So.. I got my goose some ducklings. Adoption tips?

[Puddle Foot Farm]

Long story short, my goose has been broody for over a month and I've gotten worried about her. She isn't sitting on eggs but don't tell her that, because she'll deny it vehemently and continue guarding her nest. So, since I'm getting an order of chickens this week from Ideal, I decided to add on two ducklings for her to raise.

What is the best way to introduce them to her/when? My geese have never had goslings before, but are always super-interested in the goslings I bring out and get mad at me for being near them. Also, should I separate them from the rest of the flock until the ducks get bigger? This flock consists of 1 gander and 4 geese.

I considered getting her duck eggs, but about two and a half months on the nest is TOO LONG. The ducks will eventually be added to my flock of ducks once she loses interest in them.

Any advice would be helpful! As I understand, geese try to adopt many things (I'm pretty sure one of my geese tried to adopt my 50 pekins that I found), so I don't forsee any problems with getting a broody to adopt ducklings. I'm hoping it'll work.

Chelsea

 

[Kim65]

Merely SHOW them to her

Put them in a safe enclosure, even a box, in front of her, and watch her behavior. If she stands near them, hovers over them, keeps her head down near them, then you can rest assured she will parent them. Usually geese adopt easily. Hanging out near the babies is your first clue

Let us know how it goes!! I love adoption stories!

 

[RAREROO]

I have serveral broody ducks and some where setting on their own eggs and I took those eggs and pu them in the bator and gave the ducks some Wyandotte eggs that I bought and I took the wyandotte eggs when they started hatchin and set them in the bater and I had 9 of the ducks eggs to hatch that the ducks were originally setting on and I tried to give them to two of the ducks that I had took the eggs from while it was still daylight and neither would take them so I tried again with another Rouen duck hen when it was getting dark and put them under her when she couldnt see them and by the morning she was tricked into thinking she hatched them and adopted them so I would recommend doing it late in the evening so she has time to feel them under her all night and they can bond then and I would think they should be set then.

Good luck

 

[Kim65]

In general, you have to trick a chicken to accept what she hasn't hatched. Geese don't seem to care very much. I had a flock of six ganders adopt and raise four female goslings. Not a Mama among them, and in broad daylight. I put the babies in a round of chicken wire and the ganders hung out around them all day. I put one friendler gander in with them, and he stood over them with his head down and talked to them. I let them go off with the flock and never got near them again. Kinda broke my heart but is a very fond memory.