Broody Goose safety suggestions?

[JoserMum]

I have three Toulouse, two geese and one gander. My sweet goose, Pumpkin, made a beautiful nest under our deck this past week. She kind of made it and then ignored it until the past couple days. We went out this evening to put her to bed (which is a fenced area, with a covered wagon. Our ducks sleep inside and the geese sleep underneath) BUT she will not leave. This is not an issue for us really, we want to see if she will hatch some babies. However, we do have skunks/who knows what other predators around…and I worry about her being more exposed than usual. All of our birds free range during the day, and we’ve never had any issue with predators. We also have a VERY protective gander, appropriately named Dragon. We’re in Idaho, our nights average about 25 degrees right now, so I’m not worried about cold.

Does anybody have any tips for keeping a goose safe while she’s focused on eggs? Everything I’ve read suggests that moving her eggs/nest is not a good idea. I really want to give her a chance, but she is such a sweet bird and I’d hate to lose her.
Thanks in advance for any ideas!

 

[Percheron chick]

I'd move her nest and eggs. She doesn't do you any good dead. If you have a dog crate or house you can set up for her she will be more apt to stay. They like some privacy.

 

[DarkWater1929]

I imagine that you have solved your problem by now. But, I thought that I would share the technique I have used for moving broody chickens and ducks. I have never yet moved a goose.

We wait until mom makes a run, off the nest, to eat. Then, while someone stands as lookout, I take a big pan, like a broiler pan, and carefully transfer the nest into it. I try to keep it looking as much like it did before. Then, I return the eggs. If I have time, I candle them in the process.

Mom has always, so far, returned to setting on her newly transplanted nest, because it is in the right slot, and isn't much changed. If possible, I give her a day to forget that anything changes. Then. With a helper, if necessary, I go, and pick up the pan, with mom still on the nest. Pan, nest, eggs and mom, get moved as a package to the new, safe, spot.

If you are afraid that she may bail off the nest, in progress, you might put a big box over mom and pan. I haven't tried that, but I would if I were worried. If you get them to the new spot, with her still sitting. She ought to stay. She will get it that it is still her nest.

I watch closely for an hour or two, to see that she is still setting. if she did abandon ship, and was trying to get out of her new spot, my plan is to replace pan, nest and eggs in their old spot. Then, I would release mom, to return to her properly located nest. Then, I would try again, in a day or so.

Here, it is always the babies that get picked off, by other birds, ground squirrels or rats. This happens most when one or two hatch, and take to wandering before mom is done with the rest. Tricky time!