Mama covering hatching eggs with straw

[Jbently28]

I have a 2 year old African/Toulouse cross. This is her first year hatching out goslings. She is currently sitting on at least 11 eggs that I can see. The eggs have started to pip. I went out to check on her and I saw some of the straw making breathing motions. I got a stick and moved the straw to find a gosling that was unzipping. Mama was very quick to cover the egg again. Is this a normal behavior for them to cover the eggs as they are hatching? Will the baby be able to hatch successfully or will it be smothered? I'm trying to intervene as little as possible.

 

[Jbently28]

So update on the egg. The majority of the shell had been pecked off but the membrane was stuck. The baby was struggling to push out so I removed some of the membrane which was stuck to it around its head. The top half of the gosling is now out and I left the bottom half to try and let the baby kick out on its own. Poor little thing looks exhausted. There's no telling how long it has been trying to kick out. I'm going to keep checking back on it to make sure it is able to get the rest of the way out.

 

[Goosebaby]

She shouldn’t bury them because she could smother them, but while babies are hatching the moms will get up and move the eggs around every few minutes I think to help them get a little airflow? Before they hatch the female will cover the eggs with straw before she gets off the nest for a break so I think what’s going on is that she’s confused because it’s her first hatch.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I don't let my geese sit on their eggs (I incubate them, instead), so I don't know if broody geese normally do this to hatching eggs...though my guess is that they don't. Maybe her inexperience led her to cover the hatching egg.

I just noticed that @Goosebaby responded to your other post (and I didn't read it first ).

 

[quackingdom]

Normally the egg would be under her. Not under straw. Maybe she saw it and thought it needed to be covered to stay warm but didn't think to put it under herself. I agree that maybe she's just showing a bit of inexperience.

 

[Jbently28]

Thanks for the replies. These were my thoughts exactly. I looked around and that seemed to be the only one that was buried. She is sitting on the rest of them. Here are some pics that I got from yesterday after I helped out. As you can see, my other female embden was quick to come say hello to the new little one. They have shared a nest so not sure just yet who mama is but my make is embden as well.

 

[Jbently28]

I checked on the little one last night and it was up and moving around. Both mamas were with it and it was nuzzled safe and sound.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

 

[Goosebaby]

Thanks for the replies. These were my thoughts exactly. I looked around and that seemed to be the only one that was buried. She is sitting on the rest of them. Here are some pics that I got from yesterday after I helped out. As you can see, my other female embden was quick to come say hello to the new little one. They have shared a nest so not sure just yet who mama is but my make is embden as well.View attachment 2722161View attachment 2722162View attachment 2722163

 

[Jbently28]

Just checked on the little one again. It was at the front of the doghouse walking back and forth and chirping and my 2 embdens were trying to coax it out. Mama is still sitting on the rest of the eggs.