Lucy the goosey: She may be goofy, but she is family

By Tom Cherveny

Staff Writer

Dogs and cats make wonderful pets, but they're never more than that.

They always know they are dogs and cats.

The Feldman family of rural Murdock has the perfect, natural pet.

Lucy the goose believes she's part of the family.

She waddled into the Feldmans' farm yard one year ago in May as a gosling no larger than a closed fist.

"She looked just like those little ones at Running's,'' said Stacie Feldman in reference to the Easter chicks sold at the Farm and Fleet store chain.

To Lucy, Stacie and Jim Feldman looked like mom and dad. The couple and their children, Taylor, 9, and Tabitha, 13, began caring for the gosling that came in search of a family. They offered her corn and chicken feed and kept her in their warm home during the first weeks of a chilly and damp May.

One year later, Lucy remains a part of the family.

A friend who works with the Department of Natural Resources advised the family that the young gosling had become imprinted. In Lucy's mind, she knows the Feldman's as family.

"You're it,'' Stacie said their friend told them.

If they had any doubts about it, they were put to rest shortly after Lucy learned to fly. One day Jim drove out of the yard with the big, white semi-trailer rig he drives for a living. Lucy took wing and followed.

Jim pulled over, and Lucy landed. He waited while Stacie came to pick up their pet.

After that, the Feldman's discovered that Lucy would follow their white Chrysler van out of the driveway as well. They have since learned to distract her or shoo her into the barn when they want to leave.

If there were any possible doubts about Lucy's loyalties, they disappeared for good last autumn. The Feldman's watched as "V"-shaped flocks of geese flew over their home, announcing their presence with loud honks to all below. Lucy would cock her head and look skyward, said Stacie, but never so much as fluffed a wing.

Come winter, they transported Lucy to a farm owned by friends who raise geese. Wrong. Lucy had no desire to be with her own kind.

In short order, they brought Lucy back home. They placed her in their barn with the company of their two pet chickens, named Larry and Curly. The trio is not the best of friends, but they tolerate each other well enough.

Now that the weather is warm, the adult Lucy spends most of her time outside in the yard. Her favorite perch is the timber frame for a flower garden.

Many visitors have mistaken her for a yard ornament, said Stacie. They are always startled to see the ornament come to life as they get out of their cars, she added with a laugh.

When she's not acting like a yard ornament, Lucy acts like a goose. Her family keeps a child's wading pool filled with water at the side of their house. Lucy loves nothing more than to paddle in circles in it.

They gave Lucy her name because it rhymes as "Lucy Goosey.'' They don't know if Lucy is a he or a she.

They do know that she's theirs for keeps -- and that's OK. Despite some occasional teasing, Lucy does not need to worry about becoming a cooked goose.

"When you name 'em, you can't eat 'em,'' said Stacie.