My Gosling Is Growing Up
My little gosling is growing up...
Not long ago, I shared images of my cute, fluffy, and very curious gosling, which was bred, incubated and hatched right here at my Bedford, New York farm. For the first two weeks, it was housed with other chicks in my stable feed room where we set up safe, warm brooders. But, geese grow very quickly. In fact, they catch up to full body size within the first few months of life. As their feathers come in, they also nearly double in weight and stature every week. It was time to move our gosling to another coop, with some bigger, older peeps, and more room to roam.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- Our gosling is now three weeks old, but it is growing fast – much faster than the other peeps in the stable feed room brooder.
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- Here’s a closer look at our youngster. Geese have a flattened beak covered with a thin skin and a horny plate at its end. The bill is tapered toward the tip to help in grasping grass. This gosling is very curious and loves everyone who comes to visit. It always comes to the front of the brooder to say hello.
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- A few days ago, my stable manager, Helen Peparo, who oversees the care of all my equines and the outdoor birds, decided it was time to move our gosling to a larger coop, where it could be with other birds its size.
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- Hard to tell from this photo, but these chicks are a little older and larger than the ones indoors – better company for our growing gosling. The red hue is from the heat lamp.
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- Waterfowl babies don’t need as much warmth as other birds, but they do need a little extra warmth, especially at night. The heat lamps are turned on when needed. This day was cloudy and a bit cold outside.
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- At this stage, goslings need a safe place to sleep that is dry, but not droughty until they have sufficient feathers to help maintain and regulate their body temperatures.
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- At first, the gosling doesn’t quite know what to make of its new surroundings, but it is alert and curious. Geese spend most of their time on the ground. Their legs are adapted to walk longer than other birds. They are also equipped with webbed legs which are positioned farther forward than on swans and ducks, allowing them to walk readily, and to swim efficiently.
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- Among the chicks in this coop – a group of Cochins, a large domestic breed of chicken.
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- Cochins have round bodies, a single comb, and feathered feet. When full grown, these birds have long, soft plumage that makes them seem even larger than they actually are. The American Poultry Association Standard of Perfection recognizes several Cochin colors: buff, partridge, white, black, silver laced, golden laced, blue, brown, and barred.
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- In this “nursery” coop, I also keep three Silkie chickens – one white, one gray, and one black. There are eight Silkie color varieties accepted by the American Poultry Association. They include black, blue, buff, gray, partridge, splash, and white. This trio is always together.
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- All the chicks will eat, drink, and run around for four to six months before they start laying any eggs.
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- All my chicks get a balanced diet of medicated chick crumb with some treats and fresh greens from my gardens.
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- Fresh, clean water is also always provided. In fact, every chick is personally shown where their food and water sources are, so they know where to find them. This waterer allows the chicks to drink safely without getting it dirty.
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- Within a few minutes, our gosling is curious enough to start mingling with its new friends.
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- This Cochin chick is also curious about the newest bird to join its flock.
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- These birds will remain inside this coop for several more weeks until it is safe for them to roam outdoors.
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- Here, our little gosling starts to flutter its wings. This youngsters cannot fly, but goslings usually start to flutter around this age and can go short distances at about three months old.
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- Geese are flock birds. They like company and will always stay together in their group – this group will soon be great friends.
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- Do you know… a goose is actually the term for female geese, male geese are called ganders. A group of geese on land or in water is a gaggle, while in the air they are called a skein, a team, or a wedge.
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- Our gosling will do just fine with the Cochins and Silkies. And by summer, this bird will be out in the goose enclosure socializing with the other adults.
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- For now, I think it is content just observing its new environment. This gosling has a lot of friends – human and avian. I am sure it will continue to thrive and be happy here at the farm.
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