Questions About Broody Goose

[AndreaV636]

Hello!

This is my first spring with a laying goose. I've collected a lot of her eggs for artificial incubation, but as she's still laying and I've run out of room in my incubator, I've left her with her last several eggs. She currently has five in the nest and is not sitting yet, but I imagine she'll go broody very soon. I have a couple questions about managing things from here on out...

1) I have two ganders that are really giving me a hard time. I thought they were unmanageable earlier in the breeding season... well, they are MUCH worse now that she has a nest full of eggs. I am debating separating them from my goose once she goes broody. I guess I'm just wanting reassurance that this won't be cruel or overly traumatic for the goose. She is more of a loner anyways and often becomes separated from the two ganders on her own. Do the ganders provide her with any support while she's sitting (i.e. bring her food, etc.)? As long as it won't cause any harm, I believe I will be able to care for her and monitor the eggs a LOT better if I have access to her and her nest without the ganders present.

2) The geese are sebastopols, and I've read that they are terrible parents. Watching mine, I'm sure they will be no exception... they are very clumsy and often knock over and trample their food bowls, etc. For this reason, and also because I'd like the goslings to be very people-friendly, I'm debating removing her eggs close to the hatch and finishing the incubation artificially. Is this terribly cruel? Maybe it sounds silly, but I'm worried I'll cause a lot of psychological harm to the goose. Do they get over this fairly quickly? If I remove the eggs, will I have trouble getting her to abandon the nest afterward? Also, will the eggs handle the abrupt change in conditions when transferred to the incubator?

Thanks in advance for your insights!

 

[Gray Farms]

You'll probably be ok splitting them up but it'd be best if they share a fence so they can see and hear each other. But its really best if you can leave them together. The males kinda "protect" the females while they are on the nest. And I'm sure its mental reassurance for the female.

I'd let her go ahead and hatch the goslings then take them away immediately. That's the way I've done it for many years and it never effects them setting the next year. They usually set on the empty nest for a day or maybe two. Then are back to normal and running with the rest. I'd be worried about the temp and humid change switching over to the incubator as well. I personally don't think that's the way to go.

 

[Percheron chick]

I'm going to disagree about Sebastopol being poor parents. Mine are excellent and the gander will sit when he thinks the girls have been gone too long. He is also the first out following the goslings and keeping track of them.
A goose can easily cover 10 eggs. I would fire up the incubator. Fill it with eggs on more than 2 weeks old. Hopefully you've been turning and misting them daily. Date them too. Give her the remaining eggs. Candle them when you catch her off the nest. Unless she gives you a reason to take the goslings away, let her do the work. So much easier.
I would leave the ganders with her. They are getting more aggressive with you because that's their job this time of year. Mine sounds like a snake pit and if he were to harm or step on the babies it would be my fault because I am meddling.