Broody Goose off Nest at 4 Weeks

[acceabex]

I'm full of questions lately!

Rory was sitting great for 4 weeks until today. Now she's off the nest, has been off for at least an hour, and seems to have no concern for going back. Do I pick up the eggs and incubate? Let nature take its course?

I was never able to candle them, so I don't know if any are viable. They are due Wednesday.

 

[acceabex]

Then I check and she's going back to the eggs... It's unusual for her to be off this much, at least in terms of her prior work.

So I guess I have a few questions:

- why would she be off so much now? Is this normal?
- should I try to incubate the eggs inside?

And clearly I'm wondering (a) if I'm losing my mind over these geese for no reason, (b) if she knows something I don't...

Oy.

 

[Miss Lydia]

While she was off would have been a good time to candle. But anyway maybe it was warm enough she felt okay being off for a while. If she is back on now just sit back and let nature take it's course.

 

[acceabex]

She's definitely unsettled, off and on, moving the eggs around, back off, then back on. I'll let her do her thing.

If she's off again I'll try to candle, but I'm definitely not welcome within a 20 yard radius of the nest.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Only thing you can do is candle and if their are live goslings then either take them inside and finish incubation or let her finish.

Is there something in her nesting area that maybe keeping her upset?

Oh I know when mine was brooding getting past the gander was my biggest hurdle once I got him outside I closed the door and my goose didn't put up much of a fuss when I looked at her eggs.

 

[acceabex]

I was able to candle today. My name is now mud. I caught her getting a drink and locked the door... Now opening it again was a trick oops...

I've candled lots of duck eggs, these I couldn't see through. Either the shell is much thicker or there's a big thing in the way. I'll let her go until the weekend. The eggs were warm and well taken care of.

Of course, I'm going insane because there are two less eggs than there used to be, and I'm hearing a different peep from the garage... But I'm not seeing any extra sidekicks.

Next year, I'm going to pick up the eggs and just order a couple of geese!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like there maybe some goslings filling up those eggs. I hope so. But the wait is awful I know exactly how you feel.

I different peep from the garage? Explain.

 

[acceabex]

That would require an explanation. Made sense to me!

These are the pair I purchased as juveniles when Crystal died. They set up their nest in my garage instead of the bird area. I keep hearing a peep from there (working from home), but have checked a million times and see nothing... Just in case, I have the goslings water down.

She's been a good setter, I'm going to let her go and trust she knows what she's doing.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hopefully it's your imagination getting the best of you. Or someone else sitting on eggs in there?

Keep us updated.

 

[kwhites634]

Then I check and she's going back to the eggs... It's unusual for her to be off this much, at least in terms of her prior work.

So I guess I have a few questions:

- why would she be off so much now? Is this normal?
- should I try to incubate the eggs inside?

And clearly I'm wondering (a) if I'm losing my mind over these geese for no reason, (b) if she knows something I don't...

Oy.

She definitely knows more about being a goose than you ever will; trust her.