Can a Gander father goslings?

[huboro]

Recently, I've bought a couple of female goslings but there is no mom. I only have an old gander and some hens, chickens and a rooster in backyard. The goslings are now 3 weeks old and I care for them. Today I put the goslings in a cage near the pen and the gander is very interested lestening their calls close by. Can I please get some advice when would be a good time to introduce them and if he can be a dad to them? What Age?

Thanks for help.

Hubert

 

[Iain Utah]

Congrats on your new babies!! Ganders make great dads. If gander adopts them, he will coo softly to babies and guard their pen 24/7. When gander starts acting like he has to protect the goslings from you, then it will be ok to let gander have them.

 

[Kevin565]

IU gave you great info!

 

[huboro]

I take the goslings out to the pen-cage in the morning and the gander wants to come over, he nearly wanted to attack me today when I was tending to the goslings! I don't know if its not too early, I take them home for the night...its chilly at night and they have no mom. Anymore advice? Thanks soooo much, Iain Utah!

 

[larkflying]

My three week old Goslings are out with their parents all the time -- temps have been in the low 40's and they don't seem cold at all. They don't huddle under the geese much, but there are 12, so they tend to nap in one big gosling puddle together so i suppose that keeps them warm some. I've heard that geese don't sit on babies like a broody hen, they will stand over the babies and the goslings will wiggle into the space between their wing and body. But, mine don't seem cold as they never try to do this.

It sounds to me that the gander is ready for his babies! Just try to find a few days where it isn't going to rain much, so they have time to acclimate before they are out at night with the rain. I did empty the one pond that they could get into the first few nights, but after I saw how comfortable they were out there, I didn't even bother with that.

Try to let them out in the morning, and then you'll have all day to watch them and make sure they are okay before you let them stay out at night.

 

[Iain Utah]

Huburo, I set up a temporary fenced pen outside. That way I could leave the goslings outside with my ganders (my pair paced around the pen like soldiers on guard) all day long, then bring them in at night. Then, once I felt it was warm enough at night, I took down the fence and let the ganders have them.

I live in an extreme cold area and my goslings have access to swimming overnight, so I waited until they were 8 weeks old (my temps at night are in the 30s).