First Gosling Didn't Make It

[judithkorff]

The first gosling from the clutch my girls are setting (two nests, side-by-side) apparently pipped sometime yesterday but wasn't able to completely free itself of the eggshell. I found it this morning when I was feeding in the barn.

Because the eggs were laid at different times by 3 different hens, I'm not sure when to expect them to hatch so I've been watching several times a day.

Is there a time of day that they are more apt to hatch than others (it would be nice if they were like alpacas -- generally only born between 6AM and 3PM -- but I guess I can't ask too much). I have a brooder ready and expect to take them as they hatch (after drying, of course) and pop them into the brooder, since I wasn't able to get an incubator in time to do any good this year. Live and learn.....

One thing that puzzles me is that yesterday when I went out in the afternoon, I found a very clean egg all by itself, rolled out into the entryway of the barn. I put it back with the others, but I'm wondering now whether it was the same egg and maybe the geese nudged it out because they knew it wasn't going to hatch properly. What do you think?

Judith Korff
LadySong Suris
Randolph, NY

 

[wadek2008]

Darn- how disappointing. Hopefully the others will do much better!
It's entirely possible they rolled it out because they knew it wasn't developing or unfertile.

 

[keeperofthehearth]

So sorry to hear about your gosling. Hopefully the rest will hatch O.K. Can't answer your question though since I've never had geese. And

I'm sure someone will be on here soon and will be able to give you an answer.

 

[chickenannie]

My turkeys would roll an egg out of the nest occasionally and I think it's cuz they're smarter than we are and know what's going on inside the eggs. I tried to put guinea eggs with them (all got rolled). Once there was a false egg (got rolled out). My chickens don't do it, just my turkeys. they're smarter.

 

[judithkorff]

First time I ever heard of turkeys being smart:

 

[Cottage Rose]

Judith welcome to BYC!

You could candle the eggs to see which ones have pipped internally. You will see their head or beak in the air sack. Also you can listen to the eggs and see if they are peeping.

Re. the egg out of the nest... ducks and geese will roll dead eggs out of the nest.

 

[judithkorff]

Thanks for the welcome, Vicki! This certainly is a more active forum!

Now the trick is to get the gals off the nest long enough to attempt to candle the eggs (and of course to keep Tango and Target from eating my legs while I'm working).

I think it's hilarious that they've combined all the eggs into one nest which they sit on together, with Tiffany coming and going as it pleases her. I'll try to get the candling done soon and see what I find. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Cottage Rose]

Wear a snowmoblie suit!