How do I care for my goose and her hatchlings?

[Stichbury]

My goose is sat on a mixed pile of duck eggs and her own eggs, due to hatch this week. She’s a first time mum, and this is my first time with a sitting goose too.
She has been very conscientious in sitting — has hardly left her nest— so her house is a bit dirty as I haven’t been able to get in to clean (I’ve just put new bedding down on the old). I’ve a couple of questions about when the babies come if that’s ok please:

1. Is it ok that the house isn’t totally hygienic? Should I try to clean out before they hatch so they’re in as fresh bedding as possible?

2.How do I provide food and water for them? Should I just stick it in with her? These are Embden and —love them — flat footed, clumsy oafs. The gander sleeps with the goose and has trampled on her as she sits a few times, so I’m sure he’s going to kick the food and water over (and if he doesn’t, she or the babies will). Do I just accept that it’s going to be messy or try to feed them outside the house as early as possible?

3. And finally... How long before they can come out and feed? I’m guessing a week at least? The ducklings are runner ducks. I am planning to put a run around their house so they are safely separated from my flock of ducks and chickens (and my cats).

thank you in advance! I couldn’t find a sticky on this, but if there is one, I’d love to be pointed to it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

A picture of their house would be nice. My Embden gander is such a clutch I'd would be worried about him stepping on the goslings especially if he gets upset for any reason. Any way you can set mama goose and hatchlings separate from dad but where he can still see them. And still be close? Once she brings the outside then they can all be together. But for the first few days separated to give the goslings time to get up on their legs good. Heavy rubber bowls that are shallow enough for the goslings to eat out of and keep mama from tipping them over. And water containers that they can't climb into and get water logged. My female goose is notorious for stepping on the side of even a rubber bowl and flipping it over. So I have to put one inside another to make it heavy enough to keep that from happening. Usually 2-3 days mama will have them outside. Have they already hatched?

 

[Stichbury]

Thank you! I have the pair in a large house so I can divide it with an aviary panel to keep the gander away for a few days. Since some of the hatchlings will be ducklings they’ll be tiny compared to him. Your advice is gold — I’ll dig out some bowls and I have the crumb ready. They’re not hatched yet, but sometime within the next week...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Be sure to let us know when hatch begins!