First egg's, what to do?

[Frostywinter]

Hi there

Our Goose (about 11mths old) has just laid her first 2 eggs today, this is our first goose so not sure on the process.

There is no Drake involved so eggs wont be fertilised (she just lives with our all girl chickens)

She sleeps in the same coop at night as the chickens and has made her nest right next to the house ..

So do we put her back in the coop tonight (she is quite grumpy and protective of her nest) but normally I can pat her and pick her up easily?

Or do we let her stay on the eggs overnight, that worries me as fox's are around and I want to keep her safe.

Any tips would be appreciated.

Tks

Frosty
Australia

 

[Weeg]

Is she broody? It sure sounds like it. I she is broody, you may wan too mover into the coop or inside somewhere else like the house where she can broody without and distractions. Do you want goslings? If so it may depend on your climate and how cold it is getting around now. I you live in a climate like me it will be getting to cold for babies, but a warmer climate would be fine. You will have to put fertilized eggs under her, so she can hatch them, but if you don't want goslings and she is broody, then you can just take her eggs and put her in at night and she will break the habit soon enough.

 

[Weeg]

Plus if you break the habit this year, then she will likely wan to brood again next year, when she will be older and you will have more experience with geese and both of you will be more prepared for being momma's! Oh, and i just saw that you live in Australia? Assuming its pretty warm there so you won't have not worry about the climate much, but you still may want to wait till next year to brood, because then she will be a better momma and you will be more experienced and ready. Good luck, Avery

 

[Weeg]

Oh and! Welcome to BYC! Have fun here, we are all here to help you out in all situations, even if you just have some questions!

 

[Frostywinter]

Hi Avery, and thanks for your replies.

Yes as you can tell we are new at Geese - have only had a handful of chickens till now.

We only have the one Goose, in fact until today we thought she was a he (was originally told most likely was a boy) we dont want any goslings and dont have access to a drake anyhow.

We just found her sitting on her nest this morning by the house away from the coop, she is very attached to me, we guess as I am outside a lot around her, she likes lots of pats, and for me to pick her up and she is happy to sit in my lap when I sit down, very sweet, sometimes she even wants to be carried into the coop at night by me!

It's still pretty cold at night here at the moment and with fox's around I will need to move her into the coop to keep here safe, have made a sort of nest for her in the coop just now in case she wants to lay any more eggs - looks like just 2 today, how many eggs might we expect for her first time and how often?

Cheers for you help

Frosty

 

[Weeg]

Hmm, I hav elever owned geese, but my ducks lay one a day. Make sure yo uahve oyster shells available for calcium. have fun, Avery

 

[jtn42248]

Geese typically lay one egg every other day so she may have either laid an egg before (count 2) and moved it to her nest...they will do that. She will sit the eggs until broody breaks or she just gets tired of it. If you let her sit the nest be careful not to break them when you finally remove them. The will be anything but nice at that point.

 

[Weeg]

If she is broody, then just put her back in the coop every night as it is to late for duckings even i f yo wanted them, and take her eggs. She will go back to the nest every day and try to sit but if you just her in at nigh and take her eggs, she will unbroody eventually. Good luck, Avery

 

[Frostywinter]

Hi Again,

My goose (who is approx 12mths old) is still broody, she has stopped laying eggs (she had about 10 in total)
I have to physically pick her up off her nest (which is outside the coop) and carry her to the coop each night (for safety from fox's). In the mornings when we let her out she goes straight to the nest and stays there all day long ( usually each day I pick her up and drop her into the pond where she enjoys bathing and drinking for a few mins before running back to the nest. She eats very little , nothing during the day and only little bits of wheat and grass I leave in the coop each night for her.
Its been 1 month now of this - how long can I expect it to continue, I dont want her to get sick from lack of food etc.

Thanks

Frosty (Australia)

 

[Weeg]

Every night when you put her in, destroy the nest completely, and put rocks or sticks in it, to make it unusable. She may make a nest elsewhere, but just keep an eye on her, and destroy that nest too. Even when she is on the nest, jus move her off, and destroy it. Poor broody baby, she just wants to be a momma. Oh well, better safe then sorry, maybe she can try next year, in a safe place! Hope this helps!