Broody goose questions

[LakeGooseBerry]

Hi All,
My goose has been broody for 5 weeks, should I be worried????

This is my gooses first year. She had her first brood in February but it did not seem to last more than a couple weeks. This one is lasting forever! There are no eggs in her nest...we take them out every day that she lays.

 

[Carrosaur]

Hi All,
My goose has been broody for 5 weeks, should I be worried????

This is my gooses first year. She had her first brood in February but it did not seem to last more than a couple weeks. This one is lasting forever! There are no eggs in her nest...we take them out every day that she lays. 

Can you describe what she's doing? I know you said broody, but 5 weeks and she's not even sitting on eggs?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi All,
My goose has been broody for 5 weeks, should I be worried????

This is my gooses first year. She had her first brood in February but it did not seem to last more than a couple weeks. This one is lasting forever! There are no eggs in her nest...we take them out every day that she lays.

Even with out eggs they will still brood once the hormones kick in. I'd take her out break up the nest even if you have to lock her out of her house for the day. I just did that with mine today. It seems hard but they need to get over it.

 

[LakeGooseBerry]

Until 5 weeks ago she only sat on her nest long enough to lay an egg and then she was up and around all day. At night I brought her in and she slept in a box by my bed. She spent some time in her diaper while inside, and although she didn't love it she was relaxed and did fine.

As I said she first started laying in February and we didn't even know that she was doing it. All we knew was that she was acting different. Finally we found her nest with 11 eggs in it because all of a sudden she would not come it and did not want to have much to do with us... which was unusual because she is pretty imprinted on us and very social. At that time I posted my questions and concerns on this forum and people told me to take away the eggs. I took them away and within a week she was done and back to herself and even more social.

Then she started laying again but this time we knew what to look for and as she laid her eggs we collected them. She laid another 40 eggs. Then around April 20th (I guess it's closer to 4 weeks ago) she did not want to come in at night nor would she leave her nest all during the day. Some days she comes out long enough to have a drink and eat a little bit but then she is right back to the nest. That is how she has been since.

I knew that this was the routine so we just left her to work it out. But this is lasting way longer than the last one. I have even tried to force the issue by bringing her in at night but that did not work. It is the only time she got out of her box, after she had been put to bed, and demanded that we let her out.

The thing is she is obviously losing weight. The only positive thing I can say is that we live on a lake and she loves to kayak with me and she has been willing to do that when ever I have gone out (most days). But again, as soon as we are back to the yard she is back to her nest.

What can you tell me?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Until 5 weeks ago she only sat on her nest long enough to lay an egg and then she was up and around all day. At night I brought her in and she slept in a box by my bed. She spent some time in her diaper while inside, and although she didn't love it she was relaxed and did fine.

As I said she first started laying in February and we didn't even know that she was doing it. All we knew was that she was acting different. Finally we found her nest with 11 eggs in it because all of a sudden she would not come it and did not want to have much to do with us... which was unusual because she is pretty imprinted on us and very social. At that time I posted my questions and concerns on this forum and people told me to take away the eggs. I took them away and within a week she was done and back to herself and even more social.

Then she started laying again but this time we knew what to look for and as she laid her eggs we collected them. She laid another 40 eggs. Then around April 20th (I guess it's closer to 4 weeks ago) she did not want to come in at night nor would she leave her nest all during the day. Some days she comes out long enough to have a drink and eat a little bit but then she is right back to the nest. That is how she has been since.

I knew that this was the routine so we just left her to work it out. But this is lasting way longer than the last one. I have even tried to force the issue by bringing her in at night but that did not work. It is the only time she got out of her box, after she had been put to bed, and demanded that we let her out.

The thing is she is obviously losing weight. The only positive thing I can say is that we live on a lake and she loves to kayak with me and she has been willing to do that when ever I have gone out (most days). But again, as soon as we are back to the yard she is back to her nest.

What can you tell me?

What can I tell you? well that she is broody and OCD right now. You have 2 options. Keep letting her sit till it runs it course but I have to tell you I had a Muscovy duck last year that brooded from April till Sept so this year I didn't even try to break her I traded her 2 eggs for 2 ceramic eggs and let her do her thing for 35 days since that is the length of brood time for Muscovy's on day 36 I went in and took the 2 eggs out when she left the nest, she came back later sat all that day next day she was back to normal duck, Now this morning I have taken the 2 fake eggs from another nest who has been brooding 35 days, she is back on the nest and I'll be waiting to see if she goes the same as my first one. so you can let it run it's course or you can remove the entire nest toss all the old bedding out and replace it with all fresh and hope that that takes care of it. She should be at the end of her broodiness. As for her coming in the house and sleeping by your bed again, That I don't know she is an adult now and that may have changed how she perceives things in her life now. My Buff goose has been sitting on 7 fake goose eggs[I tell ya it is the egg it doesn't matter if they are real or not] and yesterday I removed her from the house took the 7 eggs put them in a bowl so they couldn't see them dismantled the partition I had put up so the girls would have privacy and raked all the bedding back like normal, they are not happy and it will take maybe up to a week before things are back to normal but it is done.

 

[LakeGooseBerry]

Thank you.
If this wasn't so worrisome it would be funny. As you said, the eggs don’t matter because I put 2 of those yellow plastic M&M eggs in her nest and she was happy to sit on them. I took them out quite a while ago so now she sits on imaginary eggs!
There was an article saying that geese can die from starvation during a brood. Is this true? Should I be worried?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you.
If this wasn't so worrisome it would be funny. As you said, the eggs don’t matter because I put 2 of those yellow plastic M&M eggs in her nest and she was happy to sit on them. I took them out quite a while ago so now she sits on imaginary eggs!
There was an article saying that geese can die from starvation during a brood. Is this true? Should I be worried?

I have read that too. She is eating and drinking though right? my goose has lost weight but I watched her to make sure she was eating and drinking and bathing, it might have been fast but she did do it. So yellow was her favorite color? lol I have said mine would probably sit on snake eggs as long as it was eggs.

Have you ever thought about getting her a lil gosling of her very own that would grow up to be her best friend I'd say a female? They love babies and what a perfect time why she'd probably take to a baby now just like she hatched it.

 

[LakeGooseBerry]

If I got a second goose I would have to confine them much of the time. Would a yard that is approximately 30 by 30 feet be large enough for 2 geese? My goose has the run of the yard and there is already too much goose poo everywhere. I am picking it up all day long when she is out and about.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If I got a second goose I would have to confine them much of the time. Would a yard that is approximately 30 by 30 feet be large enough for 2 geese? My goose has the run of the yard and there is already too much goose poo everywhere. I am picking it up all day long when she is out and about.

It would be like a large pen and alot of people keep their flocks in pens for protection from predators. I use a hose to wash down areas close to the house it's great fertilize,r and having a lake right there you could take them out with you when you kayak for exercise. your goose you have now would teach the new one.Of course you know what is best for your situation so all I can do is suggest.

 

[Skyfire]

Like Miss Lydia said, you can hose the poop into the lawn. It makes great organic fertilizer! If you get to it while it's still fresh, the poop disintegrates quickly. If it dries out into a hardened disk, you can just rake it up next time you mow.