Now that they’re big enough to keep up, the goslings spend their days wandering outdoors with the flock. The flock has, of course, slowed its pace to accommodate the little ones, and they rest frequently. The goslings are growing quickly and beginning to lose their baby fluff. Soon they’ll have feathers and look like mini-geese. All that
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Finally, after weeks of being penned, the geese and their goslings have earned a few hours of limited yard duty. They didn’t exactly go running out when the barn door swung open though. Nope, Queen Ingrid stretched out her neck, looked all around and checked for hazards. Once Ingrid decided the sunlit barnyard contained no imminent threats,
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The three goslings escaped through the gap under the barn stall door. That shouldn’t have been a surprise. They are, essentially, toddlers. I’ve yet to meet a toddler that doesn’t delight in slipping free of the grownups, giggling and racing away as fast as their little legs will carry them. Why should goslings be any different? The frantic honking of
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After a couple days in the nest, the adult geese finally decided that the three goslings were strong for a short stroll in the sunshine. It apparently was a momentous occasion. The entire flock participated, except for the two geese still setting other nests. Each grown goose paid close attention to the little ones, guiding
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Boot Biter Goose and her nesting partner announce the hatching of three goslings. They’re hiding under the parent geese right now. We actually don’t know which goose is the mama. These two have nested together for weeks, and they’re sharing parenting duties equally. The humans on the farm risked life and limb to assess the
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The goslings have outgrown their day pen, so today I let them run free in the yard. They particularly like the shady leaf litter behind the henhouse.
The goslings took their first swim this afternoon while I cleaned the brooder. Ralphie, our English Shepherd, stayed close and guarded them from the gang of bully roosters. He wouldn’t let the other dogs come near either.
This morning I got the call as I was heading to the barn to milk the cow. My peeps had arrived at the local post office on the morning truck. The 22 turkey poults and 8 goslings made the trip from the hatchery well and are settling in nicely. The turkeys are Kardosh Bronzes, a
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These American Buff goslings will spend their first week in the hose-out brooder. My genius husband built this brooder from the shell of our old dishwasher. It’s the easiest to clean and sanitize – a big plus. Waterfowl babies are MESSY! It’s also the most heat efficient of our brooders.