Egg Eaters :(

[laughaha]

I think I figured out why the gentleman who sold me the 4 toulouse geese (subadults) did so cheaply- THEY ARE EGG EATERS! Grrr!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was out doing the afternoon/evening feeding/watering and a hen came out of the nest box and one of the new geese immediately went and ate the egg. Everyone freeranges together- I use the geese as LGG's. I do NOT want to get rid of the geese but need to learn how to train a goose to leave eggs alone!!! Is there a way to untrain an egg-eating goose?

 

[laughaha]

Doesn't anyone have an old family trick for egg eating geese? Does anyone know of something geese CAN'T STAND the taste of that I can inject into some eggs?

 

[Patchesnposies]

Quote:
I have read about putting mustard or hot sauce into an empty egg and letting them go for it.

On a more practical note, could you put the nesting boxes up higher where the hens can get in and the geese can't? Maybe place a gate in front of the coop door, so the hens can fly over but the geese cannot gain access?

My husband always says, in regards to our horses and goats, that "The BEST fence is a full stomach." We have found if there is plenty of feed for our hens, and they are getting enough protein in their diet, they will not eat eggs. (Or peck each clean of feathers!) Maybe try upping their protein rations?

 

[laughaha]

They get layer feed, BOSS, alfalfa pellets, scraps and all the grass and weeds they can eat (free range) daily.

I'll try the mustard in the eggs as mine love red pepper flakes and other spicy stuff. I will also make a fence out of 2' high chicken wire around the coop so the geese can't get in but the chickens still can (great idea). tyty

 

[Kim65]

My first thought too was that they are craving the protein or the amino acids/vitamins in the eggs. The other thing was I'd never heard of an egg eating goose!!

You'll have to do a couple of different things. One is to break the little behavioral chain (see egg: eat egg). This is an ongoing problem with chickens, and I've heard that getting rid of the egg eater is about the only way

. Geese aren't as nimble and mobile as chickens, so you could rig up a short barrier to the nests that chickens will jump over but will stop the geese.

I thought too that perhaps they are craving the protein. I think it's possible, but it's less of an issue. Think about it, an egg is the perfect food, a perfect mix of easy nutrients, amino acids, fatty acids, protein. It's a miracle more eggs aren't eaten, really lol.

Just in case, give the geese a handful of dog food. I haven't met a goose that didn't love dog food. It can't possibly be all the good for them, they don't need all the protein and fat in it, but maybe it will decrease the egg eating impulse.

Another idea is to make fake egg bombs (just letting my mind go nuts here

). Blow out an egg and then fill it with something noxious, like tabasco sauce.

Geese have elephant memories. I doubt they'll "forget" about eggs. Maybe aversion, extra protein and a good goose barrier will solve your problem.

 

[laughaha]

thanks for the responses

I put up a 3' (I think) chicken wire fence around where I don't want the geese going. They are not impressed to say the least, lol. If they manage to get through, I'm gonna try the egg bombs.

I would really prefer to NOT feed dogfood, as I buy Taste of the Wild and it's super expensive (only thing my allergic rotterman can eat). How about peanut butter sandwiches on whole grain bread? I get peanut butter really cheap (gotta love coupons!!!) and Arnold bread has been on sale lately so I've got a few loaves in the freezer. So for about 2.50 I can have lots of peanut butter sandwiches. I'm thinking one sandwich each per day? Does this sound like a good plan?

 

[Baybrio]

I'm sorry I don't have a good answer about the egg eating but I have a less expensive idea for increasing the protein. I give my disabled indoor duck Daffy Purina Naturals cat food to add some variety to his diet. It comes in a green bag in only one flavor. It is sold just about every where that sells cat food. I like it for the duck because it is shaped into little pellets that are easy for him to eat and is of course very high in protein.

I don't know if the peanut butter sandwich will increase the protein enough. Daffy often grabs a few bites out of my whole wheat peanut butter sandwiches, unfortunately if he gets too big a bite he flings it across the room - the dogs like that.

I will warn you though, yesterday I thought I'd give my little flock of Dutch Hookbills some of the cat food as a treat. They were expecting my hand to hold peas. Boy were they were surprised and not impressed. They looked like cartoon ducks spitting out cat food pellets. After the initial shock they did eat the cat food but it certainly was not the great treat I thought it would be for them.

Good luck with the geese!