I had some advice from Mike (http://mrandmrshalpern.blogspot.com/ ) about gosling care. He suggested I take the little ones out of their shed on a regular basis for some "quality time" on pastures new. So this morning and this afternoon we have sat out in the front garden for a play.I cannot stress this enough, goslings are a real delight. They are affectionate and careful and when unsure of anything immediately adopt the bowed posture of the adult bird.
Every time I moved around the garden, they mirrored every movement and only seemed content when either sat on mylegs and lap or in the safe shade, underneath my arm.
The rest of the day ( apart from making fish cakes for Chris' supper and walking the dogs twice) I have been concentrating on Operation Fox Watch.It has taken over 5 hours, but I have strimmed the whole of the bottom of the field of the untidy tussocks and 4 foot grass and nettles that would camouflage any attacking fox. I have plugged the holes in the hawthorn hedge with branches and thorn bushes and had a brief fantasy of planting land mines along the fox run by the stream. Tonight I will keep guard over the field from 7 pm. Anymore problems and it will be gun time!
The goslings are really cute!
ReplyDeleteGetting ready for Mr/Mrs Fox, huh? Good idea to get rid of hiding places and spots for them to run through. I'm with you on the land mine thing :-) They will have too much open area, that may be a deterrent! Could you maybe sting some can "bells" across various spots along the fox run? It would startle it... maybe.
Oh! they are beautiful. Have you got a catapult? xxx
ReplyDeleteGooses are cool, but I don't have the land or water for them, really. From my experience, they are chasers if you're not moma or daddy. They are cute, though. Tracey might need a good smack.
ReplyDelete~Randy
Oh, they really are very sweet! S x
ReplyDeleteYour little goslings provided me and the girls I work with, with a needed aaaaaawwwww on a wild Monday here at work!! They really are cute John!!
ReplyDeleteI hope all in your flock stay safe from the fox!
Just like Went the Day Well - only eithout the Nazis!
ReplyDeleteHello John! Aren't goslings just the cuttest little critters..I love the way they want to be around us human moms and dads. I was working in the garden this morning (before the 100 degree temps hit) and the geese walked along the garden fence chatting to me. If I got out of sight they'd call out..as only geese can do! Enjoy your babies and good luck with getting that fox...take care. Maura :)
ReplyDeleteYou are such a good 'mama' to all your critters making sure they as safe as you can make it for them.
ReplyDeleteThose golsings are adorable. Had no idea they had such personalities. Of course, this is coming from the same person who had no idea chickens were characters.
If you can keep the poultry safe for a few months, the Goslings might just be your answer! If one of them grows up to be a gander, I'm here to tell you, those things can be VICIOUS! My big, grey, Tolouse gander would chase any dogs AND my ex-husband...
ReplyDeletePlus they make a racket to set of an alarm when they sense danger. I was going to have my pair as my livestock guardian geese but they started chasing my ewes as well...
But, if they like you, they're adorable. ;-)
How absolutely adorable those goslings are. I had no idea that they could be so friendly. My only experience with geese were a couple at a farm I was boarding my horse at. They were NOT friendly and would even chase the horses.
ReplyDeletethanks everyone for the cute comments!!!
ReplyDeleteas for Bel...I see myself as the postmistress with the axe!!
I am glad they loved it! We let them follow us around during our daily chores too. They love that as well. They will follow you so close, and then they will see something tasty. Then they will stop, eat a little, then run as fast as they can to catch up. They are so easily pleased. I'm glad you had a good day!
ReplyDeleteAdorable!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the fox watch. I have deep, deep gosling-envy.
ReplyDeletecute baby!
ReplyDeleteYour goslings are just cuteness and sound like wonderful little friends :O)...
ReplyDeleteYour question on how hot we get during the day... right now we are over a 100 pretty much daily, two days back actual temp 102 with enough humidity to choke a horse, so you can imagine what the heat index was that day...we will have these temps for a few months...we are not a dry heat like Arizona we are a humid heat. I never can understand how we can have all this humidity and yet we can't buy a drop of rain this time of year!