I was going to tell you about the goslings progress yesterday but the first big bonfire of the year Thursday night kinda got it the way; I actually slept in somewhat Friday morning. With daybreak so early and the temps so friendly I just cant make myself sit back down at the desk once milking is over; keep this in mind if youre trying to reach me by email during the day. Ill check it sporadically but sporadic is directly proportionate to the weather. The nicer it is out the less time I spend in. The goslings concur; they have a shelter but Ive yet to see them use it. They spend their days scooting from one perfect patch of clover to another then at night just plop in a pile against the tree or fence. Growing like proverbial weeds they are; only two weeks old and already easily quadrupled their size. This is the first year Ive had a sizable, naturally grassed area available and properly fenced for raising water fowl like ducks or geese. Its the first year Ive raised geese as well but I have raised ducks many times in the past. But in a smaller enclosure that, while plenty roomy, nonetheless was mainly bare dirt and unpalatable growth. The hassle factor of providing them with a natural diet and clean water always ended up tipping the scale into the never again column by seasons end though I did forget the unpleasantness several times over the years and try again. Now with this pen set up though Ive got it figured out. They are loose to putter around approximately 4000 square feet of nice pasture and I can set water pans throughout. When they yucky one up it is easily dumped on the grass and moved a few feet before refilling thus avoiding a muddy area. Their droppings disappear to nourish the greenery instead of building up in a smear on the dirt. Best of all there is more than sufficient pasture growth to allow them to self feed on a completely natural diet. The only supplemental feed Im giving them is a few piles of sunflower seeds daily; any they dont eat now will sprout into another nutritious offering. And its obvious they are just happy as can be; its quite enjoyable to just sit a spell and watch them busy around. I placed convenient straw bale seating adjacent the pen for just that purpose (plus to block a possible exit) and make it a point to pause daily for a dose of Goslings in Heaven. Just one more channel to surf on the Firesign Farm network!
Posted on: Sat, 24 May 2014 09:43:54 +0000
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