The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Anke on May 06, 2017, 03:12:32 pm
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Seeing the photos of newly hatched goslings... our pair (Pilgrim gander 3yo and proven fertile last year, and Brecon Buff female, unknown age, but not old, hatched eggs last year successfully) have not produced ANY eggs this spring. Goosey never even built a nest like she did last year... I can't justify keeping these two for another year, so having to think of how best to resolve this... We do want geese (for meat) and I like the idea of the auto-sexing offspring, which is were the Pilgrims came in originally. Do I cull the BB female only and try and replace her with either another Pilgrim (preferably but no near breeders) or another female goose of any breed (but not a large one) or need to replace both or does anyone want a Pilgrim Gander ( think he has all the correct markings etc), and I try and source another pair?
I love to have my geese around, but with the need for separate electric fencing and housing I cannot keep them either as pets or keep more than one pair...
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Our geese laid really well last year but this year our top girl hasn't laid a single egg and until this week her mate wasn't even mating with her. We have thought that my be it was keeping them in for bird flu that has affected her so we are giving her until next spring. Did you keep yours inside at all?
Dans
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No they weren't kept inside at all during bird flu period, as I do not have the facility to do so, their house is only 4ftx3ft. Just fed inside at shutting in time. So I don't think it was that.
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It's the only thing we can think of that has put our girl off lay. Either that or it's just a bad year. Our other goose was a really good layer last year is laying this year but has gone off lay twice already.
Dans