GOOSE BREEDING THREAD - for breeding, incubating, hatching and rearing.

[seminolewind]

Favorite resting spot.

 

[gander007]

my goslings at 4 weeks

Looks like they have been having some fun in the mud alright

so did you hose them off ???

 

[EeyoreD]

greetings all, I just hatched 3 Emdens that are four days old today

and was wondering if anyone has advise on the tail pulling / biting? I have one smaller gosling that seems to be a bit clumsy and falls on it's back a lot and the other two seem to pick on it more than each other. Obviously the little guy has become my pal, but I don't want to isolate it, etc. It looks like they are trying to pull the tail feathers out and where ever they can grab, etc. What type of toys can I add to distract them? Also, is it to early to bring them outside for a while to get fresh grass?

Thanks much, I'll post picks soon, as they are adorable

Oh please do post pics!

I'm by no means an expert (unlike Miss Lydia who knows her stuff) but I can say this - I had one obviously (to the geese, anyway) wrong bird. It was almost immediately abandoned and ultimately died. But I have another sort of gimpy gosling. It limps and doesn't walk well and falls over a lot. If something was truly wrong with it I think my goose would have abandoned it like the other. But it shows a good effort and they wait for it to catch up and still care for it.

I'm guessing here but as long as your poor, bullied one is still able to get to feed and water on its own and is interested in both, it will probably pull out of it as long as its siblings don't keep it away from the feed/water.

I don't know how accurate this is but someone a few days ago mentioned that other birds feather pick (themselves and others) when they're not getting enough protein. That certainly makes sense for my non-geese but I don't know if that actually translates to geese. And I have no idea about gosling feeding requirements. I've been fortunate enough to be able to leave that up to the parents. Sorry.

Good luck and post pictures!

 

[KWSRetMSgt]

Good Morning everyone,

Just another update, it's 12:25 CT Monday June 16th 2014. and the count of new babies is now up to 7, along with Merc and his sibs I have a full Dozen Goslings.

You can't tell from the picture but, the goose in the back of the nesting box still has about 15 eggs under her.

Not complaining here, but to the indivdual who said "Sisters sharing a nest doesn't usually work out". Well this time my girls proved em wrong.

OK then, anyone in the local DFW area that's wanting or needing new blood for their flock I got some to choose from. Drop me a "PM" and I'll get you more info.

 

[subhanalah]

Oh please do post pics!

I'm by no means an expert (unlike Miss Lydia who knows her stuff) but I can say this - I had one obviously (to the geese, anyway) wrong bird.  It was almost immediately abandoned and ultimately died.  But I have another sort of gimpy gosling.  It limps and doesn't walk well and falls over a lot.  If something was truly wrong with it I think my goose would have abandoned it like the other.  But it shows a good effort and they wait for it to catch up and still care for it.

I'm guessing here but as long as your poor, bullied one is still able to get to feed and water on its own and is interested in both, it will probably pull out of it as long as its siblings don't keep it away from the feed/water.

I don't know how accurate this is but someone a few days ago mentioned that other birds feather pick (themselves and others) when they're not getting enough protein.  That certainly makes sense for my non-geese but I don't know if that actually translates to geese.  And I have no idea about gosling feeding requirements.  I've been fortunate enough to be able to leave that up to the parents.  Sorry.

Good luck and post pictures!

I would recommend giving your weak go sling some poultry nutri-drench. Sounds like it may be dealing with some vitamin deficiencies.

 

[EeyoreD]

I would recommend giving your weak go sling some poultry nutri-drench. Sounds like it may be dealing with some vitamin deficiencies.

I think it was actually trampled during some weird goose "My babies! But still protect the perimeter!" fight. Goslings are astoundingly durable but even the rubbery things can get a leg tweaked and the more I watch it the more I think that's what happened.

As for giving nutridrench - whenever I get close to them, the goose or the gander (or both!) stabs me in the neck. And if I just put it out there for them, the amazingly opportunistic chickens will consume it before anyone even knows it's there.

Of course maybe I have the wrong end of the stick. My geese have full range of 7 acres of lawn, swamp, and pond (full of duckweed, various grasses and marsh plants). The flock moves between every area multiple times through the day. I give feed and grains twice a day just in case they're not getting enough calories (they eat them but they don't run right to me when I put them out) but they have a massive variety of land and water greens to choose from. Am I wrong in assuming that their parents will show them what to eat to stave off deficiency or do I need to still help them with that?

 

[subhanalah]

I think it was actually trampled during some weird goose "My babies!  But still protect the perimeter!" fight.  Goslings are astoundingly durable but even the rubbery things can get a leg tweaked and the more I watch it the more I think that's what happened.

As for giving nutridrench - whenever I get close to them, the goose or the gander (or both!) stabs me in the neck.  And if I just put it out there for them, the amazingly opportunistic chickens will consume it before anyone even knows it's there.

Of course maybe I have the wrong end of the stick.  My geese have full range of 7 acres of lawn, swamp, and pond (full of duckweed, various grasses and marsh plants).  The flock moves between every area multiple times through the day.  I give feed and grains twice a day just in case they're not getting enough calories (they eat them but they don't run right to me when I put them out) but they have a massive variety of land and water greens to choose from.  Am I wrong in assuming that their parents will show them what to eat to stave off deficiency or do I need to still help them with that?

it sounds like they have a great food source, if it were me though, I would add some to their water just to be safe. Domestic geese were raised in such a way I believe the "natural forage" may not be adequate for them like it would be for wild geese, but then again that's why you are supplementing with grains.

Where's @livininbrazil@Miss Lydia@servpolice?
What do you all think?

 

[Miss Lydia]

it sounds like they have a great food source, if it were me though, I would add some to their water just to be safe. Domestic geese were raised in such a way I believe the "natural forage" may not be adequate for them like it would be for wild geese, but then again that's why you are supplementing with grains.

Where's @livininbrazil @Miss Lydia @servpolice ?
What do you all think?

I'd still use poultry vitamins, I do for my ducklings raised by mama's just to be sure they are getting all they need that first couple weeks. I am brooding 2 goslings inside for now and they are getting Poultry Nutri Drench along with outside forage 4-5 times a day. Plus their Flock raiser.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Good Morning everyone,

Just another update, it's 12:25 CT Monday June 16th 2014. and the count of new babies is now up to 7, along with Merc and his sibs I have a full Dozen Goslings.

You can't tell from the picture but, the goose in the back of the nesting box still has about 15 eggs under her.

Not complaining here, but to the indivdual who said "Sisters sharing a nest doesn't usually work out". Well this time my girls proved em wrong.

OK then, anyone in the local DFW area that's wanting or needing new blood for their flock I got some to choose from. Drop me a "PM" and I'll get you more info.

What a sweet pic. Congrats!!! Hey it looks like you got a lot of girls there. look how dark the grey is.

 

[EeyoreD]

it sounds like they have a great food source, if it were me though, I would add some to their water just to be safe. Domestic geese were raised in such a way I believe the "natural forage" may not be adequate for them like it would be for wild geese, but then again that's why you are supplementing with grains.

Where's @livininbrazil @Miss Lydia @servpolice ?
What do you all think?

Oh crap. I'm sorry, I'm sure I'm dumb. Can someone tell me how many pounds of additives to add to the 12x12 width 4 foot deep front pond? And to the 35 X 20 by 4-6 foot deep back pond. And, since I live in a wetland, the various marsh channels and pools (there are, as far as I can see 2 additional pools and 7 channels but there may be more pools and channels further that I can reach because I don't float like waterfowl).

Or can someone tell me how to encourage them to drink only from my treated waterer?


What do you all think?