Introducing ducklings to a broody goose

[mythkat]

Hi all,

My ducklings from Metzer are due next Wednesday. How would I introduce them to Rosie? I know chickens are catatonic when they sleep and you can slip them under the broody hen, but the geese are like the ducks, party all night. I have the brooder all ready if the introductions don't work out, but I'd really like her to raise them. She's been broody for four months and none of the eggs have hatched. Thanks,

 

[tbitt]

This is a good question....

This is gong to be happening around here also.... We want the broody goose to take on the ducklings....

 

[mythkat]

Rosie is a 1 year old Toulouse goose. Any suggestions anyone?

 

[sourland]

I would try introducing them to her in the evening. It will be important to monitor her after introduction to be sure that she does not regard them as "intruders." Success would be more guaranteed with an experienced mother, but all should go well. Many years ago I had a human imprinted gander. I purchased 6 goslings and set them up in an outdoor pen. Upon hearing them, Gus ran over set up guard, and the next day I set them free and he adopted them. Most geese are instinctively good parents. Monitor the introduction and all should go well. Good luck.

 

[Cottage Rose]

It all depends on the individual bird. Its not so cut and dry even if you follow a formula.
I have a very motherly Muscovy duck and she knows when those babies aren't her's and will
peck them and not accept them no matter how many times I try.
They can be the same breed, age and size as her ducklings and she will single them out and
chase them off. She can count too. If I take a couple ducklings from her to sell she looks for them.
Good luck...hope it works out for you.

 

[mythkat]

I am prepared if she doesn't accept them. I just wanted to give it the best shot possible.

 

[sourland]

Is tomorrow the day, or is it a week from tomorrow? Keep us updated on how things go.

 

[mythkat]

Yes, its tomorrow and you'd think I was sitting on the eggs waiting for them to hatch. lol I am so excited. Rosie has been sitting for over 4 months and I haven't taken the nest away in the hope that she will raise the ducklings. If not I guess I'll have to do it. It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

 

[mythkat]

Here are the first baby pics taken with my cell phone at work. As luck would have it Rosie decided Tuesday night that enough was enough and chucked the whole broody thing. When she was introduced to the babies she was very interested and talked softly to them for a little bit but left to graze with the others. I'll try introducing them again in the garden on Saturday. If she's not interested then I guess I'm a duck.

 

[Kimmyh51]

Yes, its tomorrow and you'd think I was sitting on the eggs waiting for them to hatch. lol I am so excited. Rosie has been sitting for over 4 months and I haven't taken the nest away in the hope that she will raise the ducklings. If not I guess I'll have to do it. It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

I hope she wasn’t sitting on rotten eggs? I just learnt today that even if a rotten egg doesn’t leak or go bang, it can still infect any other eggs or hatchlings. And also infect the mother apparently, by her preening and ingesting the bacteria from her feathers.... so I wouldn’t put a goose over newly hatched ducklings if she has been sitting on the same eggs for 4 months.
My goose hatched a gosling yesterday that died today, a week ago I checked the nest it smelt like roses...this morning, it was overpowering the rotten egg smell, as soon as she lifted herself up a little off the eggs wham it hit ya.... never seen a duck egg that died during incubation, or wasn’t fertile, go so bad smelling so fast.. the gosling reeked of rotten egg too, even after I washed it. And there was absolutely 100% no leaking from the rotten egg, or any bangers...the gosling was clean and dry, but smelt bad..

Now I have to put the mum on antibiotics, and also attempt to wash her before I can let any ducklings near her.