My Geese in the Rain
Today at my Bedford, New York farm, we're expecting clouds and rain this morning with possible snow showers this afternoon. With higher than usual temperatures, it's been a dreary, wet, and muddy winter so far.
I always enjoy seeing the beautiful snow covering the landscape this time of year, but one group who seems uninhibited by all the rain and mud is my gaggle of geese. They have a long, heated shelter in one corner of their enclosure, but they rarely stay there. Instead, these comical birds prefer to gather in the mud-filled patches and play in their pools. And they always come running to greet any visitors that pass by.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- Many of you know, my geese have a large yard located right outside my stable. It is near the peafowl pen and two Silkie chicken enclosures. This area of the farm is a popular stop when friends and family come by.
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- We haven’t had any accumulation of snow so far this winter, but these birds don’t seem to mind. They enjoy being out in the rain, flapping their wings and walking through the mud and muck.
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- The do have a heated shelter in the back of their pen, but they are rarely there except when the hens are nesting on eggs.
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- 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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- 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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- 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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- Their bills are relatively long and slender, with a large, rounded, erect knob that attaches to its forehead.
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- Look closely at the Chinese geese in the back compared to the others in the foreground. 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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- Most domestic geese also have larger back ends than their wild counterparts and stand more upright.
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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. Here’s one flapping its wings. Though domesticated breeds of geese generally retain some flight ability, Sebastopol geese cannot fly well due to the curliness of their feathers and have difficulty getting off the ground.
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- This is 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. These two African geese are often found together in the yard.
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- And if you follow my blog regularly, you may recognize the Pomeranian guard geese – the oldest of my gaggle.
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- Waterfowl don’t need roosts – they are very happy gathering together and sleeping on the ground.
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- 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. In addition, I fortify their diet with a mix specifically made for waterfowl.
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- And, I like to give them lots of vegetables from my gardens. They love to pick at them during the day.
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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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- Here’s the African goose at one of the pools getting a drink. When drinking water, geese will use the bill to lift the water into the mouth, and then toss its head back to let the water run down its throat.
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- And here’s Phurba filling a pool. On this day he said he just filled the pools an hour earlier, but the geese already played in the pools and dirtied all the water.
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- This is Bear. He was incubated and hatched right here at the farm. He is about two years old and is very attached to the humans, but his “affectionate” pecks can sometimes a bit insistent.
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- And these buff-brown geese are Toulouse geese. 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. 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. These three are taking their turn in the chicken enclosure guarding my many hens and roosters. What is your favorite breed of goose?
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