Do I Get Involved - Help!!

[echix]

One hatched last night around 6pm was half way out of shell last night - the other eggs (8) are just now piping under goose.

This morning they are all still picking out of their shells but there is a big fuzzy one in there and she is stepping all over him moving around on the nest. Is he OK? Is he getting beat up rolling around in all those eggs and her knocking him around?

Do I get him and take him out and put him in a box w/ 90 degree heat or just leave him in there with them. He is out and dry and totally fuzzy - way ahead of the other eggs!!

What do I do??

 

[pete55]

Firstly Congratulations

I would keep a good eye on her but she may be a little restless tending to the eggs that are pipping. Hopefully the remaining eggs will provide some support and stop the little one from being crushed. It must have been there a little while as its dried out and active. So far she must be doing ok. Be prepared that she may lead the goslings away and leave any late hatchers behind. Might be an idea to have an incubator on stand-by if that happens.

If you're very concerned about the gosling's welfare then it would be ok to bring it inside until the majority have hatched and then quietly slide it back with Mom.

Good luck and great news

Pete

 

[echix]

Thank you thank you thank you - we're new to this and have a nice place w/ pond but didn't plan on geese until one wandered into our field and neighbor gave him to us. That led to the last 60 day rollercoaster when we got him a mate and ended up with 4 geese / 2 male / 2 female and the females started nesting and laying immediately!! What a ride this has been..... I love animals and have 10 year old original flock chickens that's how good a care I try to take with mine.....

I went out and he is under her sitting on top of the eggs but still.... he is fully fluffy and fully "done". No other eggs are popping open all are intact w/ holes pecked in looks like - YIKES! That would mean it would be late today or tomorrow when they're ready and he's then almost 48 hours old....

At what point does he need water and should I put water near her nest? The gander is sitting right beside her....

This moring there to open the pens up and there was one out of the nest and I "crawled" in there and picked it up - it had a hole in it and it was still warm - it was moving in there - it was a total treat to be able to do that but it was scary as heck!

At what point should I get him out of the nest and put him in a box inside and if I do - do I need to put heat on him? I have a 250w. heat lamp and a thermometer but no incubator.

I can get ready now and regulate the heat in it to 90 degrees incase I have to "go in" --- but at what point do I take him out so she can set the others? Do I put him in a box w/ water and feed already? I have Mazzuri starter fortunately and a 1 gal chick waterer. I have Quik Chik V&E I can put in the water too if that will help.

Is it normal for one to hatch so early and the others not ready yet? I know it's a lot of questions ... but this is critical and I don't want to SCREW THINGS UP..... We've all waited so long for this to happen.

I truly appreciate any and all help at this point - I'm just sitting here.

 

[pete55]

Oh dear you're 'enjoying' the same rollercoaster ride we all go on when its hatching time. At the moment it sounds like all's going well and certainly the parents seem to know what they're doing. Its not unusual to have an early gosling but the majority will hatch over a relatively short spece of time. The goslings are born with a sunstantial amount of yolk sac in their abdomens and they absorb that while they gather strength and dry. Your gosling sounds fine and will be ok without food and water today. Our incubator hatched goslings often dont really get going with eating and drinking until the 2nd day. First they dry and then start to try walking.

The pipped eggs could hatch anytime now as they're already externally pipped, it's a question of being patient. Try to relax and leave the parents to do their duties. As you've no incubator then leave mother nature to work the magic

Pete

 

[echix]

You're awesome Pete! I'm trying to relax an be patient -- really!!

The gosling is sitting beside her now on the nest - the others are working their way out. It is more stress than anything I have ever done!!! It's sitting beside her just looking around and blinking..... I get a peek every now and then.

Her little pen is 4x8 and small it opens to a bigger pen 16x8 with grass/and fully fenced/wire. Should I put the water in with her and keep them all in the little pen for the first few days so everyone gets up and down and drinks?

What about her feed and water. I bet she's starving and thirsty by now for sure. I can put her water/feed in there where they are as well - her waterer is a 6" deep square t ub and too big for them to get up into. Her food pan is the same. I have a chick waterer and feeder pan for the goslings to use.

What if she gets off and goes walking and there is an egg or two still hatching?
Do I put it under a light bulb in a towel and let it continue to hatch?
Or take all goslings away so she will set back on it?

So many questions but someone with experience at this that offers helps is a LIFESAVER at this point!

Wondering if I should have just INCUBATED instead... LOL!! Bet that's not easy either, huh?

Anyone else reading this please don't be afraid to chime in if you have "hen on nest" experience.

 

[Diamond Wire Farms]

echix,

My Toulouse co-nested, so we have had a VERY drawn out hatch.
One always hatches first. I put the 3 gallon chicken waterer and a bowl of starter feed next to the nest.
Both gooses stayed put on the eggs and the fluffy babies could totter their way to the feed/water and then back under Mom's wing.
After she hatched 8 (plus the 3 bought goslings I gave her) I took the last 3 eggs to the incubator.

Keep adding starter feed, becasue Mom will eat most of it, but I figure after she starves herself for that long, she deserves a treat.

CONGRATS!

Last year we only had 2 goslings hatch and they both died.
This year we have 14 and one pipping in the incubator!

 

[echix]

Wow Shannon - thanks!

You didn't mess around this year --- 14 that's a sure thing!

Her nest is a big pile of hay that sits about 1-2 feed off the ground at a slope in a corner of a 4x8 pen that has wood & wire around it. Her corner is tucked in with wood on all 3 sides so no wind/etc. can get to her (even me). Should I set the feed/water near it and can they get in and out of that nest ok?

I'm sure some of the feed will spill on the ground.

Do you give them grit right off the bat? There is grass all over the ground in her pen and it's about 2-3" tall.

 

[Diamond Wire Farms]

Just get it as close to her as you can. You might consider adding more straw around the nest to build up the slope, so it is not treacherous for wobbly little legs.
The gosling should be okay without food or water for 2 days or so, because it will still have some yolk sack left internally. After that it will need crumble and water.
Crumble feed does not require grit.

 

[echix]

Ok, great. I'm trying to work that out right now.

When they start pecking at the grass will they need grit. The little early gosling is sitting up now and pecking at the hay in the nest.....

 

[Diamond Wire Farms]

Our birds get plenty of grit from the ground.

Perhaps a Texas local can make a suggestion on grit...