My goose hatched some eggs! PICS

[marathonmultiplesmom]

UPDATE

As I went out to feed the animals today, one of the 4 goslings with the mom was missing. (one of my turkeys also died

)

So, the parents had 3 left and I scooped up 2 of them and brought them in. If there is a predator I am not willing to lose the whole bunch. I left the adults with one gosling to look after and love and now I have 3 indoors. Hopefully after they are about 2 weeks old they will be ready to rejoin the flock. I also had 2 incidents where the goslings got through the fencing. I really hope the one outside fairs well but I didn;t have the heart to take every one of her babies away. Poor thing, Becky is such a good mom and I want to encourage her to raise her babies. Maybe it will be easier for her to look after one rather than 4. Anyway, hopefully bringing in 2 to join the one will help them bond with one another and human handling will keep them mild tempered.

Sorry, trying to see the good in things but I'm still upset about losing a gosling and a turkey today.

 

[Kim65]

Sounds like you have something getting into those pens

I'm having trouble with coyotes (well, just one juvenile). He got my big tom turkey Pecker Moon. First he snatched out all his feathers on the back, and then a week later the dumba$$ turkey went back over the pasture fence and got GOT for good

He was so beautiful

He was meaner than a snake, and I would have had to rehome him eventually, but couldn't imagine giving him to someone even with full disclosure, he was so mean. Ah, nature takes it's course . . .

So tomorrow I'm driving down to Richfield to check out some llamas. They can handle running off a coyote or two, and I'll need that as I'm breeding the goats in August.

I'm sure Becky and the others could protect that one baby. I wonder if you have weasels Bonnie? They are so tough to get rid of. I hope you find a solution

.

A two month old gosling surely is too big for a weasel or whatever you got out there.

ETA: You'd think those other geese would have set up a racket if something got into THEIR pen? Can you hear them from the house? Makes me wonder if the baby slipped out of the pen and got lost. My geese holler when the neighbor drives up and parks his car (like he does every day), they don't miss much.

You could easily stick a nice llama in that nice big goose pen of yours

 

[marathonmultiplesmom]

Hey Kim, since you came to visit last, we cleared out all the trees for at least 20 feet all around the orchard. We thought this would make the raccoons keep away since they have to clear that stretch.... plus that will be cow pasture. But yes, something must be getting in. I also had one of my juvenile black australorp hen die today. Just a bad day. The hen was trampled by the meat chickens I think. The turkey drowned and the gosling disappeared, probably taken by a hawk or raccoon is my best guess. Or it got through the fence and wandered off and met some other doom? I looked around for her but she's gone. I also suspect maybe there is a nest of possoms somewhere near the barn... I keep hearing things but can't locate them/whatever they are.

I think by 2 weeks they will be big enough to hold their own out there. Pipper is 1 and a half months and almost as big as her mom now and almost fully feathered. She has a stretch on her neck that is still fuzzy but besides that she looks like an adult! So fast, they grow. Whisper is also doing well. She is from Becky's egg and I was mistaken before, they are both girls! They let me pick them up still but prefer I leave them on the ground. Whisper is about a month old now and has feathers on her shoulders, wings and tail and tummy but there are still fuzzy spots. Her bald spots are completely fuzzy now.

I'm sorry to hear about your tom turkey. I WISH I could get a llama. I think they are so neat. I have too many other things that take priority over that now. We are looking to get goats and cattle after more pasture is cleared. So, what type of goats do you have? We are going to get Nubians. We have a family friend who breeds them and their milk is sweet and great! We are going to work something out and get some kids from her. Let me know about the llamas and how that goes. I will have to pay a visit to see them. I just love them. They have been a favorite creature of mine since I was a girl!

 

[Kim65]

I have three Nubian does

, the third being the daughter of one. I originally bought two pregnant does two years ago, and they kidded with three doelings and one buckling. I sold the twin doelings and buckling and kept the spotted doeling

. I like her mother's udder MUCH better anyway.

