Nesting Boxes

[kuntrygirl]

Can anyone post pictures of your nesting boxes for your geese? I need some help on what to build for my geese for next year.

 

[turducken]

I tried two plywood nest boxes, but the ducks and geese never used them. I put hay down and they made their own nest out of the hay. But be careful when you check on the nests. When our geese started laying she covered her eggs with the hay.

 

[achapra]

Quote:
aw they are so beautiful! I love how the birds communicate with each other.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing the pic. How were you able to keep the eggs from getting wet when it rained? I know that you said that you layed hay down but did you lay something under the hay? How did u set it up? How many eggs did your geese lay and how many actually hatched? I am not having any luck with then hatching the eggs.

 

[castlecreekfarm]

My hubby built me a wooden house with a tin roof that looks like a medium large dog house with the door opening to the far right on the front. The floor was built from a pallet base and covered in wood planks to make it a solid floor. Within one hour of moving it in the pen, my Sebbies moved into it and now have a nest of eggs. The gander stays in there quite a bit guarding his lady!

 

[turducken]

Quote:
THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing the pic. How were you able to keep the eggs from getting wet when it rained? I know that you said that you layed hay down but did you lay something under the hay? How did u set it up? How many eggs did your geese lay and how many actually hatched? I am not having any luck with then hatching the eggs.

They have a coop they sleep in at night. I just placed the hay on the floor for them. Nothing was under the hay. She shaped the nest herself. She had four goose eggs and rolled three duck eggs into her nest and hatched those too. This was her first hatch.

 

[turducken]

Don't give up. I had the same problems with my quail not hatching at first.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I'm trying to stay positive but I'm so sad and more so for them. They sit so dilgently but then no prize at the end of the road. No babies. Sounds like I have to make adjustments to their living area but the thing is they lay a different place EVERY year. I guess I will have to make it inviting for them so that they will want to lay in the area that I prepare for them. At night, they like to just sit and sleep whereever (about an acre of land) and they change up where they sleep nightly. It is never the same place. I will try to look for a couple large dog houses throughout the year and maybe in January they will be ready. Mine started laying early this year and they are still laying eggs. I am very hopeful for next year.

 

[goosedragon]

After my first attempt at nest boxes (stryofoam computer packing material which the geese promply chewed up and ate!) I followed local tradition and placed auto tires in shaded areas I thought would make nice nests along with a pile of straw out in the sun. It gets hot here in NC. The ladies agreed with some of my locations and filled 'their' tires with straw and started nesting. I already knew that they carefully covered their nests before leaving. I had two big surprizes though, one goose liked roses or the protection offered by thorns and nested under a rose bush. The other disappeared and I thought she was dead but she had found a old clump of pampas grass in the front yard and nested there. For those of you that don't know about pampas grass it is tall and decorative, it adds its new growth around the outside of the clump and dies off in the center. when well aged the center space is plenty of room for a goose nest.

 

[crys]

After fighting with fireants, rain and sun I got smart and found a large black heavy duty utility pans from a homestore. I'm sorry I dont know what its called but found it in the lumber section. I filled it with dirt (for weight) then topped off with hay. This made it easier if the ants attack I can pull the pan out and dust around the base, if it rains a lot-no worries- its about 6in. tall and since the bottom is full of dirt it does not float. I bought a few and have found them very handy. They r great as pools for ducks and geese (tougher plastic when dumping) seem to hold up to the south tx sun and r easy to scrub out. The other use I have is they make a great large outdoor sink when cleaning supplies! I also use large catboxes for the ducks and sink pans for the chickens (all new before using).