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

[gander007]

I've gotten 4 so far this year. My first season with adult geese, so my first 4 ever! They may have laid more today, but we got so much snow I'd never be able to tell as they've been laying in a nest in the yard.

Great to hear you are off to a good start

As of todays count I now have 8 in the incubator and three are already starting to grow

Good luck to you this year

gander007

 

[Miss Lydia]

Great to hear you are off to a good start

As of todays count I now have 8 in the incubator and three are already starting to grow

Good luck to you this year

gander007

 

[Sagetown]

Got started raising Blue Geese by accident. Bought an excellent SEARS 600 egg incubator at a garage sale for cheap. My Mom's friend had some Blue Geese that were never successful hatching their eggs, and she gave me several eggs to try and hatch for her. The incubator did what it was supposed to do, and before long she had lots of goslings. I got paid with more eggs. My daughter took up with the hatchlings and became their step mama.

Here's a twist. Mom said big farm geese like these can't fly. Well my geese grew and grew, and became very messy around the barn yard, so I sack them all up one night, and the next morning, took them to our quarter mile long 'Strip Pit' full of water. I'd feed them every afternoon, and if they were way across the water when I showed up, they'd swim as fast as they could to me, fluttering their wings in all the excitement. Eventually they could fly just above the water for a little ways.

Now the kicker: One morning, while in the barn yard doing my chores, I hear this honking, like a gaggle of geese do in the fall when they migrate, but this was summertime. The honking made me look up, and lo - and - behold all 10 of my Blue Geese were high overhead circling the barnyard, then swooping to touchdown right in front of me. From then on, they went and done as they pleased, but their nights would be spent inside the hallway of the barn.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Got started raising Blue Geese by accident. Bought an excellent SEARS 600 egg incubator at a garage sale for cheap. My Mom's friend had some Blue Geese that were never successful hatching their eggs, and she gave me several eggs to try and hatch for her. The incubator did what it was supposed to do, and before long she had lots of goslings. I got paid with more eggs. My daughter took up with the hatchlings and became their step mama.

Here's a twist. Mom said big farm geese like these can't fly. Well my geese grew and grew, and became very messy around the barn yard, so I sack them all up one night, and the next morning, took them to our quarter mile long 'Strip Pit' full of water. I'd feed them every afternoon, and if they were way across the water when I showed up, they'd swim as fast as they could to me, fluttering their wings in all the excitement. Eventually they could fly just above the water for a little ways.

Now the kicker: One morning, while in the barn yard doing my chores, I hear this honking, like a gaggle of geese do in the fall when they migrate, but this was summertime. The honking made me look up, and lo - and - behold all 10 of my Blue Geese were high overhead circling the barnyard, then swooping to touchdown right in front of me. From then on, they went and done as they pleased, but their nights would be spent inside the hallway of the barn.

That pic is so adorable, and I'm glad they found their way home, not always a good ending for domestic geese that get dropped off.

 

[livininbrazil]

Although we currently have three houses (and three distinct flocks) for our ducks and geese, 45 birds decided to all crowd into the goose house (which normally holds less than 20) last night. I guess the plan was to cuddle to keep warm. They even let the 3 African/Toulouse new ganders into the house, and those three haven't been allowed within a few feet of the rest of the birds yet.

Wise birds...the bigger, the more heat they give off!!!! Your lot have it sussed!

 

[SolarPoweredMe]

Spirit continues to face occasional challenges because of his deformity and is presently recovering from his latest hurdle (bacterial infection in heel bone). But he is perfectly mobile now and living a pretty content life in our spare bedroom with his girlfriend until the snow melts. I have a link in my signature line to a thread that chronicles his journey from day one to present.

Thanks for the nice words and open mind to suggestions. I've raised up quite a few babies during the 2012 and 2013 breeding seasons and they are definitely cherished pets in our family. I'm also glad you are seeing first hand what I mean about different personalities among the goslings. If given the opportunity, it's better to select a gosling after getting to know their personalities. And, they really can be raised together and still see you as parent. It's a win-win for the babies. Congrats on the newest addition!

I went through the link, it's truly incredible to see! The rods through his little legs.. ARG! made me cringe. It's so beautiful to know there are people out there willing to go to these lengths to take care of animals!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Great to hear you are off to a good start

As of todays count I now have 8 in the incubator and three are already starting to grow

Good luck to you this year

gander007

Awesome! What kind of geese do you have?

Got started raising Blue Geese by accident. Bought an excellent SEARS 600 egg incubator at a garage sale for cheap. My Mom's friend had some Blue Geese that were never successful hatching their eggs, and she gave me several eggs to try and hatch for her. The incubator did what it was supposed to do, and before long she had lots of goslings. I got paid with more eggs. My daughter took up with the hatchlings and became their step mama.

Here's a twist. Mom said big farm geese like these can't fly. Well my geese grew and grew, and became very messy around the barn yard, so I sack them all up one night, and the next morning, took them to our quarter mile long 'Strip Pit' full of water. I'd feed them every afternoon, and if they were way across the water when I showed up, they'd swim as fast as they could to me, fluttering their wings in all the excitement. Eventually they could fly just above the water for a little ways.

Now the kicker: One morning, while in the barn yard doing my chores, I hear this honking, like a gaggle of geese do in the fall when they migrate, but this was summertime. The honking made me look up, and lo - and - behold all 10 of my Blue Geese were high overhead circling the barnyard, then swooping to touchdown right in front of me. From then on, they went and done as they pleased, but their nights would be spent inside the hallway of the barn.

Aww! That is the cutest thing. EVER!

Just brought in my 4th egg. It's bigger than all the rest. I found it buried in one of the stalls. Silly geese, or maybe not so silly, when they bury the eggs it helps keep them from getting frozen.

~ Aspen

 

[SolarPoweredMe]

The one with the swollen face/neck is doing fine. It's all gone down and he's hanging tough with the bigger ones no problem at all!

We thought the very last brown one that hatched wasn't going to make it. It's umbilical area was swollen and distended all day yesterday. We kept it separate from everyone to heal up, expecting the worse this morning, but it's up and walking around. The last egg though, hasn't moved at all in going on 3 days now... Pretty sure it's totally gone.

Meet Xylophone! She's a learning machine.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The one with the swollen face/neck is doing fine. It's all gone down and he's hanging tough with the bigger ones no problem at all!

We thought the very last brown one that hatched wasn't going to make it. It's umbilical area was swollen and distended all day yesterday. We kept it separate from everyone to heal up, expecting the worse this morning, but it's up and walking around. The last egg though, hasn't moved at all in going on 3 days now... Pretty sure it's totally gone.

Meet Xylophone! She's a learning machine.

What good news about them both. sweet pic of bath time too. Love Xylophone too she is beautiful. maybe African or brown Chinese? It says the video is private but when I click to post a reply I can see a pic of the goslings in the tub.

 

[SolarPoweredMe]

What good news about them both. sweet pic of bath time too. Love Xylophone too she is beautiful. maybe African or brown Chinese? It says the video is private but when I click to post a reply I can see a pic of the goslings in the tub.

Thanks for telling me! I reset it on youtube. Bath time is sooooo much fun for everyone, I can't wait to be able to do it in the big pool outside. That's what we though, was brown Chinese or African, but the guy we got the eggs from doesn't have African and only white Chinese. Was thinking she's some kind of cross then? He's got Pilgrim, Sebastepol, Chinese, and Embden. Thanks, she's my little baby <3 It should be noted that she's notably bigger than the 2 born on the same day as her. I dunno, it's going to be a surprise after the molt that brings on her full fledged look!