need some broody (?) goose advice please

[TeamChaos]

Hello all! My toulouse geese are almost a year old now and Luna goose has started to lay! They share the pen with four ducks, who might also be laying. I noticed my male goose, Lautrec, had gotten really mean to anyone who dared invade their pen in the last few weeks, do you think this occurred because his mate started laying?
Tonite I saw Luna goose wedge herself behind a wooden crate that is in their pen (it was in there to be "cover" for the ducks originally, so that they could get away from the bossy geese, so it's a tiiight fit for Luna) and I was worried she was sick. I crawled back there (while Lautrec attempted to tear my coveralls off) and I found a TON of frozen eggs, some big and some small. I collected them as best I could, for fear that they would attract a predator- Luna made such sad, sad sounds. I swear she knew I was taking her eggs and she was sad about it. I gave her one back and she stuck it in a wad of fresh hay and laid on it. While she was bedded down, the ducks were hassling her- rubbing their necks on her neck and back, trying to climb under/over her etc. She finally cried out and Lautrec stopped trying to attack me and ran over to fend off the ducks.
What is going on here? Is she broody? Do I need to move the ducks out? How could she possibly hatch eggs if they are freezing in the nest; do I need to supply better building materials?

Thanks for any insight you can provide!

 

[Oregon Blues]

First, and rather quickly, you need to separate the geese into their own pen. They are very protective of their nests and if the ducks are bothering your goose, the gander is going to end up hurting the ducks.

The goose needs a secure spot to lay her eggs with a bit of privacy and shelter from the weather.

Yes, indeed, she knew you were taking her precious eggs away from her. Geese are devoted parents and adore and cherish their little ones.

 

[TeamChaos]

Thank you for your response, Oregon Blues! I will indeed get them separated then. This morning Luna goose followed me in when I went to check the nest- sure enough she had a new egg tucked in by the frozen egg I had given her back yesterday. She "talked" to me the whole time and walked over to check the nest herself after I turned to leave- I swear she was counting her eggs to make sure I didn't steal any more. The eggs are going to freeze the way they are currently configured... should I try to move the geese to a pen w/ a heat lamp instead of moving the ducks?

I'm relieved to have you confirm that she did, in fact, know what I was doing when I took the eggs. I collect eggs every day from my chickens and none of them give a rip when I do- even my broody hens stop caring once the eggs are out of their reach- I've never had a bird make such knowing eye contact w/ me before. I felt pretty bad.