Enid update: Bad news

"mlbriggs" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 06 Apr 2006 22:42:40 +0100, Christina Websell wrote:

It's 10.30 p.m. and I've just had a call from the vet to say that Enid
has
just had a seizure and passed away.
They have offered to do a post-mortem (autopsy) free of charge so I've
taken
them up on this.
I am so so sad for Shylock. It seems so unfair that he's lost such a
young
wife so soon after losing Honk last year.
Finding him another girl won't be easy, there seem to be few geese around
here, and with the news that avian flu has been found in Scotland in a
dead
swan, it's likely that movements of waterfowl will be banned.
Poor lad. He is in an extremely bad mood and is hissing at me a lot. I
don't blame him, he's lonely.

Tweed


Sincere condolences. As I know nothing at all about geese, I am wondering
if they ever form a friendship bond with another species. Do you suppose
he would take care of some baby ducks? MLB


No, he wouldn't, I'm afraid. At one time I used to have ducks along with
the geese, but once or twice the current gander drowned a duck in the pond
by trying to mate with her. It wasn't a deliberate thing, his weight just
pushed her under. Once I thought was an accident, twice and I decided not
to keep ducks and geese together again.
I don't have any ducks now. They draw the foxes in as they are their
ultimate favourite food and I have enough trouble with foxes as it is
without attracting them more than my poultry do already. :-(

Tweed

"Karen" wrote in message
news:2006040619570275249%kchuplis@alltelnet...
On 2006-04-06 16:42:40 -0500, "Christina Websell"
said:

It's 10.30 p.m. and I've just had a call from the vet to say that Enid
has just had a seizure and passed away.
They have offered to do a post-mortem (autopsy) free of charge so I've
taken them up on this.
I am so so sad for Shylock. It seems so unfair that he's lost such a
young wife so soon after losing Honk last year.
Finding him another girl won't be easy, there seem to be few geese around
here, and with the news that avian flu has been found in Scotland in a
dead swan, it's likely that movements of waterfowl will be banned.
Poor lad. He is in an extremely bad mood and is hissing at me a lot. I
don't blame him, he's lonely.

Tweed

Oh I am SO sorry. This made me cry for Honk and for you. I so hoped it was
not that serious. Please let us know what they find. Purrs to find Honk a
new friend. Poor Honk and poor Enid and poor you too. Just so sad ***


I didn't mean to make you cry, I'm sorry about that. My American friend Bob
in Michigan once said to me "geese are emotional creatures" and indeed they
are. He has some himself.
He's written a book about his animals and birds, mainly rescues, which has
sold very well and has a nice website:
http://www.enslavedbyducks.com

I am hoping to find Shylock a new girl asap but it won't be easy now bird
flu has entered the country (one swan. 500 miles away) and there will be
restrictions on the movement of poultry soon, I expect.
Hysterical over-reaction as usual fueled by the media. It couldn't have
come at a worse time for Shylock.

Tweed

"Takayuki" wrote in message
...
"Christina Websell" wrote:
It's 10.30 p.m. and I've just had a call from the vet to say that Enid has
just had a seizure and passed away. [..]

I'm so sorry to hear about Enid. Although I don't know any domestic
geese (just the wild ones that sometimes walk their babies across our
lawns), from how you described yours, I feel that they're good people.

They seem to have "feelings" and real attachments to their mates which puts
them in a different league from other poultry as far as I'm concerned.
Some people are afraid of their geese because in the breeding season the
gander will be protective of his goose or geese and may approach and
threaten their owners. If the owners react by threatening back the
situation can escalate out of control and a nip from a serrated beak is
painful!
I've never had any difficulty with the 4 ganders that I've had over the
years. I ignore them if they get into threaten mode which isn't often.
They are great guards and always shriek if they think anyone might be around
that they don't know.
The gentlest gander I ever had was Sid, who died a few years ago. He was an
absolute pussy-cat.
I had a builder in to rebuild my drains and he wanted to get a paving slab
from where Sid was grazing on the lawn with Honk. He was not confident to
go through that gate.
"No need to worry" I said, "the gander is a darling."

The builder went through the gate to get the slab, Sid noticed him and as
the builder was bending over picking up the slab, Sid came hurtling over and
launched himself - unseen of course from behind - and bit and tweaked his
buttocks. Hard. Very hard.

