Has anyone had geese hatch turkeys and goslings together?

[mamalaoshi]

We acquired a year old pair of Chinese geese and a year old flock of turkeys, (three female and a male) from the same people. They were raised together so we put them all in a large fenced area together. The turkeys started a nest in the woods but none of them hatched. Then the geese started a clutch and the turkeys snuck on there the day she started brooding and laid three eggs. Two turkeys are now on their own communal nest that is about a week behind the geese. The goose nest started hatching yesterday and all three turkeys hatched along with about five goslings. The other baby turkeys should hatch next week with the mama turkeys.

My question is has anyone had a goose raise turkeys and geese together? Also how should I put out food and water for the baby turkeys and goslings to eat- like what kind of containers? All I can find online is how to brood them yourself, nothing about mama raised babies.

Also any ideas if the mama turkeys might adopt them when their babies hatch? The two nests are in the same space about four feet apart.

What might happen to the baby turkeys when the goslings want to get in the water?

Thanks! (I'm going to post this in the goose forum too.)

 

[sourland]

I once had a duck hatch a mix of chicks and ducklings. Every time the mother went swimming and then brooded the chicks they got wet and chilled. They eventually died. If they were mine, I would remove the poults and brooder raise them.

 

[mamalaoshi]

I should have gone with my gut which was to remove them and brood them myself. I went back out an hour later and one had suffocated under the mother goose, one had wandered off and is lost (I can't find it), and the last one I had to cull because it's yolk sac and some intestines were hanging out. At least the goslings look like they are doing great.

 

[mamalaoshi]

I just went to check on the baby geese and heard peeping from underneath one of the broody turkeys. They aren't due to hatch for at least a few more days so I'm wondering if that lost chick ended up underneath the turkeys. I'll leave them alone tonight and try to get a look in the morning.

 

[mamalaoshi]

The new family is so fun to watch- mom and dad and five beautiful babies- unfortunately I found one gosling smothered in the nest (I think it happened while it was hatching) but otherwise they are doing great.

The baby turkey chick is alive and hanging out with the adult turkeys. I'm not sure about that situation because the mommies are still sitting on their pile of eggs with about a week to go but the turkey mommies freaked out when I took the baby and was going to bring her inside. So I let the baby stay.


There is a baby turkey under there and yes, that is a chicken head sticking up from under there too. I didn't know about keeping turkeys and chickens separate until a week ago. I figure it's too late now. Peppermint (the chicken) is convinced those turkey eggs are hers too and the turkey mamas just cuddle up with her too. (The egg on the ground is a fake. I need to go pick those up- they were convince the turkeys to lay in the pen, not the woods.)


And here is the new goose family.