Help! Info needed on goslings asap!

[Jude Daley]

My wife is getting 3, 3 week old goslings this evening. We have a broody goose sitting on eggs and my other half is determined to try and get the goose to adopt by switching the eggs for them. Will this work? If it doesn't we have a brooder with a heat pad inside the house. We live in Ireland so its pretty wet and cold and the goose house (which they don't use) is about 1.5m by 1.5m. I'd just be afraid that she might maul them during the night when it's locked up. Also, we just used up our unmedicated chick feed and just wanted to know if oats or barley or something else could be used instead. Finally just general advice. Thank you so much!

 

[EvenLater]

How long has your broody been sitting? If she hasn't been sitting too long and you replace the eggs with 3 week old goslings I'm not sure how that would go...but I'm not the expert on it. I know at 3 weeks they're a decent size, but not quite ready to be on their own just yet? At three weeks they can forage grass, but you say it's "wet" so I'd worry about them getting chilled until they have some feathers in. As for a feed, if you can't get more unmed chick feed, can you get a waterfowl feed or a gamebird starter? They really need to be on a starter feed still at this age. I'm sure the experts will chime in shortly with better info. Sorry I can't help you more, but my goose is a spoiled rotten INDOOR living goose! Lol

 

[Jude Daley]

Lol, I'd say that goose of yours loves it's life! She's been sitting for 37 days, the eggs seemed to be duds. As for the goslings I'll try and get the waterbird or gamebird starter and I'll keep them in and put up a run with construction fences. I'll tell my wife to keep an eye on them with the goose and if she doesn't take I'll put them in the brooder for a few more days.

Thanks so much for the advice!

 

[EvenLater]

Or...you could construct something right near broody mama so they can see and talk to each other but the babies are safe and see how that goes? At least that's what I've read of others doing here. And as for my Big Boy...


Yes...he is INCREDIBLY spoiled and he KNOWS it! LOL

 

[Miss Lydia]

Great info on caring for goslings https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raising-and-caring-for-goslings How are the goose and goslings doing?