Introducing new Goslings to the flock???

[JordanFamily]

Ok I have two different flocks of Sebs... I'm asking about introducing new chicks to the younger flock... It is a flock of four, 5 month old Sebastopols and I was wondering how to introuduce newly hatched chicks in with them? How old should they be before I let them live together??? How do I introduce them??? Any help would be great. Thanks

 

[Kim65]

I would brood the goslings yourself for at least three weeks. Yeah I know, it's messy. But it's insurance against losing any of them to the inexperienced parenting of juvenile adults.

Usually, even juvenile geese have strong parenting instincts. I would put the babies in a pen for a few hours a day outside and see how the juvenile geese behave around them. If they hover around the pen, hold their heads down near the babies, and maybe even get nasty with YOU when you approach, they will be willing to parent the goslings. I would not turn them loose with the juveniles for three weeks, though. It would be like allowing your ten year olds to take full responsibility for an infant.

That's just what I would do, I'm all for letting geese parent their goslings, but I'm sort of a worry wart nut about what could happen to the babies.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

I think Kim has the right idea. You just can't be sure how 5 month old babies are going to react to the newly hatched goslings. If they were older - and closer to adult/laying age - I would be less concerned. Sometime teenaged geese can give babies trouble.

 

[JordanFamily]

Quote:
Thanks for the advice... I have an excersize pen i will use to keep them insite but out of reach of the older ones for a while... I am also a little worried about the older ones drowning the babies... Could it happen after I introduce 1 month old to 6 month olds??? I would hate for them to get drowned... Any ideas??? Should I wait until they are even older then a month if drowning is a concern???? Thanks