Toulouse Geese Thread

[Miss Lydia]

We are having a break today , sun , 39degrees.
They are out and I managed to dump the ice out of the pool so now they are preening and happy.
Still no eggs but they both do the tail to the sky when I put the hose on them while filling pool. I think they are both girls even if they don't look alike.
I'm wondering though , the one thing I did change that might be a coincidence but.......
Usually if there's grass I don't supplement with greens but when it snows I purchase spring mix and they get a couple handfuls morning and night. Well ... the local fruit and veg store had a sale on romaine hearts and spring mix , apparently date expired, and they pitched it , to which I scarfed it up !!! Gold mine to me !!!!!

. Well that's when the no shell eggs arrived and then laying stopped. Wonder if I gave too much greens ?? They always have pellets , gravel, oyster shells, and a full bucket of water to dip their heads in available 24/7.
This is their goose house, it's temporary because I'm moving in a few months . It will have a porch and small overhang for getting out of the sun , rain and the eyes of hawks.
Please let me know what you think

I think lettuce etc has calcium in it right? I just gave mine a large container of spring mix I got at sams and this week they have been eating romaine. Soft shell just happen once in a while it's when they continue to come we need to worry. Main thing is they are acting normal other wise. I think we'd both know if something was wrong since we observe our flocks alot. I was at the gro store this morning and they had a box full of leaves they had trimmed but they cannot give them to the public because of law suits. I said oh my gosh my geese would love that.

And weather may play into it also. its been so crazy here spring like temps, then this this week we have been in the low teens with awful wind chills on top of it

and believe me I have my share of worry since my goose hasn't laid her first egg of the year yet. Never has she been this late but mine are mating and going on with life so if she never lays again it's okay with me as long as she is healthy.

I know you'll be happy to get settled and get things set up for your geese. they have a nice temp house are you taking it with you? Not much different than we one we have for ours.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My goose house my son built it for me.

Inside I just put up half a wall along one side and a slanted roof over the piece of ply wood. and I put 4 fake goose eggs in there to give the hint this is where to lay your eggs since she likes to go into everyone else house looking for nesting spots. She goes in e very night and lays on those eggs and in the morning she covers them up and comes out. lol

Makes me want to hug the stuffins out of her.

 

[equustears]

Omg !!! They cover them ???? My first ones weren't covered , I haven't dug for them , maybe I have eggs after all .
I hate learning curves , so glad you are here.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Omg !!! They cover them ???? My first ones weren't covered , I haven't dug for them , maybe I have eggs after all .
I hate learning curves , so glad you are here.

Well??

 

[equustears]

I have eggs !!!!! 3 eggs !!!!
Who would have thought to dig for them ? You are right they cover them when they leave. Now if I can figure out if both are laying or only one. The one I expected to be on the best is not the one on the nest
When I came home one was on and one was guarding . Would a female goose guard the goose house?

I love your little goose house . I will be taking mine with me , that's why it wasn't finished - painted and porch and porch roof added.

I am so excited !!! Maybe I can quit hanging lights in the tunnel now

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have eggs !!!!! 3 eggs !!!!
Who would have thought to dig for them ? You are right they cover them when they leave. Now if I can figure out if both are laying or only one. The one I expected to be on the best is not the one on the nest
When I came home one was on and one was guarding . Would a female goose guard the goose house?

I love your little goose house . I will be taking mine with me , that's why it wasn't finished - painted and porch and porch roof added.

I am so excited !!! Maybe I can quit hanging lights in the tunnel now

Awesome !!! Congrats!

As for whether one would guard I am not sure unless one of the females has taken on the more dominant role or maybe she was just waiting her turn to get on the nest. Do you have a game camera?

 

[equustears]

Nope no game camera , just my phone .
I was planning on doing a freshen up on the coop since it's supposed to be above freezing , should I freshen the nest or leave it be ? I was thinking let the nest be and replace the litter in main part of the coop.
They are still clingy and sweet I don't want to jeopardize our relationship.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Nope no game camera , just my phone .
I was planning on doing a freshen up on the coop since it's supposed to be above freezing , should I freshen the nest or leave it be ? I was thinking let the nest be and replace the litter in main part of the coop.
They are still clingy and sweet I don't want to jeopardize our relationship.

I usually don't mess with the nest unless it is really pooey. Then I try to get just that out and place bedding close by and let Missy do her own thing.

If they are still clingy and sweet you def don't want to mess that up.

 

[equustears]

Well latest update
One nice shelled egg , one squashed egg, one no shell egg. I think the squashed egg was real thin. I should have pulled them last evening but she was wanting on the nest so I waited until this morning.
So because of the squished eggs I totally removed the nest material , managed to get frozen bedding that was around the water bucket and shook out the rest of the bedding . Guess I'll see if I've upset everyone beyond repair .
They didn't look good this morning but the greens were gone and most of the pellets so I know they're eating. I can see weight loss in the one goose . They both got into the fresh pool and were preening.
Wish this wasn't so hard for them . I feel bad.

 

[atmaclean]

My Toulouse goose was setting on 7 eggs for the past 3 weeks and I noticed her out and about for a long time today so I went to check her nest and only see 3 eggs!!?? Any idea what could have happened?? Did I read on here that they bury the eggs? I'm afraid she has just quit setting in them for some reason. I also have hens who lay every day so not sure how her eggs would have disappeared. She had them in another coop all by herself and her gander is always on patrol. We would have definitely have heard about it if anything out of the ordinary had happened. It is really puzzling me and also why she would stop setting in the three that are still there?? I was going to candlenthem this weekend to see if they were viable