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

[Laynie]

Hi all

I'm really new to raising Geese and have some questions about hatching. I have a pair of beautiful Toulouse (pets) that came to my little farm though a rescue and have been with me for a couple of months. They free range by day and are cooped at night to protect from foxes. My problem is my girl has decided to nest in my hay shed (open sided barn) It's still a little cold here in Australia (end of winter). I'd like her to hatch the eggs to increase my little flock of two but I'm worried that she is not protected from foxes at night on the next. Is it possible to move the nest into the coop? Or will moving it cause her to abandon it? She currently only has 2 eggs, should I discard them and encourage her to nest in the coop?

 

[kimberly35042]

Is the coop large enough that you can lock the pair in until she broods and hatches the goslings? 10x10 minimum? Need to have bathing water in there as well?

If you move the nest and eggs into a nest box in their coop and lock them in, she will begin laying in the nest you provide. But if you still plan to let them out during the day, you'll need to block off the shed entrance.

 

[Laynie]

Thanks for the advice the coop is definitely big enough to lock them in and already has a bath for them. I'll move the eggs before she get too comfy in the shed.

 

[Chelsieb]

Hello all! I have a question? I had a male and female pair of Toulouse geese that I raised for 4 months.They were fully feathered out and very healthy. Suddenly in a span of 4 hours,my male suddenly disappeared! No sign of feathers in the yard or evidence of a struggle. I would like to know if any of you think he could have flown away? He would run and flap his wings across the yard,but I never saw him airborn. I have no predators around my home,so I am confused as to what may have happened to him. The pair were inseperable. thanks for ur answers! Chelsieb

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello all! I have a question? I had a male and female pair of Toulouse geese that I raised for 4 months.They were fully feathered out and very healthy. Suddenly in a span of 4 hours,my male suddenly disappeared! No sign of feathers in the yard or evidence of a struggle. I would like to know if any of you think he could have flown away? He would run and flap his wings across the yard,but I never saw him airborn. I have no predators around my home,so I am confused as to what may have happened to him. The pair were inseperable. thanks for ur answers! Chelsieb

He may have flown my female Toulouse could fly she has flown over my 4' fence before. i clip one wing to keep her safe. We have alot of predators. What about a human predator? .

So sorry for your loss @Chelsieb Have you gone out looking for him? We can always think we haven't predators until someone disappears then we find out real fast we do.

 

[Chelsieb]

Yes,I did look all around the pasture for him....Since I was home at the time he went missing,it would surprise me that someone would have caught him. Hopefully if he flew away,then maybe he will come back,cause he and the female were INSEPERABLE from birth,and only 4 months old. We sure do miss him. Imma going to hold out hope he comes back! Thanks for the response!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes,I did look all around the pasture for him....Since I was home at the time he went missing,it would surprise me that someone would have caught him. Hopefully if he flew away,then maybe he will come back,cause he and the female were INSEPERABLE from birth,and only 4 months old. We sure do miss him. Imma going to hold out hope he comes back! Thanks for the response!

I am thinking Coyote they are very stealth and can snatch and run with a gosling that old and large with out any problem. I really don't think my gander would ever fly off and leave his mate.

 

[JLfarm]

Does anyone know of a good nesting material to put in my goose nests to have a better hatch rate ? My problem is I've always had geese go broody and I candle her eggs they all internally pip but never break the shell and I find dead goslings in the eggs when I throw them out. I don't like to put the goose eggs in the incubator bc with work I have no time to turn them and give them such high maintenance that they need so it is easier for me to let the goose set. My grandfather used to use burlap in the bottom of the nest to help with humidity which I'm assuming that this is the problem. Any other ideas ?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Does anyone know of a good nesting material to put in my goose nests to have a better hatch rate ? My problem is I've always had geese go broody and I candle her eggs they all internally pip but never break the shell and I find dead goslings in the eggs when I throw them out. I don't like to put the goose eggs in the incubator bc with work I have no time to turn them and give them such high maintenance that they need so it is easier for me to let the goose set. My grandfather used to use burlap in the bottom of the nest to help with humidity which I'm assuming that this is the problem. Any other ideas ?

I just use pine shaving it's bedding for horses. Wouldn't think living in the south you'd have a humidity problem. Geese will poo in their nests so you want to use something you can half way clean out if it gets nasty. I do the cleaning when she comes off the nest to eat.

 

[JLfarm]

I wouldn't think so either miss Lydia and they also have a pond that they can get into. I will try the pine shavings to see if it helps.thsnk you