nce upon a time, there was a young girl who lived on a little farm with her family just outside a small town in Oklahoma. Every day she was surrounded by animals of all kinds, but she dreamed of having some to care for her all on her own. But what kind of animal would she choose? There were already chickens and pigs and goats. There were donkeys and rabbits. There was no room for more dogs or cats. There was not enough pasture for a cow or a horse.
For a time there had been ducks on the farm, but they were messy and seemed unhappy without a pond to play in. She had liked the ducks though. And so an idea was born: What about geese? The family agreed that geese would be a good addition to the farm. They could warn us when intruders arrive and keep the grass trimmed neatly in the summer. They are happy with small amounts of water and could stand to wait until a bigger pond could be installed.
It was decided that Emily should buy her first geese in the spring when it would be easier to raise goslings. There would be plenty of time to set up a brooder and outdoor area for her flock. But then one day in October at the feed store, there were goslings. Emily was patient, but her mother was not and goslings are very cute. That day Emily went home with just one gosling to keep as a pet until she was ready for a real flock in the spring.
Combining her love for trees and other botanical pursuits with her new interest in geese, Emily named her little gosling 'Willow'. Willow stayed in the kitchen because it was cold outside. Emily played with her, talked to her, fed her, took her for walks, and read to her from her books. As the weather warmed up and Willow continued to grow, Emily went out every morning with her book and a bucket of feed to visit. She could always be found sitting in the grass even on the chilliest of mornings with a book in one hand and an arm wrapped around Willow. The goose followed Emily everywhere. She had a special honk that she used only when she saw Emily. They were inseparable and happy and sweet.
She was not entirely sure if Willow was a boy or a girl. The name worked either way, but adding more geese to the flock would take a little planning. In mid-spring, an order was placed for two female geese to be delivered as goslings as soon as they hatched. That way, if Willow was a boy the flock would get off to a great start. But if Willow was a girl, at least there would be no fighting over territory. Emily anxiously awaited the arrival of her new geese.
But before the new geese ever arrived, Willow died. Suddenly. There was no obvious illness. There were no signs of injury. The night before we had all said our good-nights as usual, with waves and honks and a handful of treats at the gate to the backyard. Yet, the next morning, she was gone.
After that terrible morning, Emily still went on to raise a flock of geese as planned. She decided to raise them all in honor of her friend, Willow. Today, Willow's flock has grown to include as many as twenty-eight named, loved, and pampered geese & ganders. During breeding season, Emily carefully incubates the eggs from her best geese and sells the goslings to earn money for feed, books, and maybe college someday. She can still be found sitting under a tree with a book and a goose or two.
WEEPING WILLOW
|
On African Geese.
Our flock is comprised of African Geese. These geese look very similar to Chinese geese because they basically are Chinese geese. The African Goose is not at all from Africa, but instead its origins are found in China. It is believed that they were originally the result of breeding a Chinese Swan Goose with some type of domestic goose (perhaps even a domesticated Chinese goose - which would make the two types even more closely related). In general, the African Goose is heavier with a more prominent knob at the top of the bill than its Chinese cousin. African Geese which are selectively bred (such as for show) also tend to have a pronounced dewlap. However, we find that very often due to confusion between the two breeds as well as non-selective breeding practices on most farms - most geese you find in feed store bins or at the local auction are most likely a mix between African and Chinese. Therefore, the characteristics that normally distinguish the two types are diminished.
Our breeding program.
Our current flock consists of pure bred African Geese as well a couple pure bred Chinese Geese. The remainder of the flock is crossed between the two. Emily has decided that she will be adding more pure bred Africans to her breeding stock in the future in order to increase the African traits in her flock. Chinese Geese are slender and elegant and are more prolific egg-layers than the Africans - and these are qualities that we definitely want to keep. However, the smaller stature and more docile nature of the Chinese has made them more susceptible to predation when kept in a free-range environment. Emily hopes to raise a flock that retains the best qualities from both varieties.
Emily has also recently added three beautiful White Chinese geese to her flock. She is excited to see what these girls might add to her breeding program.
"Why do I need a goose?" |
|
|
Before you buy...
How much do they eat? Do they need a pond? Aren't they really mean? Can I keep a guard goose to protect my animals?People often have many questions when they are considering adding geese to their farm. Even if you are not considering buying from us, we will gladly take the time to answer your questions. In the meantime, you can find more information about the care of geese & goslings on our aptly named Care of Geese & Goslings page.
|
What it's like to be greeted by a flock of geese in the morning.
|
