I see, that makes sense and I'm sure they will be much happier with that plan. So, Miss Lydia says that if I keep them up until later in the morning as you suggested, this will encourage her to lay in their enclosure. That is also a great relief to hear, I've been very concerned about where she we begin laying.
Your a good mother goose, as I try to be, they are like my children and I want to make sure they are protected to the best of my ability, as I'm sure you are doing, going by what I've seen here my goose pretty much lays of a morning same as ducks. She just prefers the duck house to her own.
Good morning Miss Lydia, yes I've walked my property both recently and since I moved in here 3 yrs ago I make it a habit to walk the property and particularly the birds favorite areas to congregate. I know what you mean about things "washing up," it seems to me there is an endless supply of screws, nails, GLASS!! and so forth that I'm always picking up. When I got this place it was a run down mess and the folks that owned it must have dropped what they were using, right where they were standing, whenever they were done with it. The place was a real trash heap. I know when Will first started to limp, I was very concerned that it was on the sole of his foot and he might develop bumble foot, but thankfully it doesn't involve the bottom of his foot.Have you walked your property trying to find what he is hurting his foot on? I know thats not always easy, I am always looking for things when I'm out, we have had so much rain that i am finding screws that have washed up out of the ground, Thank goodness I'm the one finding them. If your goose has a nice place in which to lay inside an enclosed house then make sure she has plenty of bedding in which to lay and nest, they like privacy so try to make sure it's in a quiet area and just maybe they will use the house for laying, My goose is now laying her 9th egg and she has laid everyone in the duck house. When your goose starts to lay leave that egg so she gets into the habit of laying inside, you can even buy fake eggs and make her a nice setup with plenty of bedding then place the eggs in there and hopefully she'll get the message, I have ducks and chickens laying and i think that has helped My goose decide where to lay My flock doesn't like to be closed in either but sometimes it's for their own good, like RURU said letting them out later in the morning will help because when she starts to lay she will lay in the morning most likely. Keep up with updates please and hopefully he'll continue to heal with your TLC. Once they start to lay eggs are close behind.
Nice names. suit them well. From what i have seen here not long after mating egg laying comes, she may or may not go broody, since i haven't delt with this part of geese I'll let RURU or someone else get into this more, I have had my gander for going on 6yrs he was hatched by a Muscovy but just got him his mate this past Aug. so this mating and egg laying of geese is very new to me, but yes your gander will get very protective of kate and you may want to carry a long stick or broom with you eventually when going inside their enclosure not to hit them with but to just use as a go between so he can't get to you. This will all pass after mating season is over usually by June. I have a long piece of plastic molding I use for keeping the peace between me and my goose and to also train my geese to leave my dogs alone. even a bucket can keep the geese away if need be. Oh about the laying, i was told usually about 4 weeks after mating starts eggs will come it was around 3 weeks here so that was close, and sounds like you have a perfect setup for them, and most likely she'll use it especially if she hasn't an alternative, That is so funny about your chickens and ducks and cute too. I use to have LF brahmas, gave them all away , now I only have the one but they are sure sweet birds. She is best friends with my bantam frizzle hen. what a pic. look forward to hearing updates about Will and Kate.Good morning Miss Lydia, yes I've walked my property both recently and since I moved in here 3 yrs ago I make it a habit to walk the property and particularly the birds favorite areas to congregate. I know what you mean about things "washing up," it seems to me there is an endless supply of screws, nails, GLASS!! and so forth that I'm always picking up. When I got this place it was a run down mess and the folks that owned it must have dropped what they were using, right where they were standing, whenever they were done with it. The place was a real trash heap. I know when Will first started to limp, I was very concerned that it was on the sole of his foot and he might develop bumble foot, but thankfully it doesn't involve the bottom of his foot.
I have them in a 10x10 "dog kennel" that is made up of Mason Fence panels. Inside that, they have two of the VERY large plastic dog houses and they are bedded down with straw. At first they didn't seem the least bit interested in the houses, but as time went on and particularly in the last couple of weeks I have seen Kate going into the house and a couple of time I saw them BOTH go into it. I just changed the bedding in their main house because it was getting a bit damp, more from weather than from them soiling it. They seem to keep a pretty clean house from what I can see.
In the beginning I had the ducks and geese together (Call ducks....mutt type) but the geese have become progressively irritated with the duck's presence so when the weather turned very cold, the ducks started to want to go in the chicken house, so I let them. All my show chickens are either in stalls or elevated cages, but I've got 4 LF Brahmas and they are very gentle. They all (Brahmas and Call Ducks) roost at the end of an isle between the stalls, and the chickens allow them to roost, even getting up under them for protection and warmth. Silly ducks, they make me laugh constantly
I've said all this just to say that the geese have their own private enclosure and don't need to be concerned with an invasion from intruders, other than me of course, and I don't stay very long. The other day I went in with a pitch fork to shake out their new straw begging and that was the first time that Will, or either for that matter hissed at me. I would imagine the pitch fork was just a bit too threatening for them to be so close to it. I would have felt scared myself.
Also, am I understanding you and RURU correctly? That now they have started breeding, egg laying is soon to follow? Do you know just how aggressive they will become during the season? I will certainly miss them when they get down to business. They follow me where ever I go and it always makes my day.
Well, enough rambling for now, I never get tired of talking about any and all of my birds, be it ducks, chickens or geese.
Thank you again for everything and I will post occasional updates on Will and KateHa! guess who they're named after.
Could be, maybe that will spur him on to get it right.
Could be, maybe that will spur him on to get it right.When my gander and goose mate after it's over he flaps his wings and lets out a hoot that scares her so bad she takes off running. lol. So you'll know when Will finally gets it right.
8 ganders wow good thing you have them separated or you'd be surrounded. lol
