Friday, June 29, 2012

Goslings

A gosling asleep in the aquarium the first day

This year our incubator has been going non-stop. We have hatched out emu, ducks, turkeys, chickens, red-golden pheasants, quail and turkey.
The goslings have so far been my favorite. They are a few weeks old and are currently grazing on grass outside. Because they were born in the incubator, and I guess because my voice was the first one they heard. I can call to them and they will come running, peeping the whole way. 




We started them out with a commercial starter/grower, being careful that it wasn't medicated.  They can get messy with water, so I watch and limit the water a little at first. A wet, chilled gosling can easily die. I use a 1/2 gal chicken waterer, filling it up 1/2 way. 


By 4 weeks they are outside forging for themselves. I bring them in at night. Even if I get them after the sun has started to set, all I need to do is call, and they will come running. 

As with ducks, they are not ready for any swimming until they get their adult feathers. They have a shallow pan (as you can see in the picture above) but also unlike ducks, they don't seem to be too anxious to get water all over themselves.



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