Mini mom was a Muscovy. I have 3 girls and 2 boys left, all Muscovy. I plan to get additional breeds. We also have 4 Toulouse geese and 26 assorted chickens—all layers. They all keep me laughing and in eggs.
My wife takes about 7 dozen eggs to our local food bank each week. You should see how they light up with smiles when those folks realize they are getting what I call “Gator eggs”... all fresh, brown, free-range and no chemicals..... for free.
Being a herding breed, my GSD has easily adapted to the birds. He helps to herd them in at night. Unfortunately, the geese don’t want anything to do with him, at least not yet. This spring, we are going to try to get a couple of freshly hatched goslings to imprint on Falco.... that might be fun and they would be the safest geese in the county. LOL
We started the chickens when they were 2 day old chicks and they would crawl all over Falco. He seems to think they are his responsibility. Funny, I feed my dog a raw diet. Part of that diet is a quarter chicken a day... he hasn’t put it all together. LOL
I sure do ramble on..... ;>)
Cheers......
Awww....:(
I’m happy though that you have plenty of survivors.
I had 3 Toulouse for about 10 years.
Bob T. Gander could whup anything in this county.
His “wives” Lucy and Gert were a trip.
Lucy was a welfare queen.
She’d lay her eggs in Gert’s nest and poor sweet, motherly Gert would happily accept them amongst her own.
Then Lucy would take off and run with Bob, leaving Gert to brood them.
Never had any hatch though [makes ya wonder about Bob, don’t it?] and I hated to do it but I had to take the eggs away from Gert and get rid of them or she’d brood until she starved to death.
Unfortunately, Bob would hear her shrieking and come running to flop the bejeebers outta me.
Whatever.
The eggs had to go or she’d die.
[Lucy was *such* an irresponsible tramp]
When the Canadian geese would fly overhead from the ponds, they’d all run below, trying to join them.
Sometimes Lucy would actually make it over the fence, if she a good tail wind.
Then she’d run around the fence, screaming hysterically to get put back *in*.
Poor dumb goose never figured out the whole “action/consequence” thing.
I miss having chickens.
I raised them from peepees out in the kitchen and taught them silly tricks.
[it’s an old farmhouse...nothing odd about that]...:)
Hubby ate a “real” egg once and was put off by it.
He’s used to those anemic things from the market.
I didn’t even bother offering him scrambled goose eggs.
They would’ve really blown his mind.
Now I’ve just got the dogs, the goats and one remaining rabbit.
[10+ year old Booger passed last month...sweet old guy]
Psycho Bunny [*not* the FReeper] doesn’t really seem to care that he’s gone.
Just leaves more carrots, hay and sweet feed for her, I reckon.
The Ibizans would run the goats because they resemble their “natural prey” too much.
I’m not sure what Odin thinks of them.
He and Spike, my little black pygmy doe will stand, totally immobile, for 10-15 minutes, just staring at each other through the fence.
Maybe they’re playing “statue”.
“I sure do ramble on..... ;>)”
Lawd, you was bawn a ramblin’ man.....LOL