a group is referred to as a wedge of geese.
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- Waterfowl don’t need roosts – they are very happy gathering together and sleeping on the ground.
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- Preening is a maintenance behavior where a bird uses its beak to position feathers, clean plumage, and get after any pesky bugs. The geese spend a lot of time preening.
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- While both ducks and geese love water, geese don’t require a pond or large swimming pool – they swim much less than ducks and are content with a small dipping pool where they can dunk and clean their noses and beaks.
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- And thanks to their honks, these geese make excellent guardians. They can scare off any animals on the ground and they’re great at spotting aerial predators, such as hawks and falcons.
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- Unlike most bird species, which molt their feathers one at a time, waterfowl lose their flight feathers all at once. This is called a “simultaneous wing molt”. Geese typically undergo just one complete molt a year, during summer, replacing all body, wing, and tail feathers shortly after the nesting season.
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- Geese have impressive visual capabilities. The way their eyes are structured allows them to see things in much finer detail at a further distance than humans. They can also see UV light and can control each of their eyes independently.
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- All the geese love to congregate together. These two are waiting for their afternoon snack of fresh greens from my gardens.
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- My gaggle of geese is fun, friendly, personable and protective. What do you like most about geese and other waterfowl? Share your comments with me below.
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