Here we go again - I'm hatching more goslings!!

[Iain Utah]

Vicki, it is very normal for goslings to put their mouths on everything. This is a learn as I go process for me, but I am applying my horse rearing principles. When super young babies, I do not reprimand, but by 2 weeks old, I begin "training" them to not be mouthy. I bump them back by their chests, using more pressure each time. I also mimic my gander by applying phases of pressure on the side of the lower neck, with strongest phase being a pinch. I have had to get pretty insistent with my bolder goslings, but I find when I do a strong reprimand, their reaction is to come right back and lay at my feet with no more nipping at me.

What may be cute at 1 day old will not be cute at 1 year old.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Vicki, anything you allow as a cute gosling will continue when they are a large adult. Waterfowl flock like dogs like a pack. If you are fimilar with pack mentality and dominant leaders you will do well to raise the geese in the same manor with you as the flock leader. You are always alpha to all animals you choose to share your life with. Just makes things easier that way.


Rhonda, loved chatting with you yesterday. No worries having to go, husbands need us at the oddest moments. Your box is divided inside to keep the new girls safe from the bigger pair. Everyone had grow gel, the older two had grass and melon too. So glad we could send them your way and know they will help build your flock. Beautiful babies they are, hubby loved their coloring and sweetness towards us. The curly feathers are too much temptation for them though and boy did they like to pull them out.

 

[1MrsMagoo]

Vicki, anything you allow as a cute gosling will continue when they are a large adult. Waterfowl flock like dogs like a pack. If you are fimilar with pack mentality and dominant leaders you will do well to raise the geese in the same manor with you as the flock leader. You are always alpha to all animals you choose to share your life with. Just makes things easier that way.
Rhonda, loved chatting with you yesterday. No worries having to go, husbands need us at the oddest moments. Your box is divided inside to keep the new girls safe from the bigger pair. Everyone had grow gel, the older two had grass and melon too. So glad we could send them your way and know they will help build your flock. Beautiful babies they are, hubby loved their coloring and sweetness towards us. The curly feathers are too much temptation for them though and boy did they like to pull them out.

They are all safe and sound in their new brooder. I will put the two older ones down with my older goslings hopefully in a day or so. Love the baby with the white on its head and can't wait to see how it turns out!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Rhonda, great to chat with you again today. So glad the babies arrived a day early, enjoy and keep in touch.

 

[erijn5]

UPDATE AGAIN: 2 MORE PIPPED EXTERNALLY, MOMMA HAS GIVEN UP SINCE THE BABIES ARE ALLOWED OUTSIDE NOW IN THE PEN...SO I KINAPPED THE EGGS THIS EVENING. THINKING MAYBE 6 MORE TO HATCH NOT QUITE SURE YET THOUGH, THEY ARE REALLY FRESH.

OKAY QUESTION! I DID CANDLE 3 OTHERS AND THEY HAD DEVELOPED BUT I THINK THEY DIED, NOT REALLY STINKING YET BUT THE AIR SACS ARE MOVING ALL OVER THE TOP...WERE THEY DONE?

ANOTHER GOOSE IS STILL LAYING EGGS BUT HAS NOT GONE BROODY ALL THE WAY QUITE YET..SHE IS MAKING THE NEST ALL COZY BUT NOT SITTING.

CHECK BACK LATER, THANKS

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

New buff dewlaps arrived, will get pictures later as they wanted their water when we got them home this morning.

 

[Iain Utah]

Celtic:

Awesome news!! Do they all appear healthy??

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Iain, yep both girls are very lively and energetic. We had a male from last weeks shipment fail to grow even a tiny bit. The other male and female grew to be 2/3 bigger than him. No matter how much was offered to him, he wasn't growing. Chalked up to failure to thrive on his part. He was the same size this week as the newest hatchling from here at over a week old.

Still have two eggs from her doing well too, hoping for atleast 1 to hatch out of them. But now hubby has 1 gander 3 geese so a good starting point.

 

[Iain Utah]

Glad to hear the newest additions are doing well!! Carole and I talked about how buffs are indeed harder to hatch (and thrive) than the greys. She too is seeing weird sticky issues at hatching.

My 5 grey eggs are moving strong, air cells are looking good, and the 2 furthest along are crossing the back day 21 line and pressing into aircell. Should start internally pipping today (day 29).

they hatch ok. My house feels weird and empty with no babies inside.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

I wouldn't see a difference in colors in a breed. Odd that she thinks/sees the buff color as harder to hatch and thrive. It could be due to inbreeding to keep the buff color going. If care isn't taken to remove multi generations of off spring the gene pool can be damaged. Pasture bred flocks can often have this problem since it is harder to track who hatched from what breeding.