My goose is sitting on eggs do I need to isolate her from the flock?

[Miss Lydia]

Not really except if I'm selling them and someone only wants a purebred goose.

Well thats gonna make it hard probably till they are older and start looking like one breed or the other don't you think?

 

[MotherGoose 777]

If it were me, and there was any way I could partition her an area to herself, I would do it. Just so you don't have a more dominant goose decide to nest right next to her when the eggs are almost ready to hatch, and then you are more likely to get a fight over the babies, or lose the eggs of the later brooder. They will also nest side by side and steal eggs from each other -- so much so that you may end up with non-hatching eggs and/or broken ones. It doesn't always happen that way -- I have had them do just fine side by side. You just never know. It depends how important production is to you, and how your geese get along and who's boss among the geese.

They WILL raise the babies together, yes. And I've even had two flocks housed close enough together that the babies from one flock scooted through the fence and mingled with the other flock. The adults of those two flocks would have tried to kill each other, and I feared for the babies, but as it turns out the other adults guarded them and kept them safe. Their own parents were VERY upset by the ordeal though.

I've also had a male that wanted to kill babies. That was a rare thing though. Only saw it once. Right now I have a Pilgrim gander that watches over the ducklings when they wander into his yard, and "protects" them from everything - including me, LOL. The ducklings aren't too sure what's going on and are a little afraid of him, but he acts just like a papa with them.

I just love goose family dynamics.

 

[almostalwayshome]

thank you all for responding! I now have 2 geese sitting side by side on the eggs. they don't seem to be fighting about it. could it be because they're sisters? My other goose may be laying in that nest as well. Thanks for the suggestion about marking the eggs. I wish I had thought of that two weeks ago!! What will happen if some hatch way before the others are ready? Do you think both geese will abandon the nest?

 

[EeyoreD]

thank you all for responding! I now have 2 geese sitting side by side on the eggs. they don't seem to be fighting about it. could it be because they're sisters? My other goose may be laying in that nest as well. Thanks for the suggestion about marking the eggs. I wish I had thought of that two weeks ago!! What will happen if some hatch way before the others are ready? Do you think both geese will abandon the nest?

Ha I have the same thing going on (and I'm new to geese as well). Two of them have been "sharing" the nest for about a week now. They both hiss if anyone comes too close but otherwise they seem to be totally content with the situation. I had no idea they would do that. Sorry I can't answer your questions though.

 

[Oneacre Homestead]

I have a goose sitting now, too! My first broody, too. I hope we can all share pics of the hachlings! I only have a pair, but I will be watching my gander when they hatch because he has acted a bit strange in the past.... I used to have a trio and he HATED one female and almost killed her- he only loves his mate. Poor other girl. Yes, I am sure the third goose was a girl, btw.
I am a beginner, too AlmostAlwaysHome, but I guess if it was me I would just watch them when you expect goslings and have a piece of fencing ready just in case!

 

[almostalwayshome]

I have a spare pen I could put them in if I have to. Oh well, it's watch and see I guess. I'll let you know how it goes.

I'd love to see pictures of your goslings when they arrive.

 

[almostalwayshome]

I thought I'd share a photo of the two on their nest.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I thought I'd share a photo of the two on their nest.

Beautiful!

 

[larkflying]

Those look like content geese -- and very calm too. My broody geese would be hissing, and all ruffled up if I dared to approach the nesting zone!

 

[EeyoreD]

Those look like content geese -- and very calm too. My broody geese would be hissing, and all ruffled up if I dared to approach the nesting zone!

Ha, when I saw the picture (and yes, lovely geese!) the first thing I thought was "How did she get a picture with their mouths closed and their necks not all stretched out?"