When Do Sebastopol Geese Get Curly Feathers?

Sebastopol goslings hatch in ordinary straight down with no curl at all. The curled feathers come in as the bird feathers out over its first months, and the full effect is not obvious until the bird is well grown. A day-old gosling tells you nothing about how good its curl will be.

Why goslings look wrong

The first thing that surprises people buying goslings is that they look like any other gosling: soft straight down, no hint of a spiral. The curl is a property of the feathers, and a gosling in down has no feathers yet.

As juvenile feathers replace down, the curl starts to show, first as unusual length and softness through the back and wings, then as the recognisable spiral. It continues developing as the bird matures.

When you can judge quality

Realistically not until the bird is well feathered. This is the strongest argument for buying juveniles or adults rather than goslings if feather quality matters to you: with a grown bird you are looking at the result rather than a prediction.

It is also why gosling prices sit below juvenile prices. You are taking on the uncertainty, and some of that uncertainty is real.

Curly and smooth breasted

Both types come out of the same hatches, and which you have is not apparent in down either. A smooth breasted bird carries curl on the back, wings and tail with a flat breast; a curly breasted bird carries it over the breast too.

Which you get depends on the parents rather than any fixed ratio, which the breeding guide covers.

Common Questions

Do Sebastopol goslings have curly feathers?

No. Goslings hatch in ordinary straight down. The curl appears as juvenile feathers replace the down and develops as the bird matures.

At what age can you tell how good a Sebastopol's curl will be?

Not reliably until the bird is well feathered. This is why juveniles and adults cost more than goslings: you are seeing the result rather than predicting it.