Broody goose thread!!!

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks Miss Lydia. When she has her new feathers and it´s not breeding season, she´s all whitge and very sweet. Right now she´s on her second set of eggs, the first set not hatched as she shared a nest with her 2 sisters, was a total failure. So, she dusted herself off and started again. And, she´s moulting. Also, second period of gander-time with favourite goose = fewer face feathers.
= tatty!

Well bless her heart she deserves a rest and sitting on eggs will help her hopefully. Look forward to seeing more babies. How are the latest doing?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Isn´t it so nice how the ganders like to check up to see all is ok?

Here´s a pic of another goose, who is due to hatch her babies this week. I can hear peeping in one egg, not sure on the others, will check it out later. Third time nesting for her, first time successful to hatch, even if it´s just the one! (She´s a bit sloppy with keeping the eggs tucked under her, so I popped this concrete brick in to wedge the nest up a bit.) She´s in a metal barrel, and I´ve "thatched" it with grass and shading to keep her cool.

So pretty, and how much fun is this, while we sit here waiting for the first snow we get to enjoy beautiful geese hatching eggs in other parts of the world, warms the heart.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here is a picture of Ryan (I didn't name her) on her nest with Johnny standing by. If you look on the left side of her you can see one of the two goslings that they hatched. This pic was taken at the end of August. Thankfully the little geese are fully feathered now since it is starting to snow.

So sweet.

 

[livininbrazil]

Well bless her heart she deserves a rest and sitting on eggs will help her hopefully. Look forward to seeing more babies. How are the latest doing?

Getting chubby and growing well! They´re 2 and half weeks old, so another week and I´ll let them out to free-range along with the others, who all hang around the outside of the pen in anticipation....like the famous Sales at Harrods!!!!!!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Getting chubby and growing well! They´re 2 and half weeks old, so another week and I´ll let them out to free-range along with the others, who all hang around the outside of the pen in anticipation....like the famous Sales at Harrods!!!!!!!!

They can't wait for the doors to open. gosh have they grown..

 

[Miss Lydia]

I found a pic of Missy from this year when she was brooding but eggs weren't fertile.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I also made her private brooding area even better but still easy with scrap wood.

 

[livininbrazil]

They can't wait for the doors to open. gosh have they grown..

Yes, another couple of weeks and they´ll be little dinosaurs!

The first gosling from the other batch has pipped, and I think there is at least one more gosling that I can hear. I´m going to keep an eye on the mum, though....She heard the cheeps, saw the little beak protruding and took fright!! Had a nibble at the shell and got off the nest. So, I turned the egg gosling-downward in the nest, and she went back on, only after inspecting the place to see if the alien was still among the eggs! She didn´t notice, and sat down. A minute later she was up again, she now seems aware of where the alien is, is still nibbling the egg a bit, but not so startled. I did think about taking it away so she doesn´t hurt it, but then....what if it´s the only one....singleton again....hard work...... Silly goose! Well, it is her first, let´s hope she´s ok and another hatches.

 

[livininbrazil]

I found a pic of Missy from this year when she was brooding but eggs weren't fertile.

What a shame...I read on another thread that you think that your male maybe too old...but isn´t he only 6? And how old is Missy? Was it her first season last year? If so, they often don´t do well.
And your gander may not be as fertile as when younger, but surely he should have something going in him yet?!!

I don´t know how old my gander is, but he´s been around for a while, judging by the state of his feet (holes from goodness-knows-what) I´ve had him for just over a year, and last year he fathered just 3 goslings, so I figured either he or the females were getting along a bit, but this year he´s proved pretty virile...even though I sadly lost some goslings, he hasn´t proved anywhere near infertile! Maybe give Missy and hubby another chance next season? Do they have a good deep pool? And when Missy starts to lay, could you get a few eggs from someone else and put them in together with a few of Missy´s, just in case? You could write on Missy´s eggs so you know if any of hers have hatched, and if not, then she should still have a few goslings.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes, another couple of weeks and they´ll be little dinosaurs!

The first gosling from the other batch has pipped, and I think there is at least one more gosling that I can hear. I´m going to keep an eye on the mum, though....She heard the cheeps, saw the little beak protruding and took fright!! Had a nibble at the shell and got off the nest. So, I turned the egg gosling-downward in the nest, and she went back on, only after inspecting the place to see if the alien was still among the eggs! She didn´t notice, and sat down. A minute later she was up again, she now seems aware of where the alien is, is still nibbling the egg a bit, but not so startled. I did think about taking it away so she doesn´t hurt it, but then....what if it´s the only one....singleton again....hard work...... Silly goose! Well, it is her first, let´s hope she´s ok and another hatches.

Aww I hope she settles, hard to know what's going on in their heads. One of my Muscovy ducks did this a couple years ago, 2 started to hatch the first she tried her best to kill I got it away, the second she did kill because she wouldn't continue to sit, she staid in the nest but wouldn't stay down. And me never having to deal with anything like this didn't help the duckling. Next year she wanted to try again, I was ready to move in if need be, why she laid 8 eggs hatched 4 and was an awesome mom, you just never know. Hopefully your goose will figure it out.