Hmmm. I was a bit embarrassed as I'd said the gander was safe. I thought
he was, he was a love with me.
That's what I like about geese. They protect.
I hope I will always be in a position to have a pair of geese. They are
fantastic! In my opinion only, of course ;-)

Tweed

On Sat, 08 Apr 2006 00:58:25 +0100, Christina Websell wrote:


"mlbriggs" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 06 Apr 2006 22:42:40 +0100, Christina Websell wrote:

It's 10.30 p.m. and I've just had a call from the vet to say that Enid
has
just had a seizure and passed away.
They have offered to do a post-mortem (autopsy) free of charge so I've
taken
them up on this.
I am so so sad for Shylock. It seems so unfair that he's lost such a
young
wife so soon after losing Honk last year.
Finding him another girl won't be easy, there seem to be few geese around
here, and with the news that avian flu has been found in Scotland in a
dead
swan, it's likely that movements of waterfowl will be banned.
Poor lad. He is in an extremely bad mood and is hissing at me a lot. I
don't blame him, he's lonely.

Tweed


Sincere condolences. As I know nothing at all about geese, I am wondering
if they ever form a friendship bond with another species. Do you suppose
he would take care of some baby ducks? MLB


No, he wouldn't, I'm afraid. At one time I used to have ducks along with
the geese, but once or twice the current gander drowned a duck in the pond
by trying to mate with her. It wasn't a deliberate thing, his weight just
pushed her under. Once I thought was an accident, twice and I decided not
to keep ducks and geese together again.
I don't have any ducks now. They draw the foxes in as they are their
ultimate favourite food and I have enough trouble with foxes as it is
without attracting them more than my poultry do already. :-(

Tweed


Another "wondering" question: Do ganders ever get castrated? MLB

Shiral skrev i meddelandet
.com...
I'm very sorry about Enid, Tweed. I hope that even with the Avian flu,
a third bride can be found for Shylock. Panther and Enid crossed the
bridge together, today. Hopefully, they hissed at each other
companionably.

Melissa

(((((Melissa)))))
I am so sorry to hear that Pan is gone.
I know what it is like, it is only four months since I had to let my black
Hugo Katt go.
It is so hard to lose them.
Lots of hugs, Elisabet

Christina Websell wrote:
It's 10.30 p.m. and I've just had a call from the vet to say that Enid has
just had a seizure and passed away.
They have offered to do a post-mortem (autopsy) free of charge so I've taken
them up on this.
I am so so sad for Shylock. It seems so unfair that he's lost such a young
wife so soon after losing Honk last year.
Finding him another girl won't be easy, there seem to be few geese around
here, and with the news that avian flu has been found in Scotland in a dead
swan, it's likely that movements of waterfowl will be banned.
Poor lad. He is in an extremely bad mood and is hissing at me a lot. I
don't blame him, he's lonely.

Tweed

I'm so sorry to hear this, Tweed. Both for you and for Shylock. I'll
light a candle for Enid's safe journey to the Bridge.

--
Sam, closely supervised by Mistletoe

On Thu, 6 Apr 2006 22:42:40 +0100, "Christina Websell"
wrote:

It's 10.30 p.m. and I've just had a call from the vet to say that Enid has
just had a seizure and passed away.
They have offered to do a post-mortem (autopsy) free of charge so I've taken
them up on this.
I am so so sad for Shylock. It seems so unfair that he's lost such a young
wife so soon after losing Honk last year.
Finding him another girl won't be easy, there seem to be few geese around
here, and with the news that avian flu has been found in Scotland in a dead
swan, it's likely that movements of waterfowl will be banned.
Poor lad. He is in an extremely bad mood and is hissing at me a lot. I
don't blame him, he's lonely.


(((((((Tweed and Shylock))))))))

--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Spot
with loving memories of Rocky (RB)

[remove Junk for email]
Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html
Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html

On Thu, 06 Apr 2006 22:42:40 +0100, Christina Websell wrote:

It's 10.30 p.m. and I've just had a call from the vet to say that Enid has
just had a seizure and passed away.
They have offered to do a post-mortem (autopsy) free of charge so I've taken
them up on this.
I am so so sad for Shylock. It seems so unfair that he's lost such a young
wife so soon after losing Honk last year.
Finding him another girl won't be easy, there seem to be few geese around
here, and with the news that avian flu has been found in Scotland in a dead
swan, it's likely that movements of waterfowl will be banned.
Poor lad. He is in an extremely bad mood and is hissing at me a lot. I
don't blame him, he's lonely.

Tweed


Sincere condolences. I know nothing about geese. However, I am wondering
if they ever develop friendship bonds with another species? Or even an
artificial animal? There is a current story of a pit bull mothering
baby kittens. Do you suppose he would "father" some little ducks? As I
said -- just wondering. MLB