The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: HappyHippy on May 10, 2021, 10:05:50 pm
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I have taken on 2 utility Toulouse geese, the man who had them had bought them at an auction and was parting with them as his kids were scared of them. All he could tell me was one was a goose and one was a gander...
There haven't been any eggs laid this year and I'm fairly certain that I do have a goose and a gander - looking at head and keel shape and their behaviour, they've got plenty of grass, space, wheat, corn, grit and water (for drinking, preening and swimming) so I've come to the conclusion that maybe they're too old to lay?
How do I tell how old they are, is there a reliable way? :thinking:
Any advice much appreciated :)
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The thing is, HappyHippy, geese are immortal, therefore age means nothing to them.
Also they care not for eggs. Well, not to give you you anyway :-P
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:roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
Yup! I'm discovering a whole new level of 'screw you' from these particular additions ::)
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According to an old poultry farming book I have they will lay until they are 10 but will live to 25 and I read somewhere else of one that was 50. They make terrible sitters and will leave the nest at the slightest provocation so incubation is best with a hen (this was before incubators). No mention in the book of how to age them though. My guess is they were sold when the eggs stopped- peaks at 40 a year.
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Our Shetland geese are the opposite - they sit tight even though we remove the eggs! They did raise 9 goslings in their first year and were wonderful parents, but we don't want more so non-breeders are perfect.
The trouble with goose eggs is they are always muddy, so effectively unsellable, and we don't like to eat them either, so the sooner ours stop laying at all, the better.
Geese are endlessly comical though, so they keep our spirits up 8)
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:roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
Yup! I'm discovering a whole new level of 'screw you' from these particular additions ::)
Oh they can do 'screw you' brilliantly. Ours ringbarked half a dozen newly planted apple trees, followed by the electrics on our sheep trailer. It must be marvellous to go through life giving not a single f*** about anything ;D .
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Our Shetland geese are the opposite - they sit tight even though we remove the eggs! They did raise 9 goslings in their first year and were wonderful parents, but we don't want more so non-breeders are perfect.
The trouble with goose eggs is they are always muddy, so effectively unsellable, and we don't like to eat them either, so the sooner ours stop laying at all, the better.
Geese are endlessly comical though, so they keep our spirits up 8)
They make fantastic presents for friends and family though!
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Thanks for your advice folks :-*
I guess they'll just be ornamental (if somewhat disagreeable) lawnmowers for the hill :innocent:
On the plus side, our resident heron's seem to love them - they all paddle together in the pond :hug: I've not been quick enough to get a photo yet though.