Michigan

[Olive Hill]

Wait, he's too young, they haven't been to college yet, if they start having babies this soon what about their careers???
More importantly, what would I do with the babies? I keep rolling this over in my mind, reading up on goose incubation and nesting and so forth. Most sources say that if you want them to be pets, they need to imprint on you so you need to hatch them in an incubator. But I did read of one BYC'er at least who had success letting her goose hatch the eggs but handling the babies a lot--and the babies were human friendly. If I were to hatch goosers, and could keep the babies tame, I'd much prefer to have Henry/Penelope/Libby do the hatching and raising. I so loved watching all the maternal instincts come out in Edna, my Sebright who hatched some eggs this summer.

So, it's tempting. But then, again, what about the babies? Three geese seems good. More?

And then I recently read a post where someone in Chelsea/Grass Lake just recently had their geese start laying! I was thinking more like March! (Or maybe not at all this year as I guess some geese are 2 years old or older when they start to lay?) Anyway, I have been promised a big dog shed with one open side that a friend's dad wants to get rid of, was planning on setting that up as a nesting area connected to Goose Jail. But the friend's dad will have to haul it here and I haven't liked to nag about it as he is giving it away. Guess it's time to think about nagging... Also time I guess to start offering some oyster shell...

Late February is pretty normal here. Imprinting ganders increases the likelihood of human-aggression at maturity. I wouldn't go gung-ho with the oyster shell, goose eggs are hard with very thick shells to begin with.

 

[RaZ]

Has anyone here raised Mallards?
I've checked the regulations and permit side of things but don't have any first hand accounts of anyone actually rearing them.

 

[chicken grandma]

I raised Mallards RaZ.
I was under the supervision of a wildlife rehabilitator.
We raised 11 of them. They started in a large storage tub in the house with pine shavings and duck crumbles and water and a heat lamp. They made a horrible mess and we were constantly changing pine shavings and refreshing water.
My kids took them in the yard (to an area unused by the chickens) and let them swim in snow saucers full of water, eat grass, play in the MUD from almost the first day. They sure drink A LOT of water. They sure made a lot of mud everywhere they went.
Then at about 4 weeks we started fencing them by the shoreline of the lake we were on during the day, extending the fence into the water so they could go in and out. We brought them into the bin in the garage every night and sometimes on a cool evening we would turn the heat lamp on when they came in so they could dry off and warm up. They loved that.
By week Six, it was impossible to catch them and bring them in. So they started to sleep on the lake and we took the fencing down so that they could protect themselves from predators by going further out onto the lake.
The first week that they were out at night, one came up missing. But 10 out of 11 surviving is very good.
We did not try to tame them at all and they remained wild.
They joined up with other mallards on our lake and broke into small groups. Seeing them learn to fly was pretty funny. They would take off from the water and WOBBLE through the first flight or two.
We had no health issues come up and it was a lot of fun.

 

[M.sue]

Question: Someone this morning mentioned a frozen egg. How can you tell if it's frozen besides it being cracked?

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Sorry, meant to have a quick peek before bed, since i've been so chatty, but... Speaking of hard eggs, is there such a thing as too hard eggs??? Last summer my eggs were so hard that you could throw them as high as any standard tree, and they'd literally bounce and roll away when they hit bottom. Not even a crack. And that was with only my 2 Tb of gamebird supplement and the rest scratch! I have switched to regular pellet feed, without the extra calcium (On account of the roosters) And i'm providing the oystershell separately. And they're still little rocks! What do Ya'll think on this one? Can it hurt my hens? Could a chick get out? (My DH he feels sorry for anyone who got hit with one!)

 

[RaZ]

Crispy, Broil and Broast


Lemon and Pepper. Up on the big girl roost!


Poor Gravy...sleeping alone.

 

[Olive Hill]

I almost forgot, on the way home this evening we saw a BIG flock of geese headed north.

 

[RaZ]

I raised Mallards RaZ.
I was under the supervision of a wildlife rehabilitator.
We raised 11 of them. They started in a large storage tub in the house with pine shavings and duck crumbles and water and a heat lamp. They made a horrible mess and we were constantly changing pine shavings and refreshing water.
My kids took them in the yard (to an area unused by the chickens) and let them swim in snow saucers full of water, eat grass, play in the MUD from almost the first day. They sure drink A LOT of water. They sure made a lot of mud everywhere they went.
Then at about 4 weeks we started fencing them by the shoreline of the lake we were on during the day, extending the fence into the water so they could go in and out. We brought them into the bin in the garage every night and sometimes on a cool evening we would turn the heat lamp on when they came in so they could dry off and warm up. They loved that.
By week Six, it was impossible to catch them and bring them in. So they started to sleep on the lake and we took the fencing down so that they could protect themselves from predators by going further out onto the lake.
The first week that they were out at night, one came up missing. But 10 out of 11 surviving is very good.
We did not try to tame them at all and they remained wild.
They joined up with other mallards on our lake and broke into small groups. Seeing them learn to fly was pretty funny. They would take off from the water and WOBBLE through the first flight or two.
We had no health issues come up and it was a lot of fun.

That's good to hear. I'd really like to take a shot at raising some and if they would venture into the wild blue yonder, so much the better.
For the last few years, a pair of wild Mallards arrive in the spring and hang out in the neighbor's pool. They would come into my yard to feed from the wild bird feeders. Using Cheerios, I could draw the female to within about 5 feet before the drake would scold her. They stayed somewhere here in the neighborhood, but I never saw any ducklings.

I can get day old hatchlings or fertile eggs to incubate which makes it all legal. I'm thinking that I'll give it a shot.
So what is a good incubator to buy?

 

[NovaAman]

Ah RaZ, they are so purty! Maybe you could find a single bird later this year when it is warmer, then hook the two up...

I did that with Fia, she was a lone joiner, so I purposely put her with Roger when it was time. They would sleep side by side for a while, but now she is up on the garage door rails with either Vanna or Vonna... Which ever one decides its their turn to stay in the garage. Heck, I think they'd all stay in the garage. I had to carry out both Mr. Fluffers and one of the V sisters tonight. Skatter, my only good girl went back to the coop on her own. I am thinking, I might have to NOT let them out of the coop next time its gets this cold. They head for the garage and stay there! LOL.

Fiametta has not laid an egg in several days. I am thinking she found a nice hidey spot in the garage somewhere. I just have to hunt it out. This spring, I am going to build a refugee spot in the garage so they do not TAKE OVER THE WHOLE THING! I was lucky to find chicken parcels in a box of bags that I use for my paper delivery. Needless to say, there is a $20 box of bags that is going in the trash. I am not cleaning chicken s(*t off of them to try and use them. Oh, could you imagine... "Honey, what did she get all over our newspaper?" "Why I don't know dear, let me see.." Oh, that could be funny, but, YUCK! LOL.

Dang is it cold outside. Poor Skeeter! She is doing double duty trying to keep them babies warm...

 

[RBahmer]

RaZ - Those are some really nice looking chickens. Gravy is beautiful.