Goslings of 2014 Hatch-a-long

[servpolice]

 

[Dawnrenae]

the 2 are born! 8 and chip

meet chip

How adorable!
Remind me what breed these guys are, please?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Beautiful, and I thought they hatched out PINK. lol

 

[servpolice]

The father is brown African and the mother is a brownchinese/embden
the beck is really dark purple

 

[Dawnrenae]

HennyPen and Serv,

I have been sitting on the edge of my seat since I started reading the posts yesterday...

What an exciting adventure to hatch your own babies.

I am super excited to try, but so afraid of failing.

 

[Miss HennyPenny]

the 2 are born! 8 and chip

meet chip

Aw I have gosling envy now!

 

[servpolice]

Ok ive 1 egg due next week and around good friday i have eggs due and today after the two gozzys hatched i tossed in 6 pure african eggs

 

[servpolice]

HennyPen and Serv,

I have been sitting on the edge of my seat since I started reading the posts yesterday...

What an exciting adventure to hatch your own babies.

I am super excited to try, but so afraid of failing.

dont worry us bycers will help you

 

[psue]

Ok, now I am jelly. My girl is not sitting, and I am hoping someone can answer a question for me. How long are her eggs viable. Story below. Clarification below that.

I have a palace for my chickens, ducks and two geese. Bonnie finally started to lay, (10 total) and Clyde was reluctant to allow anyone in the palace. Then Bonnie started to hover over her babies a bit more (not full time) and Clyde decided that they would be the only residents in the castle.
I served them an eviction notice and even helped them pack up and move to a homeless shelter for a couple days until the new apartment was renovated. Then I helped again, even paying first and last month’s rent and used the same mattress (shavings, for her smell) and moved the 8 eggs left (the other two were yummy) to the shabby chic upside-down veri-kennel (dog kennel) inside their new diggs. It is an open sky style 6x8 chain link backyard with GRASS ( which the neighbors have very little of), with an extension that is 8 x12 with it’s own pool. I tucked the babies in with a bit exposed so Bonnie would know they were there, and she acknowledged them by shoving them around and half-arsed burying them.
Then, the two geese acted like they had been put in time out, speaking softly to the neighbors through the fence, and generally looking pathetic. After two weeks of non sitting behavior, I threw open the gates, and everyone mingled. I think Clyde was confused about the coop, but Bonnie no longer went in it. At one point we started to get rain, and it occurred to me the open sky version of home may not be their preference, so I hastily tossed a partial roof up. They seem to appreciate that, but still no sitting. Yesterday, I noticed the babies I actually left in there were more covered than I left them.
I left her 5, and abducted three. I re-homed those to duck and chicken nests, in the hopes one of those would be dumb enough to think they had won the egg lottery and sit for a spell. NO takers yet. I usually have a chicken hatch ducklings, alongside a duck. This year I have a Bantum roo, who is hilarious when trying to mount my buff orp and others. So, chicks are possible. Bantum eggs are SO tiny next to the goose’s.

So, to recap. I moved the geese to a temp location, then to an extended dog run (never used by the dog). I put the same shavings with her eggs in the dog kennel, partially exposed, and showed her for a few days in a row. I check about every 4 days….fast forward 2 weeks. It rained, so I added a makeshift roof. I think that made them happier, but still no sitting. I finally let them mingle with the flock every other day, and here we are in week three. I moved three goose eggs to the coop in three different nests, with hopes that anther birds will start to sit. Usually I have ducklings by now. (strange year all around). A week ago, I poured cement in the coop, so I get why they are not sitting yet. The coop flooded, so I power washed it (yuck job) and then layer cement. I get it.

What I don’t understand is my year old (end of April) goose laid ten eggs, then stopped. She is not laying and not sitting. Are those eight (three plus weeks old-cool weather but moved twice) still viable. Can I still eat them if not? Should I take all 8 out, or leave the three with the coop?

And if I do take them, will she lay more? and hatch them possibly? Ducks, I get. Geese? not so much yet.
I will try to provide a visual to go along with my story.

I would guess the weather change and all the moving things around. IMO...Water test the eggs and hatch them yourself or cook them for the other critters. Separate your pair and leave them to themselves except for caring for them. I hope she starts laying again for you.

 

[Dawnrenae]

dont worry us bycers will help you

Awe. Thanks a bunch!