The reason I'm getting a llama is that they co-exist with goats and sheep and eat the same stuff, actually, less. THey just need pasture, some browse, toenail trims and routine vaccs/minerals. Oh, and shearing if you get the fiber type. They bond with thier "charges" and HATE raccoons and possums, will stomp them to death. They are territorial and keep out small and medium sized predators. They could live with about any ruminant livestock, I'm guessing, and they do best when there's only ONE llama, in terms of bonding with their charges. I've never even wanted a llama, much less had one. I stand far back from them when I go to livestock fairs

. But as I've been reading, and tomorrow, visiting and choosing one, I feel less intimidated.

Oh a turkey drowned? Eek. They aren't very bright. I hate those stupid suicides.

You can't have TOO many geese

YOu won't need to buy any new fancy incubator what with all the geese you have. We'll all come with our various eggs say about end of April next year

??

 

[Kim65]

Forgot to mention, my goose Petey Girl has been stubbornly sitting on five eggs for about three weeks now. I put her in the pen when I'm at work, and bring her in the house at night. I put her out in the morning, and she runs for her nest and sits. Next year, if I can get her to nest inside the pen . . . She's a dedicated sitter, at least.

 

[marathonmultiplesmom]

I have had success moving nests. I get a spade and made a little dip where I want the new nest to be, then I put the hay inside of it and set it up in a circular nest-like shape and then put a fake egg in. It worked for me a few times. Do you think they are fertile eggs? Oh I hope you get some goslings! Is the gander with her also? My gander is by the goose's side and takes care of the goslings... well, gosling now that there is only one out there.

 

[Kim65]

Whether they are fertile or not, she hasn't been able to sit on them more than a couple of hours at a time. She's off more than she's on, unless I'm home from work, then I don't put them in the pen.

Next year, I'm going to set up a goose only area just for breeding season, one I can let them stay in 24/7. I tried to set her up in a nest in the pen but it's a free for all with chickens and now ducks. I don't blame her for not wanting to sit where she can't get some peace and quiet.

I would LOVE goslings, I just really SHOULDN"T have more geese. I was thinking of having her hatch out other types of poultry because she's obviously a good sitter. Even hatch out some for other people. Who knows I may break down and go for it.

 

[marathonmultiplesmom]

Well, I solved the mystery of the missing gosling. The bad news is that she is dead. The good news is that it was not a predator. Her tiny little body allowed her to waltz right into the chicken yard where she somehow got killed or died from not being kept warm by her mama. Either way, she is gone and there's nothing I can do about that one. I'm glad that I was able to bring the other 2 inside to spare them a similar fate. I'm on the fence whether I want to let the adults keep the remaining gosling they have or bring her inside with the 3 that I have, for the time being, until they are bigger.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

Sorry to hear about your little gosling. Always sad - no matter what. If you keep them in the house for a little while until they get a bit bigger and can regulate their temps etc...you can put them back out with the parents. I know I would have a hard time with the decision your facing, too. It's kinda like there is no real good clear "right" answer...I hate when that happens!

Very cute pics by the way - enjoyed them very much. Thanks for sharing. Good luck!

 

[marathonmultiplesmom]

I think for the time being, I am going to increase my frequency of checking on the geese outside. If I see her getting through fences or if I notice the parents not looking after her, I will take her in immediately. So far, having the others taken away seems to have mom, dad and uncle goose triangulated around the gosling and they seem to be protecting her very well. I even saw mom fly to her gosling today! I rarely see them fly. They are so graceful and beautiful!

The gosling outside loves her daddy very much and follows him around mostly. The 3 in the brooder are snuggled and bonding well with one another.

All the goslings now have names. The splayed legs one is Dolphin.
The boy and girl with her in the brooder are "sister" and "mister"
and the one outside is "survivor"
To remember the age, I am naming them this year to end in an "R" except Dolphin, who was named by my 3 year old.