Broody goose

[sourland]

A solid, predator proof enclosure might work. Where are you located, and what predators do you have to deal with ? A gander will protect a goose to a limited degree. I've been attacked/threatened by many a Canada gander while fishing.

 

[Equimby88]

Haha yes my gander often chases me down the allotment. I'm in the UK so our main predator are foxes. We have quite big birds of pray but there not a threat to the geese I only worry about them wen iv got ducklings running around. I'm goin to try the crate in the shed first and maybe if she lays in the compost just take the egg away and put in in the shed see what happens but if all that fails then we will.just have to build her that pen around the bloody compost heap

 

[Miss Lydia]

If you can get some fake goose eggs you might intice her to lay inside their building. Some craft stores carry them or of course Amazon.

 

[The goose girl]

I agree with sourland in blocking off the compost heap way before they choose nest sites. Once they've chosen, they're not likely to change their minds. Also, you could try giving them fake eggs or golf balls to encourage them to like the new nest site better.

My goose does lots of house shopping every spring. She'll inspect many possible sites, and she seems partial to smaller roofed structures, partially open with a good view of the premises. She'll stand in front of for instance a wood shed, look inside it, and say a whispered "hhhhaaaaf" a lot. If there's straw or hay she'll do a little nest-building tryout. Luckily, she's always ended up choosing the goose house to build her nest in.

When she starts showing the house shopping behavior - at least a month before she starts laying - I put straw in the goose house, arrange it roughly like a nest, and put a golf ball or two in it. She'll roll the golf balls and talk to them. Sometimes she'll even sit on them for a little while. She still spends most of her day doing normal goose stuff outside, but she'll check in on the nest and the golf ball eggs once or twice daily. Most days she just stays in the house a bit longer, maybe an hour after the door is opened. Up until she starts laying, she'll spend more and more time arranging the straw. The rest of the year she's only in the goose house at night, even though she always has access to it.

 

[Equimby88]

Thanks everyone for replys. We're goin to block the compost heaps up today and stick a great of hay in the shed. Thanks for all the tips we will try them out and hopefully they will work