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In This Issue...
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The Trouble with Free-Range Flocks |
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Donnie the Duck |
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The Function of the Oviduct |
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Thank You to Our "Wish List" Donors |
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The Opening of West Wing |
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All About Pomeranian Geese |
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Get to Know Your Predators: The Timber Wolf/Gray Wolf |
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Recommended
Viewing:
Sitting Ducks: Season 1 |
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Reader Poll #21
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All About
Pomeranian Geese
Pomeranian geese average
15-17 pounds and lay 15-35 eggs annually. Northern German
farmers developed the Pomeranian goose. The
Pomeranian is the only descendent of the European Greylag
specifically bred for a single-lobed paunch.
In North America, however, Pomeranian geese often exhibit
two lobes due to crossbreeding and genetic variations.
Pomeranians are colored white, gray, saddleback buff,
or saddleback gray. Only the Saddleback Pomeranian exists in
North America. The head, back, and flanks of a saddleback
are either buff or gray. All colored feathers of the back
and flank are edged in near-white. The rest of the bird is
white. A Pomeranian should have a pinkish red bill, reddish
orange legs, and blue eyes.
In addition to the
distinctive single lobe, Pomeranian geese have slightly
flattened heads. This, in combination with their stout
necks, protruding breasts, and rounded bodies, gives them
the appearance some breeders describe as "arrogant."
When selecting breeders,
look for birds with chunky bodies and well-defined markings.
When viewed from behind and above, the colored areas of the
backs and shoulders should be reminiscent of the classic
heart shape.
While some Pomeranians are
docile and pleasant, others are quick to read nervous body
language and respond aggressively. They tend to greet visitors noisily, making them excellent "watch
birds." They are a good
all-around breed for a colorful home flock.
Information above obtained
from:
The American
Livestock Breeds Conservancy
Get to Know
Your Predators:
The Timber Wolf/Gray Wolf
The average weight of a Timber Wolf (or
Gray Wolf) is 60 pounds for a female and 75 pounds for a
male.
As with coyotes, wolves will eat anything
they can take down, so your best defense is a good offense,
which includes: tall (at least six feet) and extremely
strong and durable fencing (you might even want to add
electric fencing) capable of taking a large predatory punch.
Be sure to install digging predator barriers as well.
If wolves are in your area, you should be
locking up your ducks at dusk to keep them safe and out of
sight. If wolves are a nuisance in your vicinity, Wolf
Hounds are known to be the best dogs to keep them at bay (if
you decide to go this route, be sure to protect your ducks
from the dogs).
Recommended
Viewing*
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Ordering
information |
Sitting Ducks:
Season One
Sitting Ducks follows the adventures of
Bill, a duck, and Aldo, an alligator. Bill's neighbors in
idyllic Ducktown, Ed, Oly and Waddle, often drag the
mismatched duo into wacky, and sometimes dangerous
adventures. Aldo shows remarkable restraint and patience
with his feathered friends, but other gators, who reside in
neighboring Swampwood, are more interested in ducks as
snacks than as pals.
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For
our full recommended viewing list, click
here. If you order from
Amazon.com by way of our web site, Majestic receives a
portion of the proceeds!
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Reader Poll
#21
Question: What kinds
of predators are in your area? (Check all that apply):
Results of Reader Poll #20 What kinds
of enrichment activities do you do with your ducks and
geese?
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Giving grapes
for treats |
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Sprinklers |
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Giving Other
Snack Treats |
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Talking to
Them |
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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.
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The Trouble With
Free-Range Flocks
 We
get inundated with emails from families who have suffered losses to
their flocks due to predators. Nearly all of these attacks befall
ducks and geese in free-range flocks.
Domestic ducks and geese don't have
teeth or claws, most cannot fly and they have little odds of
outrunning and escaping a predator that enters their yard. If a dog,
coyote, fox, weasel, fisher cat, owl, hawk, eagle or raccoon can
gain access into their yard, it is usually just a matter of time
before they will. And when they do, they often make short work of
your pets.
Ducks and geese in free-range flocks
rarely die of old age; most only live a couple of years at best,
which is a shame since their life expectancies are so much longer
than this.
Flocks should only be allowed
free-range when they are chaperoned and are protected from any
danger. At all other times, they should be protected in enclosures
that keep out flying, climbing, and digging predators.
Donnie the Duck
It
is not uncommon for us to get emails regarding domestic waterfowl on
ponds. Many emails come from locales far out of our reach, where we
are unable to physically assist in the rescue. In these cases it can
be difficult for us to coax the message sender to get actively
involved in the actual rescue.
