Goslings of 2015 Hatch-a-Long

[Miss Lydia]

Hi All! Just found this thread and read it front to back already (day off today!). This is going to be my first breeding season with geese, I have 9 Pilgrims, 3 ganders and 6 geese. I have to agree with the 'not ready for breeding' view, but have been seeing and hearing some friskiness from my flock so started setting up breeding pens. Hopefully I'll get them done before I start finding eggs everywhere. I start, then think of a 'better idea' and stop then go back to original idea, stop, "better" idea, stop. <sigh>

Anyway, I've got a broken mini-fridge I'm working on turning into a bator, something bigger than the brinsea mini I'm going to set chicken eggs in for the first time tomorrow. So the geese can take their time, got nothing big enough to incubate goose eggs in yet!

Here's my little flock, and PoPo the bottle-lamb-thinks-she's-a-goose. Not sure what PoPo will do if I put all the rest into breeding pens and not her!
Oh, and I have Australian Shepherds. : )

Poor PoPo will she take up with the ducks? Your geese are gorgeous I have a question though since geese are such good brooders and mothers and dads why do you want to incubate?

 

[bekkanblue]

I guess I've just been assuming I'd incubate them. I can easily be talked out of it, I don't expect I can do better than nature. But I'd hate to have viable eggs be neglected by the geese too. Guess we'll see how the girls take to it and go from there. Still don't think many eggs will fit in the brinsea mini I have tho'. : ) And if the mini-fridge incubator works I have other things I can put in it!

As for PoPo, she may have to rough it with the ducks, there are 2 of those in 'her' waterfowl gang. Or I'll make her a little paddock over by the breeding pens, she'd love that. The ducks would need a little breeding pen of their own over there too or they'd feel left out! Ya, I didn't get near enough done today! Ha!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I guess I've just been assuming I'd incubate them. I can easily be talked out of it, I don't expect I can do better than nature. But I'd hate to have viable eggs be neglected by the geese too. Guess we'll see how the girls take to it and go from there. Still don't think many eggs will fit in the brinsea mini I have tho'. : ) And if the mini-fridge incubator works I have other things I can put in it!

As for PoPo, she may have to rough it with the ducks, there are 2 of those in 'her' waterfowl gang. Or I'll make her a little paddock over by the breeding pens, she'd love that. The ducks would need a little breeding pen of their own over there too or they'd feel left out! Ya, I didn't get near enough done today! Ha!

Sounds like your going to be busy for a while making breeding pens and a paddock for PoPo and now the ducks will need a breeding pen lol Whew I'm tired already..
you do know that once they start to lay eggs they won't immediately start sitting on them? they may lay quite a few before someone goes broody I betcha you'll get a few broodies or more out of 6 geese, you'll just have to be patient and let them decide when the time is right. and those ganders will be wonderful papas too. Keep us updated!

 

[jtn42248]

Do you think even a half teaspoon would slow it down? but I like your grannys remedies, wonder why she didn't use ground hog oil on the feet when you had a cold or maybe ya'll don't have ground hog out west? lol also mustard plaster.around here olive oil is sweet oil when put in the ears.

I am not sure about half a teaspoon. I guess it would depend on body weight and what else was being fed. How old? If just an infant half a teaspoon in their milk probably would not hurt.

We did not have groundhogs or I am sure she would have. She did do mustard plasters though. I also remember ground fresh mint worked into home rendered lard floating in a pot of boiling water...probably as an inhaler to loosen congestion.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am not sure about half a teaspoon. I guess it would depend on body weight and what else was being fed. How old? If just an infant half a teaspoon in their milk probably would not hurt.

We did not have groundhogs or I am sure she would have. She did do mustard plasters though. I also remember ground fresh mint worked into home rendered lard floating in a pot of boiling water...probably as an inhaler to loosen congestion.

I bet so, it would have be nice if they had written everything down just so we could see what all they used. I'd love to have a book of all the remedies our grandmothers etc used in their day.

The baby is now 6 weeks old, there may not even be a need for anything to be added.

 

[nate1the1great1]

Hey guys im back from vacation from the xgames and Glenwood springs and u all wanted to see some of the wood working im doing im taking orders for some of these necklaces pm me for more info and if ur interested the geese are doing good i haven't had an egg for a week so maybe she's hiding them bc its been in the 70*s this week so maybe broody time soon so here's pix

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hey guys im back from vacation from the xgames and Glenwood springs and u all wanted to see some of the wood working im doing im taking orders for some of these necklaces pm me for more info and if ur interested the geese are doing good i haven't had an egg for a week so maybe she's hiding them bc its been in the 70*s this week so maybe broody time soon so here's pix

Very nice nate. 70's in Col.? well I never it's 19 here this morning.

 

[andreacroyle]

I'm sad the last egg died i turned the bator off maybe something with the thin bc ive nvr been able to hatch one so once it warms up ill let her go broody but I can't wait to see all of urs

Sorry about the eggs nate. We lost have lost about 26 of them so far. Our boody duck got up and and refused to get back on her nest by the next morning they had all died some of them only had a few weeks to go.

My male tolouse (7 mo) mated with one of my girls for the first time yesterday and it got me thinking about a Food question - Mazuri makes a breeder feed with calcium in it. Is it OK for my gander to eat as well? If not, what do you do for feed during breeding season?

I have been using my mazuri food for all 3 stages. do not feed your boys the breeder food. it is bad for her kidneys to have that much calcium I have 2 separate mine when I feed them.

 

[andreacroyle]

Where has @livininbrazil been?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Where has @livininbrazil been?

Hopefully just enjoying her summer.