Gossie and Ossie hid from and then played in the snow for the first time Tuesday.
These lovely gray and white geese, now 7 months old, quickly took in stride the sudden change in the weather. They, along with Seb, my old gander, and Julie, my relatively new addition to the flock, have been getting along famously in the small goose pen ever since they were placed separately from the main flock.
The two young ones always approach me with their fluffed-out, dark gray cheeks in more curiosity than fear. They know that when I appear, I’ll bring vegetable scraps, lots of pieces of bread, and sometimes some whole heads of lettuce along with the cracked corn and grain. They look me straight in the eye, then start talking.
Meanwhile, in the main goose pen, Finny maintains his kingly status, sometimes joined by his brother, Shamus. He still comes when I appear, and will beg for me to sit on the concrete block inside of the pen so he can play with my hair. He’s still just as gorgeously beautiful as he has always been.
The other two goslings from this year, Summer and Solstice, also know I will bring them lots to eat. Until Tuesday’s snowstorm, they and the others were let out of the pen to try to find some remaining green grass. And I will let them all out occasionally throughout the winter to play in the snow.
The most amazing goose right now is Dufey.
She is still laying a large, white egg about every other day, so we have had lots of goose egg suppers. I must check her nest in the coop quite frequently so I can gather her gift before it freezes.
She’s amazing. She apparently doesn’t know that geese aren’t supposed to lay eggs until March. Because of her generosity (or messed up internal system), she provides us with a goose egg supper every week.
Meanwhile, in the duck coop, both the girls and the boys have changed into their very dark winter feathers. They are so well trained by now that I don’t even have to enter their pen when it’s dark to herd them into the coop for the night. The first sign of me walking from the back of the garage onto the back stoop triggers a quick and purposeful marching into the coop where they can bury themselves in fresh hay to keep warm for the night.
Ever since a weasel or raccoon killed Millie’s brother and sister, (Millie, Billie and Tillie were my first three khaki Campbell ducks) I don’t let them stay outside after dark. And with the short daylight hours now, the poor things are enclosed for much longer.
We have strung a light bulb into the coop that hangs from the eaves to help keep them warm when the weather really turns frigid.
The geese don’t need it. They are experts at tucking their feet into their down, and burying their beaks into their wings. Nature has provided such skill to these wonderful birds.
On Tuesday, I had to shovel myself into the main goose pen to give my wonderful flock their water, grain and corn. This was the first of many times I will shovel my way in this winter. But they continue to provide me with so much joy and amusement that shoveling is a small price to pay.
Dufey will likely stop laying soon to give her body a break. But then, in three months, all my girls will be building nests and laying large, white, mild-flavored eggs.
I know I probably shouldn’t let any more goslings hatch, but spring is so much more wonderful when the miracle of birth occurs once again, and I can watch the little ones grow from fluffy goslings, to gangling teens, then finally into majestic and beautiful geese.
Finny, me and all the flock wish everyone a happy and successful New Year.
Eileen M. Adams has been raising pet geese for more than a dozen years. She never fails to be amazed and amused by their antics. She may be reached at petsplants@midmaine.com
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