The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Creagan on October 08, 2015, 09:20:55 pm
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Oe of my five geese has vanished. Not entirely sure if it was overnight or during the day (it was only just getting light when I left the house this morning and I have to admit I didn't actually count them).
If it was a fox attack, would I see any evidence? Could it have flown away??
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If it was a fox attack am pretty sure there would be evidence of feathers. It may have wandered off maybe to make a nest, what about stolen? Have you clipped their wings? What breed are they? I have some info here about geese flying.http://metzerfarms.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/clipping-duck-and-goose-wings-to.html (http://metzerfarms.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/clipping-duck-and-goose-wings-to.html) Hope it helps and i really hope you find her. Could you keep us updated?
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Well when I say goose, I really mean gander. So unless I've been sold a mislabeled or very confused bird, I doubt it's off on a nest anywhere! They're Embdens, which I was told don't need to be clipped, but as a precaution I may clip the others just in case. Seems a bit strange that on its first flight it would get any further than the next field, don't you think?
Will get on the case at first light tomorrow!
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Do any of your neighbours keep geese? he could be off like coximus's ramon a mating mission :roflanim: no offence
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It couldn't have got itself stuck somewhere could it?
its a good few years ago so can't remember detail but one of mine managed to get itself jammed in a tub or a bucket or maybe a tub fell over onto it, anyway luckily I found it, a bit squashed up but it stretched itself out, hobbled off and it was fine by the end of the day.
Hope your boy turns up safe
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Well, mystery solved- I found a scattering of feathers and clumps of something rather grizzly up at the top of the croft this morning. Looks like it may have been a fox after all. Think I need to more careful about shutting the boys in, and maybe not letting them out so early in the morning. :(
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Am so sorry to hear about that. According to a lot of studies it says that ganders are quite hard to kill by a predator. Such as a fox. Do you have poultry electric wire? That I found kept foxes out and even a dog of mine which had a bad habit.
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No I don't have electric fencing, I had probably got a bit complacent to be honest as the boys are getting quite big and aggressive now so I thought they could stand up for themselves. Oh well, lesson learned, they will be locked in their shed at sundown every night without fail!
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Sorry :(
could you feed them near the shed in the evenings so they are nearby and when you let them out so they stay near for a while?
Sadly foxy willl probably be back now he's found a food supply.