Can a goose die incubating her nest?**MOVED MOM*

Goat_Walker

I Am THE Crazy Duck Lady
11 Years
Jul 9, 2008
4,887
39
231
Maryland
I went over to check on my female goose lucy. she has been sitting on a nest for at least 2 weeks now at least, probably more. Anyway, today i went to check on her and she ahd flies on her . seemins one of her eggs exploded and she rolled it out of the nest. her neck was drooping and she even let me pickj her up , didnt make a sound. Normally i cant even touch her. She felt like a bag or bones. I know she has been eating but i dont know if its enough. SO can she die incubatin her nest????


***********************
Ok so i moved her and 5 of her six eggs into her new nesting area. At first she was conent to make a new nest around her eggs - until she heard her boys. So now her boys are pacing outside the fence and she s either pacing with them or eating - because as soon as she saw food she was look WOOOOOHHH!! Id put the ganders in the pen with her except for the fact that i have a female muscovy and her babies in there and i dont want to come home and find what the ganders leave me.
 
Last edited:
I just got my first gosling so have never had a broody goose BUt that does not sound good. I would put food & water within her reach. Good Luck
hugs.gif
 
Some geese will neglect themselves when they go broody. You have to drag them off the nest. My goose Lila sat and sat and sat and I thought she looked peaked, so I brought food and water to her. Some folks recommend dragging the goose off the nest and putting them in front of food and water. I would get right on that one if I were you
smile.png
good luck with your girl
smile.png
 
Yes, they can die.

You will be to force her off the nest and confine her somewhere where she can eat, drink, and defecate (yes, they will stop pooping!).
Then return her to the next. Definitely doesn't sound good. Being observant is an important quality in a goose owner. It's past time she should be taken off the nest for food, water, and potty time.
 
They definitely can neglect themselves when they go broody, especially if they are a younger goose. I have heard that some will starve themselves to death but its more likely dehydration. Geese need an enormous amount of water each day. I have put water in bowls and literally held it in front of my sitting geese while they drank and drank and drank some more. I would keep a short bowl off to the side of the ones that aren't good about getting off the nest so they could reach over to take drinks and they did. Some would say when they get thirsty enough they will get off the nest but I had a couple young broody momma's who wouldn't except for maybe every three days to poop. That wasn't enough. They became very weak and thin so I intervened and they perked right up. Good luck with your goose.
 
The problem is she is nested across the street right on the border of my neighbors pond. she is literally two feet from water so im not sure if thats an issue. Whenever she comes back over to eat with the boys she seemed alert just pale. She is missing a few tufts of feathers by her face and all her back and the few tail feathers she has are ragged. The big thing was her beak and feet got paler. Ill try and take some pictures today. All her eggs looked... well nasty. I havent smelled them all but im pretty sure she has had a few bombs go off in her tiny nes, there are egg shells around the nest.
 
I agree and sounds like she needs to stop brooding and regain her condition before she becomes very ill. They're soon over it after 1-2 days once the eggs are removed and the nest broken up.

Pete
wink.png
 
So - is it suggested that I move her into my penned in enclosure? I have sufficient kiddie pools, feed buckets, and housing right there - my only issue would be my males. I have two ganders who serve her like a queen. When i lock her up I can just see chaos ensuing. I currently have a muscovy hen and 9 ducklings locked in the same enclosure but fenced off.


SO - Move her or leave her?
 
Honestly, if I were worried about the goose's health, I would remove the eggs and move her somewhere safe and dry.
If she is allowing you to pick her up without protest off of a nest, she would be little match for a predator.

Go get her. Pen her up with clean feed and water.

Candle the eggs. If any are still viable, gently wash them and find someone with an incubator ASAP.

Good Luck. I hope she males it!
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom