Chimney sweep goose is loose
KYALAMI - Kyalami resident, Carol-Ann Barton received a feathery surprise when an adult Egyptian goose fell down her chimney and became stuck.
Barton explained that she was getting down to her usual Sunday night routine when she suddenly heard a flapping noise coming from her fireplace. “I thought it was a myna bird or something small like that, but when I looked into the fireplace, the animal popped its beak out and I realised it was actually an Egyptian goose,” she said.
Barton explained that the goose was lodged a few centimetres away from the opening of her fireplace. “I started to talk to it and after awhile he stuck his head through the opening so I fed him some sugar-water,” she said. Barton called emergency medical services who put her in touch with wildlife rescue and rehabilitation organisation, FreeMe, and Midrand SPCA.
Michelle Watson of FreeMe calmed Barton down over the phone and told her to switch off the lights in her living room so that the goose would try to sleep despite being in a confined space. Inspectors of Midrand SPCA and FreeMe arrived at Barton’s house early the next morning to try to free the goose.
Barton explained that they managed to lower a rope down the chimney which they tied around the goose’s feet and then hoisted it up through the chimney.
“Afterwards, we just lay him on a bed and I gave him some more sugar water,” Barton said. When the goose seemed strong enough the inspectors set the goose down on the grass and before long the goose started to walk and stretch his legs.
“He waddled around for a bit then just spread his wings and flew off,” Barton said.
Watson said birds often fell into chimneys, although usually they were much smaller. She advised residents to put chicken wire over the opening of their chimneys to stop birds from nesting inside.
