Broody goose question

[Finnie]

Today is day 31 for my Brown Chinese goose sitting on eggs. For the last few days, she’s been moving her nest to different spots in her plastic dog house. It got pretty warm here lately and yesterday she moved the whole nest outside the dog house. Then of course it rained last night and she did not move them back in.

This morning I decided to candle them. Some felt cool. One was pipped! So I left that one with her and took the rest inside to a dark place for candling. 4 were obviously dead in shell but two were moving and maybe internally pipped! And one looked dead, but since it still had veins, I’m hoping it was just asleep. So I threw away the 4 dead ones and put the rest back in the nest.
But ever since then, I have not seen her sit back onto the nest. Just standing near it.

Did I make her abandon her nest? Should I have left all 8 eggs instead of taking the dead ones away? (I did not break them. I could still put them back.)

Should I move the good eggs to my incubator? I have had zero luck with the goose eggs I have tried to hatch myself. I was hoping the broody goose would do better. Although she is only one year old and this is her first time.

I think I should never have interfered.

 

[Finnie]

Oh! After I posted, I looked out and I can see her sitting!

 

[jtn42248]

Give her time. She knows what she is doing.

Plastic Dog House? is it high enough for her to stand upright and large enough that she can fully spread her wings. It sounds like it might be a bit small for a goose.

 

[Finnie]

So I interfered again, and maybe I shouldn’t have. Again.

Today is day 33. Last night I checked her nest, and the one that pipped on day 31 had hatched and died. I don’t know when it died or whose fault it was. There’s been a lot of rain, so I suspect she didn’t keep it dry. Or maybe she crushed it.

So today I candled the last 3 eggs again, but this time since I don’t trust her any more, I put them into my incubator, which is already on lockdown with one chicken egg that is hatching 48 hours late. (All the other chicks got moved to the brooder yesterday.)

All 3 goslings are moving and I hear cheeps from at least one of them. That one has huge cracks across the front. Not hatching cracks. More like uncareful mother cracks.

I’m still second guessing myself whether I should have taken them from her. I have been wanting to go out and buy some goslings for her to raise, because I thought these eggs wouldn’t hatch. But seeing how she didn’t keep that other gosling alive, I don’t know if I trust her with babies. Now if these ones hatch, I can’t give them back to her because I opened the doors of her pen and let her rejoin the other two geese.

Editing to add:
While I was typing the above, I looked out the window and saw all 3 geese chasing my baby ducklings, so I had to hit reply and run. (Broody chicken hatched the ducklings a couple weeks ago, and today is her first day free ranging them.) When I got out there, the geese were not hurting the ducklings. It looked as if the broody goose was trying to steal them for her own. I ended up putting all 3 geese into the broody goose’s pen and reuniting the ducklings with their stressed out mama.

I’m still not quite sure what’s best for the broody goose. My first gut instinct is to find her some goslings to raise before she gives up on the idea of motherhood.

Any input is welcome. Thank you.

 

[Finnie]

Update. When I checked on her last night, she was quiet and settled until she saw the light from my head lamp. When I turned it off, she settled again. So I gave her two more ducklings.

All 4 survived the night, and I gave her two more this morning. I’d like to give her more, but I’m not sure how well she is going to keep them warm or make sure they eat and drink. (I bought 10 ducklings.) If she keeps these 6 alive over the next 3 or 4 days, then maybe I will give her more.

Also, now there are two goose egg pips in the incubator!

Did I mention I found a duck egg in her dog house? She must have abandoned it when she shifted her nest out. That’s in the incubator too because it still has veins and I thought I saw movement. Delayed in development from cooling off though, so I don’t know if it has a chance to survive.

 

[Finnie]

wow you must be stressed out I know I am just reading your post good luck.

Thank you!
Only a little stressed, lol. I did set my alarm for sunrise this morning so I could check on how Agnes and the ducklings were doing.

 

[Finnie]

The first gosling is out!

This is the one whose egg was cracked by Agnes.

 

[Finnie]

All 5 of Agnes’ remaining ducklings are fine this morning. I think after 3 days penned up together, on Tuesday I will let her out to free range with them and see if she can handle that.
And, all 3 eggs in the incubator hatched!!
I’m not used to goslings, so I’m not sure if they are ok. They are wobblier than other hatchlings I’ve had. And 2 of the 3 look like their heads are smushed to the left. Their bills, left eyes and general head shapes are kind of skewed to the left. I kind of think it’s from being in the egg and they will straighten out in time. At least I hope so.

I put them in the same brooder as the 4 Khaki Campbells that I am not giving to Agnes. I’m thinking I might just sell them. After I’m sure they will be healthy.

 

[Finnie]

Pictures?

I think their heads have straightened out. And they are less wobbly now.
Agnes has had her 5 ducklings for 3 days now, so today I plan to do a test letting her free range with them. I’ll try to take pictures when I do that.

 

[Finnie]

More pictures.
Glam shots for Craigslist:

Agnes and her ducklings mingling with Gunther and Gisela:

Gunther has taken some pot shots at the ducklings, but Agnes warns him off. I think he’s figuring out to not bother them.