Goose egg rescue

[Birdsarelife]

Interesting. Your intro post simply said you and your friend found it at a pond. The road seems like pertinent information.
While you may be able to help the birds themselves when in danger, in the state of Colorado you do need a permit to even handle a Canadian goose egg. You may be able to acquire this through the fish and wildlife department.

All we asked for was advice and help, so if you have no advice for hatching or help, then please scroll past. I just want to know more about hatching geese. I’m just following what the rules said about it. The pond was near a road. I don’t know how it got all the way over there. Thank you for the info though!

 

[Huntmaster]

All we asked for was advice and help,

You have gotten best advice on touching/messing with or especially trying to incubate protected migratory bird eggs. It's against the LAW.

 

[Birdsarelife]

Someone or something may have picked it up and then left it or the egg rolled out of a nest.

https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/LivingwithWildlifeGoose.aspx
Canada geese are protected by federal and state laws. Non-lethal control activities (e.g., activities in which there is no direct contact with geese and that do not result in harm to geese, goslings, eggs, or nests) do not require federal or state permits (do check local ordinances), and most non-lethal activities can be conducted throughout the year (except using trained dogs for hazing—see below). Any activities that result in handling, damage, or destruction of geese, or their eggs or nests, require permits. The primary control activity conducted under available permits is egg and nest control of locally-breeding geese.

We are not harming the egg. What do you want us to do? If we put back the egg the mother won’t want it anymore, if someone or something took it out and left it or it rolled out of the nest, something definitely would’ve ate or broke it. Thank you for taking time out of your day to look that up though!

 

[BlueO]

All we asked for was advice and help, so if you have no advice for hatching or help, then please scroll past. I just want to know more about hatching geese. I’m just following what the rules said about it. The pond was near a road. I don’t know how it got all the way over there. Thank you for the info though!

Im sorry this happened. You should incubate it for 35 days at 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit with 80% humidity. Hopefully that’ll hatch it and it’ll get a good life. You seem like good people which were apparently not seeing a lot of these days.

 

[shmooborp]

Thread 'Goose Incubation & Hatching Guide - Completed!!!!'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed.491013/

This is the most comprehensive goose egg incubation thread for the geese eggs that are coming- what breed are you getting btw?

https://epermits.fws.gov/ercgr/

Here is the Colorado registration for legally handling wild Canadian geese eggs.
I just advise a quick application, they may even be able to help you.

 

[SilverBirds]

What do you plan on doing with the gosling if it hatches? Looking at your older posts it appears you are in an HOA. Geese are very noisy and it may give you away.

 

[Birdsarelife]

Thread 'Goose Incubation & Hatching Guide - Completed!!!!'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed.491013/

This is the most comprehensive goose egg incubation thread for the geese eggs that are coming- what breed are you getting btw?

https://epermits.fws.gov/ercgr/

Here is the Colorado registration for legally handling wild Canadian geese eggs.
I just advise a quick application, they may even be able to help you.

Thank you so much! very helpful! Two Sebastopol eggs! My neighborhood has an HOA that doesn’t allow poultry, so I’m giving the abandoned and Sebastopols to my friend!

 

[Huntmaster]

Thank you so much! very helpful! Two Sebastopol eggs! My neighborhood has an HOA that doesn’t allow poultry, so I’m giving the abandoned and Sebastopols to my friend!

So now you want to bring your friend into your misdoings possibly causing legal problems for your friend. Hopefully they have permits and are legal rehabbers.

 

[killmak]

Toss the egg. There is no point hatching a single goose egg that isn't even partially incubated. Sure if you came across one that was close to hatching I would consider it. But hatching a random goose egg you found on the road thinking you saved it is silly. A lot of people here eat fertilized chicken eggs and we are not killing a baby by eating the unincubated egg.

All of that is not thinking about the legal part. What you are doing is illegal. Just because you feel like you are doing something good does not make it legal. Raising a goose that you legally can't keep is cruel. The baby will bond with you and won't learn natural behaviours. Just throw the egg out, it is just an egg, not a baby.

 

[shmooborp]

Toss the egg. There is no point hatching a single goose egg that isn't even partially incubated. Sure if you came across one that was close to hatching I would consider it. But hatching a random goose egg you found on the road thinking you saved it is silly. A lot of people here eat fertilized chicken eggs and we are not killing a baby by eating the unincubated egg.

All of that is not thinking about the legal part. What you are doing is illegal. Just because you feel like you are doing something good does not make it legal. Raising a goose that you legally can't keep is cruel. The baby will bond with you and won't learn natural behaviours. Just throw the egg out, it is just an egg, not a baby.

Unfortunately this is correct. While it might seem like a rescue mission, the egg has not formed a zygote yet so technically there is no life saved as the sperm cell and the egg cell have not connected yet. There is no life in it. This process only happens after hours of incubation at the proper temp, causing conception.
By incubating it, you're actually creating life that can inevitably be lost that didn't exist before the egg was touched.
Does this make sense?
I truly and absolutely say this with no judgement, when I was a kid I probably would have done the same thing.
I just think knowledge is power and by letting you know this, you can feel empowered to make a more moral decision in the future.

Also, broody birds often will accept eggs from other birds including ones that have been touched. As you said there were nests all over. Chances are better knowing it will be raised with its own kind. Canadian Geese are not like farm Geese. They are a migratory bird that thrives on long distance flying. Their health and bodies depend on that muscle development.
Geese also don't always instinctually know how to become airborne, this is a process that its family unit teaches it over time and is a vital part of being accepted into a flock.
Nature has perfected its self far more than we understand at face value. Often its better to respect the natural world as it is, even if that seems cruel.
I think you were still sweet for trying, but maybe now you can see wildlife in a different light. <3