My Geese in Autumn
For those of you asking how my geese are doing, they're all doing great and thriving here at my Bedford, New York farm.
I currently have 17 beautiful geese. I’ve had Pomeranian guard geese for many years, but I also keep Sebastopol geese, Toulouse geese, African geese, and Chinese geese. They all reside in a large enclosure outside my stable and next door to the peafowl, where they have lots of room to roam, a number of dipping pools, and a shelter providing ample shade, protection from strong winds, and a safe place to nest and lay eggs. Yesterday, we also added some hay to their pen - where they can keep warm on cold nights. Geese are very resilient animals and love the outdoors in all kinds of weather. I am glad they are happy here at Cantitoe Corners.
Here are some of the latest photos, enjoy.
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- Every year, when the cold weather sets in for the season, we put down a large bed of hay for the geese. It serves as a bed for keeping warm, but it also allows for good footing when it’s icy. We use hay grown right here at the farm. The older hay my horses won’t eat is perfect for use as insulation around my greenhouses and for the geese enclosure.
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- If this is happiness, I think my African geese are very pleased with the delivery of hay.
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- Word of the hay spread fast – all the geese are on their way to inspect the delivery.
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- This one is also flapping its wings. Although their heavier weight and build make flying challenging, most domestic geese are capable of flying short distances with strong flapping and a good headwind.
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- These four made themselves right at home – I think they like their new bed, don’t you? Waterfowl don’t need roosts – they are very happy gathering together and sleeping on the ground.
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- My goose pen is just outside my stable. Eveyone stops to greet the geese when they visit. And the geese all love to watch the activity around the farm.
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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 other 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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- 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. Sebastopol geese cannot fly well due to the curliness of their feathers and have difficulty getting off the ground.
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- These two in the center are my 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 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.
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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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- Geese are grazing birds that 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. And we always give them lots of vegetables from my gardens. They pick at them during the day.
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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 be a bit insistent.
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- These geese 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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- Whenever someone comes near, the geese all come waddling over to see what is happening – they are very curious birds.
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- Some even “sound the alarms.”
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- Domestic geese have plump bodies, slender necks, and humped bills that taper at the end of the mouth. Some geese have rounder heads than others. Geese have impressive visual capabilities. The way their eyes are structured allows them to see things in much finer detail at a further distance than humans. They can also see UV light and can control each of their eyes independently.
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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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- And 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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- Geese are very hardy and adaptable to cold climates. Waterfowl don’t mind the cold at all. Here they are just enjoying the afternoon at the farm. See you soon, my geese.
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