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In This Issue...
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Park Rescue |
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Waterfowl Lice |
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Diurnal Birds of Prey |
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Call All Fire Depts! |
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All about
Chinese Geese |
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Recommended Reading:
Manual of Ornithology |
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Reader Poll #13
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All about
Chinese Geese
Chinese geese are
considered by many to be the most graceful and beautiful
member of the goose family. They are elegant and dignified
on both land and water. Sometimes referred to as "Swan
Geese" because of their long and graceful necks, they, in
fact, descend from the wild swan goose native to Asia.
There are two color
varieties of Chinese geese: brown and white. The white
variety has blue eyes, pure white plumage, and bright orange
feet, knobs, and bills. Both varieties were admitted to the
American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection in
1874.
The Chinese goose is
refined and curvaceous. Its bill is relatively long and
slender, with a large, rounded, erect knob that attaches to
its forehead. The Chinese holds its head high. Its body is
short, compact, has a prominent and well-rounded chest,
smooth breast and no keel. The tail
should be held high, which is worth noting as this is a good
indication of vitality in ganders. A Chinese goose is often
heavier than it appears, as its feathers are closely fitted.
Mature ganders average 12 pounds, mature geese average 10
pounds.
Chinese geese are
exceptionally practical. Of all breeds, they are the best
layers, most active foragers, and, except for Pilgrims, are
the easiest to sex at maturity. With good management, the
average Chinese goose produces nearly twice as many goslings
as other geese, laying 40 - 100 white eggs annually. Because
they are alert and vocal, they will raise the alarm if a
threat is perceived.
Chinese geese eat many
grasses and plants. If properly managed they can be employed
as weeders. In fact, poultry catalogs often refer to this
breed as "Weeder Geese." Chinese geese are by far the most
popular breed for weeding chores due to their active
foraging habits, moderate size, unmatched agility, good
availability, and reasonable prices.
The Chinese is a hardy
breed. However, their knobs will freeze when temperatures
fall below 20-25 degrees Fahrenheit (-5 degrees Celsius).
For this reason, it is important to provide Chinese geese
extra protection during cold weather.
Chinese geese are a most
economical breed. Stock are generally the less expensive
than other breeds. Their smaller size coupled with their
active foraging ability means they do not require as much
food as other breeds. For those looking for "watchdogs"
Chinese are an excellent choice for the home flock.
The information above was
obtained from the following:
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
Recommended
Reading*
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Ordering
information |
Manual of Ornithology:
Avian Structure and Function
By Noble S. Proctor
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For
our full recommended reading list, click
here. If you order from
Amazon.com by way of our web site, Majestic receives a
portion of the proceeds! |
Book Description
This book -- a visual guide
to the structure and anatomy of birds -- is one of the most
heavily illustrated ornithology references ever written. A
concise atlas of anatomy, it contains more than 200
specially prepared accurate and clear drawings that include
material never illustrated before. The text is as
informative as the drawings; written at a level appropriate
to undergraduate students and to bird lovers in general, it
discusses why birds look and act the way they do.
Designed to supplement a
basic ornithology textbook, Manual of Ornithology covers
systematics and evolution, topography feathers and flight,
the skeleton and musculature, and the digestive,
circulatory, respiratory, excretory reproductive, sensory,
and nervous systems of birds, as well as field techniques
for watching and studying birds. Each chapter concludes with
a list of key references for the topic covered, with a
comprehensive bibliography at the end of the volume. The
book will be a guide and reference for every level of bird
study - a basic tool for investigation for anyone curious
about the fascinating world of birds.
Reader Poll #13
Question: How did
you find Majestic Waterfowl Sanctuary?
Results of Reader
Poll #12 What is your favorite part of the Majestic Monthly
newsletter?
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Health Articles |
50% |
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Predator Articles |
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"All About"
Breed Articles |
0% |
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"How To" Articles |
50% |
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Updates on Ducks/Geese |
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Featured Books |
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Current Events/News |
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Other |
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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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Park Rescue
We are so
fortunate to have such wonderful volunteers on hand. The Yorks
brought their kayak with them on our final visit to the
Park. Jason chased the last of the Pekins to shore where Joe safely
captured them in a net. Lew, Sharon, Chris and Bill all assisted in
setting up nets, luring in ducks with food and loading ducks into
carriers.
It may be cold, but our
hearts were kept warm as we rescued the last of the Pekin ducks from
the park. We are sincerely grateful for the generosity and devotion
of concerned citizens Chris and Bill who assisted in many vital
aspects of this rescue.
Thank you, everyone!
If you would like to
join our waterfowl rescue team, you can sign up at:
http://www.majesticwaterfowl.org/volunteeroa.htm
Waterfowl Lice
Mites
and lice should not be an issue for you if you are keeping your
ducks in a clean environment with plenty of access to fresh water.
If either of these pests appears, as indicated by excessive
scratching, a visual sighting or vet confirmation, then this should
be treated as a warning that you are not keeping things as clean as
you should be for your ducks. You will need to increase your
efforts.
There are three
common types of lice that can be found on waterfowl:
Head lice
are gray and found close to the skin, near the base of head and neck
feathers.
Body lice
are brown and move around on the skin, commonly on the belly, around
the vent or under the wings. They can commonly be seen running for
cover when you part your duck’s feathers.