Donna's email to us was much
different. She contacted us regarding two ducklings who had been
dropped off on a pond in her area. She came to us for advice on how
to catch them and for our assistance in finding them a loving home.
She took control from there.
 Donna
and her husband were relentless in their efforts, and although one
of the ducklings disappeared from the pond, the other duckling was
brought safely into captivity. We had someone local to her area come
in to adopt the duckling almost immediately. The adopting family was
no other than the Kentucky Huffmans! We want to thank them for
reacting on such short notice and offering the little duckling a
place in their home and hearts. They decided to name the duckling
after its rescuer, and have dubbed him Donnie.
Donna, we thank you and your husband
for your dedication and persistence in getting this little guy off
of the water. Your efforts, time and commitment saved his life. He
will forever be loved and well cared for because of your devotion to
the task. You set a wonderful example!
The Function of
the Oviduct
The ovum (egg) is released from the
ovary.
The egg enters the ostium (infundibulum).
Over the next half hour the egg is moved via contracting muscle
fibres. These contractions reduce the diameter of the oviduct and
push the egg along into the magnum region.
Within the magnum region the egg
receives a coating of albumen. This process takes approximately
three hours.
The egg moves into the isthumus
region. Here, the shell membranes are deposited on the egg. This
process takes approximately one hour.
The egg moves into the uterus region
where it receives its outer shell and pigmentation. The egg may
twist and turn as it moves through this region. It takes
approximately twenty hours for the hard outer eggshell to reach
completion.
The egg moves through the vagina and
into the cloaca and is laid.
Single Oviduct
The reproductive system in birds is
usually reduced to a left ovary and oviduct. This unilateral
reduction is thought to have two major benefits:
- It reduces the bird's body
weight
- It prevents the problem of the
bird simultaneously carrying two eggs.
Hens retain a vestigial right
oviduct, which is greatly reduced in size and no longer functional
because it has become unnecessary through the course of evolution.
A Thank You to
Our "Wish List" Donors
On
our website is a "Wish List" where we make note of those items we
need the most at the sanctuary and for rescue efforts.
Many people have
responded by donating much needed equipment and other items. Recent
donations include:
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Patty who
donated a 30' long, patio cooling misting system to help the
ducks and geese beat the summer heat. |
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Carrie
who helped us in the construction of "West Wing," our new
quarantine pen. |
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Chris who
donated a hose and a wonderful goose figure that looks
enough like Ali to have fooled us on more than one occasion! |
And a big heartfelt
Thank You to ALL donors and sponsors; you are truly making a
difference!
Wish List Item Urgently Needed:
A Pair
of Kiddie Pools
We could really use two small kiddie pools for our
new quarantine pen. We are searching for pools that are 3 feet in diameter. If you have them and are in Connecticut (or
willing to deliver them/have them delivered to Connecticut) please
contact us!
Donations for Electric Fencing
We are requesting help
in purchasing a 10 mile, solar powered (with electric back up)
electric fence system. This system will be installed around the
perimeter of all of our existing and future enclosures and will last
the lifetime of Majestic. The one-time cost for this system is
estimated at $700.00. This will increase our level of effectiveness
against stealthy predators and we hope that we can establish this
protective barrier this year to keep out winter predators before the
snow starts to fall. To help, please visit our
Donation Page.
The Opening of
West Wing
Between
cleaning pens, transplanting trees, digging trenches, hog ringing
aviary nets, building ponds, raising fences and keeping our guests
comfortable and entertained, we somehow found the time to build and
open our new quarantine pen. This was a much needed addition to our
sanctuary. We want to thank Lew for donating the grassy mat that
will keep webbed feet nice and cozy and Dad for building the duck
houses.
 West
Wing is located at the west side of our barn. It measures 10'W x
26'L x 6'H. It is completely predator proof and a nice place for new
rescues to relax and enjoy themselves before being relocated to our
other pens.
This pen has enabled us to increase
our bio-security by raising our quarantine period from a minimum of
2 days to a minimum of 14 days. This allows us more time to observe
new ducks and geese before making the decision to move them over to
other enclosures. West Wing is hosed down on a daily basis. We keep
a 10% bleach solution in a spray bottle at the door and our gear is
cleaned as we step out of the enclosure. When birds pass quarantine
the pen is emptied and all of its contents are completely
disinfected in preparation for the next batch of rescues. These
added measures protect our waterfowl and provide a high level of
comfort and security to our adopting families.
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