Summers End

Difficult day at Foppe's Acre today...
This morning I finally clipped Felix' wing after he grew new feathers in July.
It had to be done but I always hate it.

Our Canada ganders are grounded all year round and they are fine with it, they've got plenty of space and grass in their pen and above all they are safe inside. But like all birds they start to molt their feathers when the breeding season comes to a close which means that the guys escape their pen to take short excursions in the neighborhood. Every year I let them experience their freedom for a few weeks, they love to fly and it's an awesome sight to see them soar in the sky, but I have to eventually clip them to keep them home.

When the swans visited a few weeks ago the guys went bonkers and Rudie started to attack Felix, a territotial dispute and I had to separate the two couples. While Rudie and Felix were fighting I could catch Rudie and clip him without too much ado, but Felix is big and smart and knew it was his turn soon, clever guy. He stayed out of reach from me for weeks.
Slowly but surely he started to trust me again, came for a hand feed and was mellow and sweet. I love this guy.
Ever since I separated him and Rudie he didn't leave home anymore but I knew once the fall winds would arrive he would get all excited again and fly away on occasion.
The problem is that he's big and strong and gets quite nasty towards the ducks (who are all in molt and can't get away at the moment), it's also hunting season and Canada geese are outlawed in Holland, it would be possible a hunter mistakes Felix for a wild goose. I had to act.

When Felix came to get his treats this morning I could grab him and after a short but forceful struggle I clipped his wing.
We're all upset, Felix is, the other geese are and I am, but it's all for the best and he will come around again after a few weeks.
It's just one of those things I hate to do but have to do to keep them safe:-/

(I'm sorry this is all in Dutch, even though they are Canada geese they don't understand English;-) I'm just talking to them, about them escaping the pen, that they're making havoc and I allow them to eat some grass before they have to come home to have dinner.)

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• goose
• geese
• Canada-geese
• field
• Foppe's-Acre

[moortube]

Thanks Rocki and Susie:-) All's well that ends well. It's a annual thing I hate to do but it's for the best. Felix was still shy tonight at feeding time but he will come around eventually. Me too!

[meeeeowooooooofs7]

@moortube Yes, he'll come around..and so will you :)

[OwlHollowWolf]

glad the clipping went well with Felix

hope you are having a wonderful week dear Peter

[meeeeowooooooofs7]

What a nice video of your Geese:) Glad the "wing-clips" went well and everyone is un-stressed ...especially you! I bet you are the one who gets the most stressed about the clipping of the wings!!!

Beautiful video, nice green grass and some very good looking geese, too...

:)