Shaft lice
are like small body lice and they tend to hang out on feathers, and
run inwards toward the duck’s skin when feathers are parted.
Lice chew dry
skin scales and feathers. They don’t actually bite the duck, but the
motion of their mouthparts leads to irritation. Mites are different
from lice in that they suck blood. Treatment; however, is the same.
You can
purchase poultry powder at your local grain store. The label should
indicate that it is appropriate for the removal of lice and mites on
ducks. Sprinkle a bit in your hand and work it into the ducks
feathers. Although you want to powder all over (avoiding the well
around the eyes) focus the delousing at the base of the back of the
neck, under the wings and on their underside, especially around the
vent.
Ducks’ feathers
need to be treated very carefully to avoid them from losing their
waterproof effectiveness, so be very careful in administering these
powders and use them sparingly. Delousing powder labels often have
instructions on how to apply them to the duck’s bedding, have never
found this useful since lice die soon after falling off of their
hosts and therefore tend to cling tightly, rather than thriving in
hay or bedding.
If you
discover lice or mites on any one of your ducks, assume they exist
throughout the flock. Treat all flock members according to the
instructions on the label. Be careful not to over do it, so the
animal does not ingest excess amounts of this pesticide.
It is always advisable to double check dosages with your
own vet before administering treatment.
All waterfowl
that come into Majestic receive a careful feather inspection and a
precautionary treatment of poultry dust. We have seen lice die and
fall off within 24 hours of powder treatment. Follow up weekly
treatments at day 7 and day 14, access to clean water and clean
bedding are also necessary until all eggs have hatched and all lice
have been eradicated.
Diurnal Birds of Prey
We
have decided to feature this next predator to remind duck owners of
the threat that they pose to waterfowl. We have seen a Golden Eagle
here in Lebanon Connecticut, perched upon one of our corner
sanctuary posts two years ago. Fortunately, we have top wire over
our enclosures, so the ducks were completely safe. We would like to
send our deepest condolences to the Connecticut family who recently
lost two of their ducks due to a swift attack of a Golden Eagle. The
raptor dropped down from the sky and made a swift kill before they
could reach their feathered friends.
About Eagles
Eagles are all
diurnal raptors. If they have the opportunity, they will kill your
waterfowl and tear out the duck or goose’s breast to eat it. They
pluck birds, leaving piles of feathers on the ground. Sometimes
actual beak marks can be seen on the shafts of the plucked feathers.
The majority of predation problems occur with free-ranging
waterfowl. Ducks and geese are vulnerable because they are very
conspicuous in areas that lack escape cover. Confined fowl that are
chased by raptors will often pile up in a corner, resulting in the
suffocation of some of the birds.
Just because you
commonly see raptors near the kill site does not necessarily mean
they are the culprits. You need to determine whether they killed the
animal or whether they are scavenging. When a partially eaten
carcass is found, examine the remains carefully to determine your
predator. Raptors usually kill only one bird per day and they
usually have bloody puncture wounds in the back and breast from
their talons. In contrast, mammalian predators such as coyotes or
raccoons often kill several animals during a night. They will
usually tear skin and muscle tissue from the carcass and cut through
the feathers of birds with their sharp teeth.
Many raptors are
scavengers. You can often determine whether a raptor actually killed
an animal or was simply scavenging by examining the plucked
feathers. If the feathers have small amounts of tissue clinging to
their bases, they were plucked from a cold bird that died of another
cause. If the base of a feather is smooth and clean, the bird was
plucked while warm, shortly after it was killed. Another clue is
that raptors often defecate at a kill site.
The best defense
against raptors is a well-built enclosure with either wire or a
strong aviary netting on top. Raptors will attack through netting if
they can push down on it far enough to get to your waterfowl, so
install your netting while keeping this in mind. Guinea fowl or
guard dogs can be excellent deterrents. Guineas will sound an alarm
when any large bird flies overhead. Raptors are commonly seen being
chased away by families or flocks of crows, so another strategy to
deter them is to put out snacks for your crows to encourage them to
settle nearby. This may help you keep your skies clear of trouble.
All Eagles are
federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 USC,
703-711). These laws strictly prohibit the capture, killing, or
possession of eagles without special permit. Permits are required
disturb or scare off endangered or threatened species, including the
Bald and Golden Eagle.
The Golden Eagle
 The
Golden Eagle breeds from Alaska to the east across northern Canada
and south to Mexico. Winters are spent in much of United States,
except the southeast.
Their diet includes
small to medium-sized mammals, including rabbits, skunks, squirrels,
mice; grouse, pheasants, waterfowl, geese, large insects, snakes,
carrion.
Calling
All Fire Departments!
Be a Water Sponsor Today!
When the rain
stops, our feathered friends need support they can count on.
When our stream
stops flowing in the heat of summer and our Courtyard pond begins to
dry up, our flock needs some serious help. Water stagnation can pose
a serious health threat to our ducks and geese.
To date, we have
not found a fire dept willing to deliver water in exchange for a
reasonable donation to assist the rescued animals in our 501(c)(3)
sanctuary. Instead, we have to pay hundreds of dollars to purchase
our water from a supply company.
Can you help?
Please contact us
at
director@majesticwaterfowl.org |
