Broody geese

[2dancingrats]

One of my Toulouse geese , Wanda, has been sitting on her eggs for a while now. Counting from when she first started sitting constantly, I think they should hatch around April 6. Another goose , Randi, has been laying eggs next to Wanda's nest but not sitting at all. Today, I noticed Randi was sitting on her eggs. When I let the flock out to free range, she left her eggs and went with them. Wamda then got off of her cllutch and sat on the other eggs. I got a kick out of her rearranging the nest while she was at it (like Randi wasn't such a good mother). Anyway, Randi came back after a few minutes and sat on Wanda's eggs.

Sooo, If Wanda's clutch hatches, it will happen weeks before Randi's clutch is due. What happens then? Will they abandon the other eggs? Will they both try to mother the goslings?

If anyone has had an experience like this, please let me know. If not, I guess I'm bound to find out in a couple of weeks.
Thanks.

 

[Shiloh Acres]

Goosedragon has very kindly posted a lot of info on several threads for me about this. If you search for "community nest" on the goose forum it should turn them up.

From what I gather, yes, you may have a problem. Or a couple of problems.

Firstly, yes, one nest will hatch out and the goslings will need mothering while the other nest will still need incubating, and the geese may have trouble deciding what to do and/or attending both nests properly.

Secondly, you might have to worry about them fighting over the goslings. I wasn't very pleased to realize that possibility, though I could just remove them and brood them if I have to. I sure hope I don't have to.

If I were in your position, I'd probably be looking to see if there was a way to separate them at all -- even if putting some kind of structure over them to keep each goose on her own nest? It sounds like it's not a true community nest (one large nest with more than one broody goose, which is what I've got).

I hope it works out for you.

 

[2dancingrats]

Thank you. You are right that I don't have a "commuity nest", they[re nested about a foot apart. I noticed they switched places and Wanda's back on her original clutch.
I've never had a broody goose before. I did have two pregnant cats. When the second one delivered, they spent so much time trying to steal all of the kittens for themselves, the second cat's milk dried up and the first one ended up with all of them, just like she wanted.
I'm off to read community nest. Keep me posted on how it turns out.