First Gosling...

[Kendriffic]

Hello!

I just had a few questions about what I should expect from my very first Gosling. I've been having an extremely hard time finding Goslings as is, not to mention hatching eggs. Desperate to have my very own, I opted for a one week old baby to pick-up this weekend. Actually, it'll be eight days old by time I have baby.
I'm worried about the imprinting, and how that will affect my eight day old babies bond with me. Is eight days too long of a duration into its life to expect a close "mom" and baby relationship? Might I have to try only to be the Goslings buddy?
The breeder said that the Gosling has been raised by her children so far, and has been separated from it's Goose mother. Do you think that my Gosling will be sad to be put in my hands, and cry for his or her's other family, or will it still be early enough that the Gosling will take to me?

I lost my best friend of twenty-one years on New Years Eve, and this has been the only "lively" thing I have been looking forward to in a while. I'm just trying to ensure that I wont take it personally if the baby still has an attatchment elsewhere, and if so, how long before it forgets and tries to accept me as mom?

Thank you all for your time!

-Kendra

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

I'm happy to hear about your new gosling. I think he or she will make the adjustment just fine - it may take a day or two but I think things will be fine. They can be hard to find at times...keep us posted and let us know how it goes. Enjoy.

 

[Kim65]

Jojo is right, this is an imprinted gosling already. She's young enough that she won't have a hard transition from one human to another. My goslings didn't start caring what human was holding them until they were much older.

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss

: and can totally relate with how important the gosling is. I think you will not be disapointed

Even imprinted goslings will paddle and struggle when picked up (instinct) so don't let that stop you. Hold him/her a lot and soon you'll wonder why you were ever concerned it wouldn't imprint on you and you'll wish for some peace and alone time

 

[Kendriffic]

Thank you so much!

That gives me some peace of mind, and now, probably my fiance too.

I will keep you updated! I'll likely be taking more pictures than is healthy. I've already hand sewn a little baby bed. I'm pretty sure I already love the little thing.

A day or two isn't bad for a transitional period, I will be giving it lots of undivided attention too. We'll be picking up some BBB turkey chicks, and a few Buff Orp & EE chicks which will be requiring some attention also, but... Since those will be either making dinner or be dinner, I doubt I'll have a hard time separating the bond with them also.
Who knows though, it'll be my first time for all these types of birds.
Heh.

Thanks again!

-Kendra