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In This Issue...

	Consider Life Expectancy Before Adopting
	Preventing Injuries During Breeding Season
	Eggs, Eggs & More Eggs
	All about Canada Geese
	Get to Know Your Predators: Domestic Dog
	Recommended Reading: Ornithology
	Reader Poll #17

All About Canada Geese The Canada goose has a long black neck and head with a white band on its cheeks and running under its chin. It has a black bill, black feet, and a light tan body with lighter brown or white under its tail. Males and females look alike although females are usually a little smaller. Though the Canada goose has been grown in captivity, it is not related at all to any domestic breeds and because of this many people assume it is flighty and nervous. That is not at all true. In fact many people say it is the best pet they have ever had - very calm, curious and friendly. They are very good at hatching and raising their own young though they may be several years old before eggs are laid. Pinioning or feather clipping is required to keep them at home as they are very good flyers. A free permit is supplied by many commercial hatcheries but if you sell or give away Canadians a breeder’s license must be obtained from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Wild Canada geese are classified as migratory birds and, as such, are subject to Federal wildlife laws. According to these laws it's illegal to adopt wild Canada geese as pets. While they can be easily domesticated, and probably would make fine pets, it would hardly seem fair to keep them in captivity against their will. Exceptions, of course, would include those that are crippled or otherwise unable to fend for themselves in the wild. Wildlife rehabilitators frequently rescue injured geese that get hit by cars, are injured by fishing line, or crippled by hunters. Metzer Farms in Gonzales, California sells "maxima strain" Canada Geese goslings which weigh 9-13 lbs. when mature. There is a minimum order of six goslings and a free permit is supplied. Get to Know Your Predators: Domestic Dog Domestic dogs can weigh anywhere from 2-200 pounds. They are found in close association with humans nearly worldwide. If you don’t have a dog, one or more of your neighbors most likely does, so you will need to keep this potential predator in mind when building your enclosure. Dogs range in temperament from gentle to ferocious depending on nature and nurture. However, even the gentlest pet dog, can turn in a moment of excitement and cause harm to your waterfowl -- even if there has never been a problem before. For this reason, you should never leave your dog alone in the company of your waterfowl. We have heard many stories of wonderful and friendly family pets suddenly deciding a chase would be fun. When the duck or goose makes a break for it, the dog gets overly excited and bites at the bird. Puppies or young dogs should never be allowed near waterfowl or their babies because their playfulness can easily cause serious injuries or even death. Be extremely cautious when introducing a goose or duck of any age to a dog (and never introduce waterfowl to an aggressive dog). Have the dog sit and stay and allow it to smell the duck or goose well outside of biting range. One person should hold the dog’s collar while another person holds the duck or goose well out of reach. Dogs are often known for their jealousies, so be extremely cautious with your feathered friend. Your fencing should be at least six feet tall (remember, even if you don’t own a dog, a stray or neighbor's dog could always come wandering onto your property). Fencing should be small enough in weave to keep out a small dog and it should be made of galvanized wire that cannot be bitten through. Try to picture an excited dog jumping up and down and pounding its front paws on the fencing over and over again and make your fence strong enough to withstand this type of problem. Digging predator barriers are also a must to keep out a dog. Reader Poll #17 Question: Which types of fresh eggs have you eaten? Check all types you have eaten: Duck Eggs Goose Eggs Quail Eggs Ostrich Eggs Chicken Eggs Voting Has Closed. Please see next issue for results. Results of Reader Poll #16 Which Pekin is your favorite?   Donald Duck 15% Daisy Duck 0% Aflac 54% Joey's Duck on Friends 23% Howard the Duck 0% Scrooge McDuck 0% Jemima Puddle Duck 0% Huey, Dewey and Louie 8%   Contact Us Majestic Waterfowl Sanctuary 17 Barker Road Lebanon, CT 06249 director@majesticwaterfowl.org Our Newsletter The Majestic Monthly is published 12 times per year. Back issues can be obtained online from our Newsletter Archives.

Consider Life Expectancy Before Adopting

When adding a duck or goose to your family, remember to take their lifespan into consideration. Many people mistakenly think that ducks and geese only live a couple of years. The lifespan of a duck averages about 8-10 years, with some of them living up to 15 years. A goose will average about 15-20 years, with some of them living up to 30 years.

We are often contacted by teenagers interested in adopting birds. Our first question is always, who will take care of the animal when you go to college? Life changes fast for young folks setting off into the world. Parents can quickly inherit a couple of pets that they are not as enthused about as are their children. Parents should take this into consideration before agreeing that duck/goose ownership is right for the family.

People living in temporary apartments should also refrain from adopting since their living situation can change very quickly, leaving animals without a home. Most of the surrendered animals who come to Majestic come from apartments. Owners had to find a new place to live and could not find or afford one that welcomed their duck. Owners are often left in a desperate situation and have no choice but to relinquish their beloved pet.

