Membrane looks brown peeping and movement has stopped help!

[K.Riggs]

Found this post interesting ... ganders may pose a treat to the hatchling perhaps?
#15

Some people say so. This will be my first water fowl hatching and it is both my goose and ganders first mating season.

 

[biophiliac]

Some people say so. This will be my first water fowl hatching and it is both my goose and ganders first mating season.

corrected the link so it works ... interesting thread on goose behavior.
eta- i guess you know i meant threat, not treat!

 

[K.Riggs]

Some people say so. This will be my first water fowl hatching and it is both my goose and ganders first mating season.

I should clarify first that I didn't do in the incubator.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I would ask @Pyxis about goose/gander behavior and hatching....

 

[Pyxis]

I personally have never had trouble with my gander going after babies. My ganders love babies of any species. My gander Finn tried to rescue a chick after its mother walked off and left it crying in the middle of the run. Zilla, my gander from this year, is currently rooming with a broody hen who has eight chicks and he doesn't bother them at all.

Geese in general are pretty tolerant of babies, and actually new flock members altogether, at least in my experience. However, I have a small, docile breed, so your mileage may vary with other breeds. The gander is very unlikely to bother his own offspring, though. In the wild, geese raise their offspring as pairs. Both the gander and the goose raise, care for, and protect the babies. Ganders are generally very good parents.

So if you're worried about leaving the gosling with its mother because of the gander, don't be He'll actually help protect it.

 

[K.Riggs]

I personally have never had trouble with my gander going after babies. My ganders love babies of any species. My gander Finn tried to rescue a chick after its mother walked off and left it crying in the middle of the run. Zilla, my gander from this year, is currently rooming with a broody hen who has eight chicks and he doesn't bother them at all.

Geese in general are pretty tolerant of babies, and actually new flock members altogether, at least in my experience. However, I have a small, docile breed, so your mileage may vary with other breeds. The gander is very unlikely to bother his own offspring, though. In the wild, geese raise their offspring as pairs. Both the gander and the goose raise, care for, and protect the babies. Ganders are generally very good parents.

So if you're worried about leaving the gosling with its mother because of the gander, don't be He'll actually help protect it.

That's what i hoped. He is really involved, fluffs up the nest when she is off eating etc. He is very protective of the perimeter of the pen. At the moment they do a very good job at keeping aerial predators away. But I can't cover their pen it's too big, 1/4 acre. I'm assuming since they are so aware they will both be very diligent keeping baby safe?

 

[Pyxis]

That's what i hoped. He is really involved, fluffs up the nest when she is off eating etc. He is very protective of the perimeter of the pen. At the moment they do a very good job at keeping aerial predators away. But I can't cover their pen it's too big, 1/4 acre. I'm assuming since they are so aware they will both be very diligent keeping baby safe?

Yes, they will be very diligent. But, until the baby is older and bigger, is there any way you could fence off and cover a portion of the run for them to stay in for now?

If you don't have a lot of aerial predators I wouldn't really worry about it, but if you have a lot it could be an issue. I don't have a lot of aerial predators, so I don't worry too much about the babies getting taken.

 

[K.Riggs]

Yes, they will be very diligent. But, until the baby is older and bigger, is there any way you could fence off and cover a portion of the run for them to stay in for now?

If you don't have a lot of aerial predators I wouldn't really worry about it, but if you have a lot it could be an issue. I don't have a lot of aerial predators, so I don't worry too much about the babies getting taken.

In a year I have had one hen killed. We do have a few around but since getting the geese i have never seen one on the property. I guess I could make a temporary pen around her nest. She won't have access to the pond anymore though. She really won't like it and the gander will hate not being able to be with them. He literally lives and sleeps on the pond though so I can't really lock him up. I really feel like my options are to give them a chance at parenting and protecting it or take it and brood it with my ducks until its big enough to go back with them. Neither option is all that great That's why I wasn't going to let them have any babies but I felt sorry for her

 

[WVduckchick]

How far is the pond from her nest? Maybe a temporary small pathway between the two areas that could be covered?

Just thinking out loud...

 

[K.Riggs]

How far is the pond from her nest? Maybe a temporary small pathway between the two areas that could be covered?

Just thinking out loud...

I thought the same but literally on opposite corners of the paddock. It would cost a lot for materials to do a covered pathway even i'm poor at the moment. I'm still not back at work after my daughters major surgery so I can't put any money into such things as much as i wish I could .