Mixed age goslings?

[pspaniel]

I recently bought four Shetland goose hatching eggs: I wanted a pair of geese and was keen to help a rare breed. Only one of them hatched, a female whom we've named Kadeisha. I rang around to see if any of the few breeders had a gosling that I could buy as a companion, but none did. I therefore bought four more hatching eggs, which are now just under three weeks off pipping. So when they are born they will be five weeks younger than Kadeisha.

My question is, should I put them (or it, if I have the same hatching rate as before) with Kadeisha straight away in the indoor pen with a brooder, taking her out periodically to run outdoors on the grass, or should I wait a while? If so, how long should I wait?

Thanks for any wisdom you can share on the subject.

 

[Miss Lydia]

She’s going to be pretty big compared to the new ones so I would let them meet and great but with a barrier up between them . I did this with my Runner when 2 weeks old and two hatched they shared the brooder and heat lamp but I put up a piece of hardware cloth so the littles had a chance to get their legs under them good, it only took a few days like this before I put the youngest in with the two older and they did great the older had the young ones sleeping on top of them

 

[pspaniel]

Thanks Miss Lydia, that's a good idea: she's growing unbelievably fast, so even if she loves the new hatchlings she could accidentally squash them! I'll divide the run as you suggest.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yep those big webbies can smooch a tiny gosling. by accident.

Look forward to seeing them all. So don't forget the pictures

 

[telandra2]

One of my month older goslings would grab the younger ones in the water and mount them. He ended up drowning one in the water dish and almost killing a second. Not sure if it was gander-fight-club (only one girl), pecking order, hormones, or him being a bully.

Be alert!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Def don't have a water source they can get into. Not inside their brooder or coop. And always supervise when they first begin to get into any water source.

My female Toulouse mounted my Runner[these are adults] in the big pool and she was so heavy that the Runner couldn't come up for air. Scared me. So now my Toulouse is in with the Muscovy no way they would let her in the water with them. lol

 

[Nathanielll]

I recently bought four Shetland goose hatching eggs: I wanted a pair of geese and was keen to help a rare breed. Only one of them hatched, a female whom we've named Kadeisha. I rang around to see if any of the few breeders had a gosling that I could buy as a companion, but none did. I therefore bought four more hatching eggs, which are now just under three weeks off pipping. So when they are born they will be five weeks younger than Kadeisha.

My question is, should I put them (or it, if I have the same hatching rate as before) with Kadeisha straight away in the indoor pen with a brooder, taking her out periodically to run outdoors on the grass, or should I wait a while? If so, how long should I wait?

Thanks for any wisdom you can share on the subject.

Hi, I am looking for Shetland Geese if you can send me any leads.

 

[pspaniel]

Hi, I am looking for Shetland Geese if you can send me any leads.

I got mine from a farm in Yorkshire https://www.greentreefarmshetlands.co.uk/,a good choice if you're in the UK . Otherwise, search "Shetland goose hatching eggs" on eBay. My hatching rate wasn't brilliant from eggs by post - one out of three - but I have ended up with one goose and one gander.

 

[Nathanielll]

I got mine from a farm in Yorkshire https://www.greentreefarmshetlands.co.uk/,a good choice if you're in the UK . Otherwise, search "Shetland goose hatching eggs" on eBay. My hatching rate wasn't brilliant from eggs by post - one out of three - but I have ended up with one goose and one gander.

Thank you. I am in the states. I've been looking on ebay but haven't seen anyone post. I will keep my eyes out. Thank you for the encouragement. Great job on getting a set ! I've heard there hatch rate can be low.