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

[Miss Lydia]

Me too!
I think my one attack happened during brooding season.

All predators are most likely feeding young right now, best to stay out side and keep an eye on our flocks when we have young ones. I plan to do this even though my lone gosling hasn't hatched yet, I am just not sure if Missy and Sam can protect it from a hawk so granny will have to tag along during field trips, [at a safe distance of course] we also have 5-6'blk snakes that are hungry too.

 

[seminolewind]

I think you're right. I will let them out every day I can. I had to move them to a bigger pen because the pen they were in was staying wet.

 

[livininbrazil]

All predators are most likely feeding young right now, best to stay out side and keep an eye on our flocks when we have young ones. I plan to do this even though my lone gosling hasn't hatched yet, I am just not sure if Missy and Sam can protect it from a hawk so granny will have to tag along during field trips, [at a safe distance of course] we also have 5-6'blk snakes that are hungry too.

No, don´t do safe distance...do 'get your hands mucky', and have a really easy-to-handle gosling. Most of mine, even though parent-reared, come up and eat out of the pot in my hand, or nibble on my clothes, or come for a scratch...my pilgrims are less jumpy, but the mixes are mostly easy to handle...get in there!

I think you're right. I will let them out every day I can. I had to move them to a bigger pen because the pen they were in was staying wet.

It´ll be less work for you later if they get used to mixing with the adults.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sammy will eat out of my hand, Missy will snatch things out of my hand but she isn't as trusting so how do i do this with 2 parents that are going to be so protective. RURU takes her gosling inside for a while then gives them back to the parents I don't think I could do that.

 

[livininbrazil]

Sammy will eat out of my hand, Missy will snatch things out of my hand but she isn't as trusting so how do i do this with 2 parents that are going to be so protective. RURU takes her gosling inside for a while then gives them back to the parents I don't think I could do that.

I managed to tame the 6 pilgrim goslings with a rather mistrusting mum, seeing she was from a free-range farm. Well, I´d just go into the pen with a big lettuce and she couldn´t help herself. She´d come over and the babies would come right up and eat the lettuce in my hand, then she´d grab a few bites too. slowly she became very easy and trusting. The gander´s been pretty laid-back from the start, so he was great as he´d bring the babies over to me. so, I don´t see why the same won´t happen with yours.
The ganders have a huge influence on the babies, and I find mine are fine once the babies are out of the nest and walking about. They hiss at first, of course, and kind of keep staring at me with their keen eye, but once they know I won´t hurt the babies, and that I have food, they´re fine.
I would think that Sam´s eating food from your hand will help things a lot. He´ll come round, I´m sure.
I was out there today with my 7-month-olds and 9-month-olds, and they come running up to eat of the food-pot in my hand, and I stroke them and scratch their heads. all parent-raised.

 

[seminolewind]

My four 4 week olds out grew the pen they were in. It just didn't dry anymore. So they are in a bigger pen with 2 pans of water. They were actually out for a while and wandered off followed by the adult pair.

I think it's really sweet when they all come up and nibble on everything I have on. Including the hairs on my arms!!! And those feet are cuter than cute! And the legs are too big for them and get in the way. It's just too cute.

How many or how big are your water sources (pools, ponds or pans)?

 

[livininbrazil]

My four 4 week olds out grew the pen they were in. It just didn't dry anymore. So they are in a bigger pen with 2 pans of water. They were actually out for a while and wandered off followed by the adult pair.

I think it's really sweet when they all come up and nibble on everything I have on. Including the hairs on my arms!!! And those feet are cuter than cute! And the legs are too big for them and get in the way. It's just too cute.

How many or how big are your water sources (pools, ponds or pans)?

Sounds like you´re really enjoying them. they´ll slowly get used to the fact they are geese, too!

Here, I start my babies off with cat litter trays, then go on to cement-mixing trays, then they´re in the pond and stream.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I managed to tame the 6 pilgrim goslings with a rather mistrusting mum, seeing she was from a free-range farm. Well, I´d just go into the pen with a big lettuce and she couldn´t help herself. She´d come over and the babies would come right up and eat the lettuce in my hand, then she´d grab a few bites too. slowly she became very easy and trusting. The gander´s been pretty laid-back from the start, so he was great as he´d bring the babies over to me. so, I don´t see why the same won´t happen with yours.
The ganders have a huge influence on the babies, and I find mine are fine once the babies are out of the nest and walking about. They hiss at first, of course, and kind of keep staring at me with their keen eye, but once they know I won´t hurt the babies, and that I have food, they´re fine.
I would think that Sam´s eating food from your hand will help things a lot. He´ll come round, I´m sure.
I was out there today with my 7-month-olds and 9-month-olds, and they come running up to eat of the food-pot in my hand, and I stroke them and scratch their heads. all parent-raised.

I'm looking forward to all of this I can tell you.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My four 4 week olds out grew the pen they were in. It just didn't dry anymore. So they are in a bigger pen with 2 pans of water. They were actually out for a while and wandered off followed by the adult pair.

I think it's really sweet when they all come up and nibble on everything I have on. Including the hairs on my arms!!! And those feet are cuter than cute! And the legs are too big for them and get in the way. It's just too cute.

How many or how big are your water sources (pools, ponds or pans)?

That"s so sweet how the adults look after the young ones.

 

[seminolewind]

I had moved them to a pen I can see from the house, and there the adults are sitting right on the side of the pen. One of my chickens walked up to the goose to about 2 feet away and he never looked at her!