I have a Sebbie goose that is experiencing her first egg laying. I'm hoping the eggs will be fertile as she is extremely bonded with her mate and the back of her neck is missing feathers, I would assume is from mating. All of my birds free range so they could breed in a million different places without me seeing them.
Today I discovered that she has taken up residence outside a side door to my home where she made herself a nest and is sitting on 4 eggs. Well, that isn't going to work as she has no protection from the elements.
I want her to brood her eggs if possible as I just don't have any more room in any of my incubators. I know most birds don't take kindly to having their nests messed with let alone moved, but I had to do something. I got a spare igloo-type dog house that I use for my birds to nest in the barn and filled it with straw, made an impression in the middle "like a nest" and took the eggs from her and placed the box where the other nest was and deposited the eggs.
Now don't think that this went smoothly with her as she beat the snot out of me and bit my hands and arm to save her soul. I kind of picked her up, showed her were her eggs were and moved away as fast as I could as she was none too happy. But to my surprise and hopeful expectations, she immediately went in, rearranged her eggs and has been sitting on them ever since! She looks out of this box as if she's holding court and woe be to anyone that gets too close to the opening of her domain.
I also gave her her own bucket of water and food bowl right outside of the box so she doesn't have to travel too far to eat and drink.
I'm so glad that she was compliant and hopefully she will raise the eggs to term, should they be fertile. I think candling them is out of the question considering the condition of my arms and hands!
Today I discovered that she has taken up residence outside a side door to my home where she made herself a nest and is sitting on 4 eggs. Well, that isn't going to work as she has no protection from the elements.
I want her to brood her eggs if possible as I just don't have any more room in any of my incubators. I know most birds don't take kindly to having their nests messed with let alone moved, but I had to do something. I got a spare igloo-type dog house that I use for my birds to nest in the barn and filled it with straw, made an impression in the middle "like a nest" and took the eggs from her and placed the box where the other nest was and deposited the eggs.
Now don't think that this went smoothly with her as she beat the snot out of me and bit my hands and arm to save her soul. I kind of picked her up, showed her were her eggs were and moved away as fast as I could as she was none too happy. But to my surprise and hopeful expectations, she immediately went in, rearranged her eggs and has been sitting on them ever since! She looks out of this box as if she's holding court and woe be to anyone that gets too close to the opening of her domain.
I also gave her her own bucket of water and food bowl right outside of the box so she doesn't have to travel too far to eat and drink.
I'm so glad that she was compliant and hopefully she will raise the eggs to term, should they be fertile. I think candling them is out of the question considering the condition of my arms and hands!
