Toulouse goose - nesting

[Jenna19]

Hi!
We have a male toulouse that is our guardian for our chickens. He is about 4 years old. We purchased a couple females 2 years ago. One female has nested and had a little clutch each year. Last year, we didn't know any better and let them continue to stay with our chickens. Anytime she would get up, the chickens would peck at the eggs, so no success. This year, as soon as she started laying I separated the geese out. She has built a nest, added eggs, pushed some eggs out, added them back in, and so forth. Everyday, there may be eggs in the nest with a couple on the ground around her, and this seems to change. Is this normal behavior? I have not disturbed the nest at all, as our male is pretty chippy this time of year and kind of a jerk. (Works very well in protection of our chickens and has kept my orpington roo in his lane as well). I'm certain she has been sitting for over a month, but not consistently and not on the same eggs if that makes any sense. Keep waiting? Her body condition looks pretty good, so I'm not too concerned about her broodiness.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Doesn't sound fully broody yet. When she is you will need a crowbar to get her off the nest. She also should be keeping a tight nest, and covering her eggs when she leaves. Perhaps something else is moving the eggs around like rats, or one year I had crows taking eggs.

Have you candled the eggs to see if they are developing?

 

[Jenbirdee]

one year I had crows taking eggs.

I have seen crows fly off with duck eggs but a goose egg? That would be amazing

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have seen crows fly off with duck eggs but a goose egg? That would be amazing

I think they mostly crack them and slurp out some of the egg, than fly off with the rest to finish out in the field. We also have a fox that takes eggs too at times. Seems we are feeding the whole neighborhood.