New goslings, many questions!

[albertthegoose]

Hello all! My name is Isabella, and I have a few questions regarding goslings!

I’ve neither owned nor hatched young birds until recently, when I ordered a batch of five eggs from EBay. They were collected from a mixed flock of Embden and Dewlap Toulouse geese, and the seller seemed quite reputable. I decided, given the amount of free time I now have (I don’t have any obligations until [maybe] September, seeing as I’m a student), I would try my hand at incubating a few eggs.

My experience was limited to the time my family, quite a few years ago, took on some elderly laying hens until their unfortunate hawk-related demise. I knew that a wanted geese, so I did the appropriate research, began fencing in my property, and prepared to dig a small pond.

Flash forward to hatch day! Although all five eggs were fertile, only three pipped. And while hatch did have its complications, all three goslings are progressing well, and nearing a week old! They’re little joys, currently being raised by hand in my house until they are old enough to have free range of my shed and backyard. Their days are spent napping with me and grazing outside, with careful watch for our resident peregrine.

However, this whole process of hatch has led to a few unprecedented questions! First of all, the breeder explicitly stated that offspring of his flock would be a cross of Toulouse and Embden (although the flock was comprised of males and females, of both breeds). I’ll post pictures of all goslings, but I wonder, are some of them pure Dewlap Toulouse or Embden? To me, the solid yellow gosling looks all Embden, while the patched grey and yellow gosling also looks Embden, but has a darker beak/stockier legs. Is the second gosling a cross? I was most surprised by the third gosling, who has a drastically different colored beak and darker feet. She had the most hatching complications, but, once fluffed, looks pure Toulouse. Those of you who have Embden and Toulouse goslings what do you think?

My second question involves a dense and distinct tuft of feathers/down above their tail. It’s markedly shorter than all other feathers, and seems quite itchy to them. Is this a patch of down that’s growing in? Do all goslings have this?

Finally, I have a question about the noises they make. When I leave the room, they make a loud, high cry that is clearly a distress call of some kind. When I call for them, the saunter over with their heads a bit lowered (although it doesn’t appear to be a show of aggression), crooning softly. They also chatter amongst themselves. The only noise I cannot translate is a purring sound, a series of peeps emitted in a single exhale. Is this a sound of contentment? Of being cold? Typically they make it when they come in close, so I wonder whether this is them seeking attention or heat. What do you all think?

In any case, thank you for reading this post! As a newbie to birds, this site has been a valuable resource. Also, a shoutout to Pete’s post for being of such aid during incubation! Thanks guys!

 

[Wicked Storm]

Hey there!! I as well just started raising my own gosling, however mine a Canada. When you leave them alone and they come over they are greeting you! That is their way of greeting. To answer your second question this is a patch of down that is growing in and their quills are very itchy. You'll begin to see patches of dead skin to come off as well. And, if one ever has an accident on the carpet and it leaves a stain one of my threads has the answer to that as well you're geese are very cute by the way!! I can't answer your first question though...

 

[Ducks 4 life]

The noise is contentment . Geese imprint very quickly when young. It's fine to imprint when you can spend all of your time with them like all of it!! But since your a student and that time may not be possible. Try to keep them someplace where they get to understand that they are geese and that you are the person that feeds them. It's good to have friendly birds but don't over do it. Other wise you will need a goose sitter. Right now they see you as momma goose by the sounds of it. As for the coloring. The dark one with black feet and bills defiantly seems a true Toulouse but the other 2 hard to say until fully feathered. Well the middle pic is defiantly a mix because Toulouse have black feet and bills when born. . The second could be fully embdem or mixed. As for feathering goslings will have mostly pin feathers by 3 weeks old. They don't need the brooder for long. Hope this helps. Would love to answer anymore questions. It's awesome that you took up geese they are awesome creatures !!

 

[albertthegoose]

@Wicked Storm, thank you! And your Canadian gosling is beautiful! I was wondering why they kept itching that particular tuft, but it makes sense that it would be uncomfortable!
@Ducks 4 life, thank you as well! Your response has helped a lot! On the topic of imprinting, you make a very good point, as I would like them to be friendly but wish to discourage any separation anxiety. When they go outside, they seem pretty independents, and have little hesitation to wandering about. I’m hoping that, once moved outside, they’ll drift from dependency, especially in one another’s company.
And geese are most certainly awesome creatures! I feel so fortunate to be raising them, and look forward to the times to follow!

 

[Wicked Storm]

@Wicked Storm, thank you! And your Canadian gosling is beautiful! I was wondering why they kept itching that particular tuft, but it makes sense that it would be uncomfortable!
@Ducks 4 life, thank you as well! Your response has helped a lot! On the topic of imprinting, you make a very good point, as I would like them to be friendly but wish to discourage any separation anxiety. When they go outside, they seem pretty independents, and have little hesitation to wandering about. I’m hoping that, once moved outside, they’ll drift from dependency, especially in one another’s company.
And geese are most certainly awesome creatures! I feel so fortunate to be raising them, and look forward to the times to follow!

Once they are able too fly they should be more independent, but now that they view you as the mother you won't be able to leave them until about 3 1/2 months from now. I know my geese begin to fly around 3 months with no complications regarding health. So they should be flying around the end of August, and will be ready around school time to be left. Now that I'm being homeschooled I don't have to worry about that anymore. Hopefully no complications occur because that would give some issues. Just to give an example last season I had a goose that has a very badly injured leg. By the time I got it healed it was way behind his siblings in growth and I had to watch after him until he went back into the marsh to join them. He was flying a month after he should have been. This is because his body focused on fixing his leg instead of growing. I have him NutriDrench to make him grow in order to catch up. Not to be too long in my speal but just an example (that goose is my profile pic btw). Hopefully all goes well and that doesn't happen. Since they have siblings they will be more independent. Good luck!!! We're happy to answer all your questions!!

 

[Goosebaby]

The short feathered spot on their back near their tail is a preen gland, it produces waterproofing oil that they rub across their body.

The scream when you leave their sight is just that, they’re crying for you to come back because naturally they would always have a parent in sight to protect them.

The lowered head chirping is a greeting.

The purring, or happy squees as I personally call them is a happy sound of contentment.

I’ve been researching color genetics myself, color isn’t always an indicator of breed in a mixed flock, I think there’s a chance all the babies are crosses.

To get white goslings both parents that carry the spotted and dilute genes are needed.
It’s possible that if one of the grey parents was a carrier for the genes and they bred with the white geese some of the offspring will be dilute or white.
The yellow one could be a white male, the darker baby with the pink beak could be a white female or possibly dilute or spotted of unknown sex “the dilute gene is sex linked so with white breeds it’s sometimes possible to auto sex them at hatching based on their colors, males will be lighter, females darker. The baby with the dark beak will likely be grey but that doesn’t mean he/she is purebred.

I’m new to studying goose genetics so I may be wrong, this is the guide I’ve been using to unravel my personal mystery of how I seem to have gotten a white gosling, https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/our-guide-to-colour-and-pattern-genetics-in-geese.561779/