Goslings of 2014 Hatch-a-long

[Miss Lydia]

Strange goose, I think she has us all baffled! I´ve not had one yet that lays after a week of sitting. What´s she doing now? Back on the nest? And have you candled the eggs to see if any are developing?

She's back inside sitting on her eggs, There are 2 eggs that look kinda promising I am hoping by monday I'll know for sure, maybe see some veins. and there is one clear as a bell. Haven't done the rest yet. She is surely different. It will be 7 days Monday so I should see something by then right?

 

[Iain Utah]

I have a question for you experienced ones.. Missy has been sitting on her eggs for about a week now I have gone in daily to clean and she hasn't laid an egg in all that time but I would notice when she would come out her and Sam would still mate, well today I went in to clean and there is a new egg in the nest and it's hers. So do you think she was having difficulty in making an egg and laying it and that's why she was spending so much time on the nest? Isn't this kind of strange behavior, I was sure she had finally gone broody but not so sure now she hasn't been inside most of the afternoon, She is acting fine and shell on this new egg looks really good just like the rest. Any ideas. She really has me baffled.

Most of my girls will lay a few more eggs once they go broody. I've also had them tend to their nests and protect their eggs and it looks like they are going broody, before they actually go broody. With all of the females I have, I've seen a large variety of behavior.

Im sooooooo happy either way I can't believe all 4 hatched BUT I need help finding at least 2 girls now haha - do you know where I could buy female dewlap goslings?

Well then, congrats!! Um.... not sure where you can find any dewlap goslings, much less females only.

Uh oh....

I let the geese out today for grazing, and noticed they all have very strong feather stubs on their wings now. They will be 6 weeks old tomorrow.

But Wonder is letting his wings droop a lot. He is constantly trying to readjust it, and acts like they are just too darn heavy to carry. They aren't twisted, but he doesn't keep them held UP.

All three of my goslings are kept almost entirely on a grass diet. The only chick feed they get is before I let them out of the pen, I distract the actual chickens with feed. They eat a tiny amount, but once that gate opens, all chick feed is forgotten, and its a mad rush for grass!

Yesterday, I also gave them collard greens. The day before that was a head of cabbage. But mostly, it's still grass.

Is it normal for their wings to droop a bit when the feathers first come in? Or do I need to go ahead and bind his wing now, and put him on supplements?

It is normal. If kept outside on grass and plenty of exercise, no need to supplement or bind.

Quote:

Just too much to resist!

Well.... I tried putting eggs under two different broody geese, but none made it to hatch. Then I gave my neighbor's kid four eggs which he accidentally killed in week 3 due to temperature spike in bator.... so....

 

[BirdyGirl7198]

I have a few question about incubating goose eggs. Because I rescued these Canada Goose eggs, I don't know exactly how far along they are. It's difficult to candle them because of their thick shells. I was going to put them into lockdown starting today or tomorrow but I noticed them wiggling yesterday. So I put them into lockdown yesterday. Is wiggling a good sign that it's time to start lockdown? Or should I have waited? How big should the air cells be on goose eggs around day 25? Thanks in advance!

 

[bibkel]

Uh oh....

I let the geese out today for grazing, and noticed they all have very strong feather stubs on their wings now. They will be 6 weeks old tomorrow.

But Wonder is letting his wings droop a lot. He is constantly trying to readjust it, and acts like they are just too darn heavy to carry. They aren't twisted, but he doesn't keep them held UP.

All three of my goslings are kept almost entirely on a grass diet. The only chick feed they get is before I let them out of the pen, I distract the actual chickens with feed. They eat a tiny amount, but once that gate opens, all chick feed is forgotten, and its a mad rush for grass!

Yesterday, I also gave them collard greens. The day before that was a head of cabbage. But mostly, it's still grass.

Is it normal for their wings to droop a bit when the feathers first come in? Or do I need to go ahead and bind his wing now, and put him on supplements?

I notice when the wings start to get bigger and the shoulder feathers start to peek out is when mine droop their wings. Of course, I have only raised 4.....
I give mine chick growth at night. They get diapered when they come in, they are allowed to wander and explore and they discovered the dogs' water. So I put a bowl of chick growth about a foot away, and they chow down. During the day, grass is the way...that and MUD!!! They seem to like mud more than the clean pool I provide. I know they need grit, so I keep filling the hole we made, it is large enough for a full size Pilgrim to sit in, but for now both my Sebbies share the space.

I have a question. Bonnie is due to hatch eggs tomorrow (30 days) and this morning I found she had rolled one egg out of the crate she is nested in. Clyde was actually not disturbed that I lifted Bonnie's butt to see if any had external pips....but what about that egg? I put it back...

 

[livininbrazil]

She's back inside sitting on her eggs, There are 2 eggs that look kinda promising I am hoping by monday I'll know for sure, maybe see some veins. and there is one clear as a bell. Haven't done the rest yet. She is surely different. It will be 7 days Monday so I should see something by then right?

Yep. Oh, exciting!!

 

[DaisyMeadow]

Reece the Terrible (hatched 3/24) was released into the general population this week! Of course, we have them in a warm bird house at night. But Reece and his two Swedish friends are now running around the yard with the 100+ other birds in the acreage. It seems as though he's taken to the giant pekins we rescued earlier this spring.

Here he is leaving the creek with the giant pekins, Swedish friends, and a runner duck for size comparison. Reece is on the far right, front.



Here he is running away with the giant pekins (again, far right).

 

[8GeeseALaying]

6 goslings has found new homes today! 4 whites chinese and 2 pieds will be leaving soon to become their own flock someday.
Im holding on to my lavender and my spotted goslings for dear life lol
Maggie is due to hatch in 4 days(Thursday) but she tends to be a microwave and usually is done by day 28.
The Donk has internally pipped lol she has ALL the signs now! i have been on watch since yesterday, it will for sure be in the next couple days, if Not tonight!!

 

[Iain Utah]

Reece the Terrible (hatched 3/24) was released into the general population this week! Of course, we have them in a warm bird house at night. But Reece and his two Swedish friends are now running around the yard with the 100+ other birds in the acreage. It seems as though he's taken to the giant pekins we rescued earlier this spring.

Here he is leaving the creek with the giant pekins, Swedish friends, and a runner duck for size comparison. Reece is on the far right, front.



Here he is running away with the giant pekins (again, far right).

Lovely pictures!

6 goslings has found new homes today! 4 whites chinese and 2 pieds will be leaving soon to become their own flock someday.
Im holding on to my lavender and my spotted goslings for dear life lol
Maggie is due to hatch in 4 days(Thursday) but she tends to be a microwave and usually is done by day 28.
The Donk has internally pipped lol she has ALL the signs now! i have been on watch since yesterday, it will for sure be in the next couple days, if Not tonight!!

Congrats on placing goslings!!

 

[Iain Utah]

I'm waiting anxiously for my African to hatch her babies. She's been in lockdown for a few days now, but no external pips as of yesterday. Last I candled her eggs, they looked to be about a week behind Beignet, who hatched her babies last Tuesday.

 

[Mamanpoule]

I have 3 toulouse grey geese in the incubator since May 4th. Will candle them tonight to see if any development is visible. I have 3 more eggs from a new goose that's still laying. As soon as I'm sure she's finished I will start those even though it will make the hatch complicated. Hatched 3 turkeys and 3 maran chickens earlier this week. Sooo much easier than goslings.