Goslings of 2014 Hatch-a-long

[Starfire669]

That sounds really scary! maybe you can get some of those little solar powered yard lights. they just went on sale here. 

It was really scary. When I first found her in the nest I started talking to her, telling her it was time to go robed for the night. Since the Africans are more skittish, my approach should have had her up and moving. When she didn't I got worried. The geese never gave an alarm call, so I knew a dog hadn't gotten in the yard, but I thought maybe the very mean, big tomcat or worse a raccoon had gotten her while she was laying. When I touched her and she didn't move, and there were no signs of struggle or any blood, I thought maybe she had died from internal laying, even though she was very young. So I grabbed the flash light to check everything before I disturbed her body even more. The light is what made her move and wake up. Thank goodness. And a yard light won't work where they prefer laying, it's nestled between 2 buildings. But I will figure something out, I do not want to have another near heart attack like that again!

 

[andreacroyle]

It was really scary. When I first found her in the nest I started talking to her, telling her it was time to go robed for the night. Since the Africans are more skittish, my approach should have had her up and moving. When she didn't I got worried. The geese never gave an alarm call, so I knew a dog hadn't gotten in the yard, but I thought maybe the very mean, big tomcat or worse a raccoon had gotten her while she was laying. When I touched her and she didn't move, and there were no signs of struggle or any blood, I thought maybe she had died from internal laying, even though she was very young. So I grabbed the flash light to check everything before I disturbed her body even more. The light is what made her move and wake up. Thank goodness. And a yard light won't work where they prefer laying, it's nestled between 2 buildings. But I will figure something out, I do not want to have another near heart attack like that again!

we have led battery powered motion lights for our yard because it gets so dark out their. i havent had to change the batteries all season and they only go off if there is movement. i sit them on the ground and they tilt at what ever angle i put them on. they are alarming when they go off because they are so bright and seem to keep the coons away. i use them for flashlights in a way because when i walk through the yard they turn on, but i have them facing away from the ducks so the birds dont set them off in their run. sounds like you need more light for your own safety. if that was a bobcat or a coon, you may not have seen it and could have gotten hurt. here is a link to what i am talking about .
http://www.smarthome.com/fulcrum-20031-101-outdoor-wireless-motion-activated-led-floodlight.html

 

[Starfire669]

we have led battery powered motion lights for our yard because it gets so dark out their. i havent had to change the batteries all season and they only go off if there is movement. i sit them on the ground and they tilt at what ever angle i put them on. they are alarming when they go off because they are so bright and seem to keep the coons away. i use them for flashlights in a way because when i walk through the yard they turn on, but i have them facing away from the ducks so the birds dont set them off in their run. sounds like you need more light for your own safety. if that was a bobcat or a coon, you may not have seen it and could have gotten hurt. here is a link to what i am talking about . 
http://www.smarthome.com/fulcrum-20031-101-outdoor-wireless-motion-activated-led-floodlight.html

We don't have bobcats here, and the high number of stray dog and cats seems to keep the coyotes, skunk, opossum, and raccoon away. We have seen possum and skunk road kill about 2 miles up the road, so I know they are nearby. I also hear the coyotes at night, but they haven't come to our neighborhood in over 20 years according to neighbors. I a looking into lighting the area the geese and ducks like to lay, but haven't figured out what lights I want there yet. I really do wish that Rascal, my Belgian Malinois, could be trained as a flock guard dog. He is highly territorial and would not only let me know of intruders, but would do his best to drive them off. Anyone have any ideas on how to train a dog to protect the chickens instead of chase/kill them? My other option would be my rescued rottwieller, but she has some unknown injury to her right rear leg and I'd prefer not to put her in a situation that could cause further damage. She ignores the flock, lol.