Preventing Injuries During the Breeding Season

This is the time of year when drakes are most interested in their hens. In order to prevent injuries to your drakes and hens (and ganders and geese), there are a few things to keep in mind.

Flocks avoid most mating injuries when a single drake is penned with a minimum of three to four hens.

Drake hormones begin to surge near the end of winter (February). Hormone levels intensify throughout the spring and summer, leading to overly aggressive behavior in drakes.

Drakes often need to be separated from one another to prevent them from fighting and hurting each other, or from hurting the hens they are competing over. It is not uncommon for competing drakes to drown the hen they are vying for.

Hens can be very easily injured if they are housed with more than one drake, a drake too large for them, or if a drake does not have enough hens as companions. Over-mating can lead to serious leg and hip injuries in hens as drakes mount them on land. Excessive mating can also lead to oviduct prolapse. This occurs when the oviduct (egg laying tube) falls outside of a hen’s body while laying her egg. If your hen has an always-present bare spot on the back of her neck or has a batch of feathers missing from under her wings, your drake may not be giving her the break she needs. Give your hens some time off and separate them from their drake with a dividing fence, or consider adding another hen or two to your flock to lighten your hen’s load. This is obviously only an option if you have the space available to accommodate added hens; you don’t want to overcrowd your flock. When choosing a hen, try to select a girl that is equal to or larger than your drake. This will help lessen the likelihood of her becoming injured during mating. A large drake can easily injure or drown a small hen during mating.

Multiple drake flocks with no hens can often lead to peace and harmony. Be careful not to assume that these boys will remain friends if hens are introduced. Even drakes who were raised up together from ducklings will quickly turn to rivals when a hen is introduced to a flock—even if the hen is kept in a neighboring pen out of their reach.

In the fall (September) and through to mid-winter, drake hormones wane off. At this time it is sometimes possible for multiple drakes (especially those who have been raised up together from ducklings) to be reintroduced and allowed to share enclosures together with hens without incident.

Eggs, Eggs, and Even MORE Eggs!

Duck Eggs

Duck Eggs are slightly larger than chicken eggs. The chalaza in a duck egg is not as noticeable as it is in a chicken egg and the white is more transparent with less yellow coloring. They have more flavor than chicken eggs, but they also have a higher fat content and more cholesterol. The egg white has a greater level of albumen (the protein of the egg white) than a chicken egg. Because of their richness and gelatinous properties, duck eggs are well suited for dessert recipes. The duck eggs that are usually available to consumers are quite large, but producers sell duck eggs in sizes ranging from very small to jumbo.

Goose Eggs

Goose Eggs are much larger than chicken or duck eggs. They have more flavor than chicken eggs, are very rich, and like duck eggs, are best used in dessert dishes. Goose eggs are extremely high in cholesterol (over 1200 mg. per egg) and fat, so they should be used sparingly.

Quail Eggs

Quail Eggs are much smaller than chicken eggs, but the flavor is similar. Five quail eggs are equal to one chicken egg. The shells are speckled and range in color from dark brown to blue or white. Quail eggs are often hard-boiled and served as an hors d'oeuvre, garnish, or accompaniment for salads.

Ostrich Eggs

Ostrich Eggs are hard to find, but one egg goes a long way. One ostrich egg is equal to 20 to 24 large chicken eggs. They are mainly sold for novelty value and one egg can be made into several large omelets or it can be scrambled.

Chicken Eggs

Standard or commercially produced chicken eggs are used more often than any other type of chicken egg. Chicken eggs with white shells make up the bulk of the eggs sold in food stores, but sometimes eggs with brown shells are available. The color of the shell is determined by the breed of the hen. The only difference between white and brown eggs is the color - there is no difference in flavor or nutritional value.

Recommended Reading*

Ornithology
By Frank B. Gill

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Description:

Frank Gill offers the most comprehensive, up-to-date look at ornithology available. Not just a catalogue of species, it takes a conceptual, research-based approach to communicating an understanding of birds, providing an interpretive context that gives focus and meaning to the details of avian life.

Covers the impact of evolution on birds, especially the integration of morphological, behavioral, and physiological adaptations; contemporary research on communication and learning, social behavior, mating and reproduction, and population and community ecology; and contributions of avian biology to such fields as ecology, sociobiology, population biology, and biogeography.

This textbook is utilized in nearly all college level ornithology classes. It has been highly recommended to Majestic in response to our inquiries to veterinarians and college professors all over the country. This book, in companionship with Noble S. Proctor’s Manual of Ornithology, Avian Structure and Function, is a high recommend for duck and goose owners interested in educating themselves on bird structure and function.