The African and Chinese goose thread!!

[englishcockers]

Our brown Chinese pair have 20+ eggs in the nest, but she still hasn't started to set. What do you think? be patient? remove some of the older eggs? Is this normal?

 

[redrosado]

Our babies just hatched! They are so tough and strong!!! But one has membrane dried to her back, what do I do? She looks uncomfortable.

 

[NathanZee]

Our babies just hatched! They are so tough and strong!!! But one has membrane dried to her back, what do I do? She looks uncomfortable.

Is it possible to remove it? It isn't hindering its breathing is it?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Our brown Chinese pair have 20+ eggs in the nest, but she still hasn't started to set. What do you think? be patient? remove some of the older eggs? Is this normal?

Wow, yes thats too many for her to hatch. Do you have access to an incubator? If not I would take all but maybe 12 eggs. mark the ones you leave with a pencil so you know which they are.

Our babies just hatched! They are so tough and strong!!! But one has membrane dried to her back, what do I do? She looks uncomfortable.

Use a warm, wet paper towel, and gently dab it or lust hold it on top of the dried membrane. It should peel away easily in a couple minutes.

 

[chicken hawk 33]

Our brown Chinese pair have 20+ eggs in the nest, but she still hasn't started to set. What do you think? be patient? remove some of the older eggs? Is this normal?

leave them

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
I disagree.
That many eggs will create a disaster for hatching. She cannot cover them all, so many eggs will get too cold. The end result will be very few if any gosling hatch. On top of that, failed embryos will rot and explode, risking the health of viable eggs. Its just asking for trouble, and sick goslings that do hatch. Failed eggs contain bacteria that can harm a healthy egg. Its an unhealthy situation for the goose and goslings, period.
I am a 3rd generation goose keeper. That said, everyone has their own methods of keeping and raising geese. I follow what I learned from my grandmother and father, and own experience of 35 years keeping them. I will not risk my goose's health just to hatch more goslings.

 

[chicken hawk 33]

I disagree.
That many eggs will create a disaster for hatching. She cannot cover them all, so many eggs will get too cold. The end result will be very few if any gosling hatch. On top of that, failed embryos will rot and explode, risking the health of viable eggs. Its just asking for trouble, and sick goslings that do hatch. Failed eggs contain bacteria that can harm a healthy egg. Its an unhealthy situation for the goose and goslings, period.
I am a 3rd generation goose keeper. That said, everyone has their own methods of keeping and raising geese. I follow what I learned from my grandmother and father, and own experience of 35 years keeping them. I will not risk my goose's health just to hatch more goslings.

I had a muscovy hen set on 23 eggs. My experience comes from my 60 year old papa my 80 year old neighbor and my 41 year old mom

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
OK thats a Muscovy, that I keep also. There is no way a Muscovy hen can sit on 23 eggs from a goose and hatch them. She can hatch that many Muscovy ducklings.
I have had a hatch of 21 here of muscovy. That 6 pound duck cannot cover 23 goose eggs.

 

[englishcockers]

I appreciate all the advice, and the different perspectives. I am leaning toward taking some eggs out. We've had some really nasty weather since she started her nest. I don't know how nights in the teens may have affected viability of the early eggs. We really aren't interested in maximizing gosling production, just the fun of seeing mama and babies waddling around the yard.

 

[NathanZee]

I kind of think Elizabeth is going broody, she is getting less and less inclined to leave the nest, and now when I came out she stayed on. Is there any way to know for sure?