 

[Starfire669]

I need advise on breeding and genetics. I got all my geese and Cayuga ducks from the same hatchery, so more than likely the drake and gander are related to their hens. I have read that inbreeding isn't as bad in fowl as in other animals, but that it is still not a good idea. I already plan to get some African and Chinese hatching eggs from people on this thread (Utah and 8, thanks). But then those goslings will be related to eachother. Geese are notorious for making their own decisions, so it's not like I can plan their pairings for them. So there will be some inbreeding going on. I would like to get a brown Chinese gander to partner my white Chinese females, and a white African gander to partner with my current brown African females and at least 1 white African female. If I could, I'd put Noel with the brown Chinese females I hope to hatch, but as he is already mating with my current geese I don't think that will happen. 2 ganders is my limit, each with 2-3 females. Any advice on how best to ensure as little inbreeding as possible would be much appreciated. I want to keep my flock as healthy as possible.

Hey 8, my Cayuga ducks are mating and checking out the nests, I think I will start getting eggs soon! From everything I have read, the Cayuga eggs should be a grey color, so I should be able to tell those eggs from the cresteds eggs easily. As soon as I have confirmed that the Cayugas are laying, I will check fertility and throw some in the Bator. I will let you know how that goes. If anyone has some Cayugas from a source other than Ideal hatchery, please let me know. I'd like a unrelated drake for my flock, a couple extra hens would be nice as well, lol.

My geese have run the ducks off their nests, when I built 2 more nests, the geese raided all the bedding and even rolled the dummy eggs into "their" nest. So the ducks are now going into the chicken coop and using the chickens nest boxes to lay. This has displaced some of my chickens, who are now using their sand dust bathing box as a nest. Crazy critters!

The goose that gave me a heart attack 2 nights ago is back on the nest refusing to move for anything, and it's Peaches! She won't let the other geese near it, and even when I was petting her and holding her head all she did was settle down even tighter to the nest. I managed to put a leg band on her, if her maternal instinct is this strong she will be a good candidate to place eggs under when I want to hatch goslings. Poor baby will have to wait till spring for a chance at motherhood though. I don't have the facilities to raise babies over winter, and I don't want them hatching babies when they aren't even a year old yet.

 

[andreacroyle]

Do any of you know how i change my settings so i get emails from things i have been quoted in? it seems that i either get nothing or all.

 

[servpolice]

A bald eagle is one of the most magnificent birds in the world i think but yea i would expect a bald eagle to catch a duck

 

[Starfire669]

I swear my geese are trying to drive me insane. I just spent the last hour building another nest, in the same general area, but a bit farther away from Peaches, the sitting goose. I loaded it with a dummy egg and had hoped that the other geese and ducks would use it to lay in, well now another African goose has decided to sit on the nest. She too, is refusing to get off. Is this normal behavior for such young geese? And I had built 3 goose nest boxes inside the goose coop, they use it as a bed and sleep and poop in them. Is there any way to convince the geese to nest in those boxes? When I let them brood I'd like them protected in the coop at night, but they really want to nest in the narrow space between those 2 buildings.

 

[Iain Utah]

The magpie seems to be healing ok. He is now holding leg more underneath him and testing weight on it. His toes are still curled, though. I talked to my vet about him yesterday and my vet hopes that the curled toes is a result of temporary nerve damage. If so, we should see some improvement in the next week or so. My vet is coming over next weekend to treat Spirit's chronic bumblefoot issues and plans to examine the magpie then to determine how long before we can release him. Here's a picture of our patient:

 

[andreacroyle]

I swear my geese are trying to drive me insane. I just spent the last hour building another nest, in the same general area, but a bit farther away from Peaches, the sitting goose. I loaded it with a dummy egg and had hoped that the other geese and ducks would use it to lay in, well now another African goose has decided to sit on the nest. She too, is refusing to get off. Is this normal behavior for such young geese? And I had built 3 goose nest boxes inside the goose coop, they use it as a bed and sleep and poop in them. Is there any way to convince the geese to nest in those boxes? When I let them brood I'd like them protected in the coop at night, but they really want to nest in the narrow space between those 2 buildings.

can you just fence off the area so they cant go back in the dangerous area between the buildings?

 

[Starfire669]

can you just fence off the area so they cant go back in the dangerous area between the buildings?

It's not that the area is dangerous, but it is inconvenient. Also, I want all my broodies locked up at night, we do have owls here, as well as the feral cats. I guess I will have to figure something out, I'd like to have some hatches next spring.