Why is my goose sitting on an empty nest....

[GooseyMcGee]

We have been taking her eggs since she start laying because she's in a very unsafe stop from coyotes and he didn't want her incubate. Today, she laid an egg, I took it, but then she came back to sit in her spot. She remained there until late tonight when I chased her away. She usually lays an egg and then doesn't come back until she's ready lay again, usually a day half later. Why is she doing this?

I'm very concerned. If she keep laying there she will surely be killed by a coyote.

 

[MotherGoose 777]

Many geese have very strong maternal instincts.

Reminds me of a silky I had that would find rocks and pile them up and set on them.

Can you put her on a safe nest at night? Put her eggs there, and encourage her to set there? Sometimes you can move them, sometimes not ...

Are the eggs fertile? If you wanted you can even let her set infertile eggs, then buy her some ducklings or goslings. Or maybe you can get some hatching goose or duck eggs for her if you don't have a gander?

I've been successful with putting them in a coop about 3 x 5 feet and placing their eggs on one end, along with sticks and straw for them to build a nest.

But I know what you mean. I always have a number determined to set in unsafe places, and for the first time this year I let one set on the woodpile just outside the back door, within two fences, hoping she would be safe, and something got her. Otherwise I've always locked them all up at night.

 

[GooseyMcGee]

Well, we don't have a place to put them at night, rather we haven't been able to train them to go in a pen. They, she and her gander, have a whole pond to themselves so they're free to do what they would like. Her nesting spot is about 12 feet from the edge of the water. When she is sitting, the gander will patrol the a small area in the pond. Obviously, that doesn't seem to helpful since the coyotes are on land.

I actually try to get her move her nest last. I kicked up the dirt around her spot put a lawn chair over the nest. They very both very angry at me this morning when I feed them. I moves the chair and let he have her spot back.


Anyway, we are almost done building an island for them to go on at night. They hard part will be getting her to move her nesting spot there.

 

[MotherGoose 777]

Oh, and island sounds good! I hope that works well for you.

I know what you mean, if they have free access to a pond, I don't see any way of making them go in anywhere at night. I wouldn't be able to do it. No way to "herd" geese in water, lol.

If you keep disturbing her nests, hopefully she will decide to move it to the island. You can always try putting an egg or two out there the give her the "idea" though I have had that backfire and they seem to think someone else has already "claimed" the spot. I'd probably try it anyway though. Make sure she has plenty of her favored nesting material out there, whatever it is she does to build a nest on land.

Even if they can't settle into it this year, maybe she will do well next year. But it really sounds like she WANTS to be a mama.

Good luck to you and your geese!

 

[GooseyMcGee]

She's not really building a "nest" nest. She's just digging a small hole in soft dirt. We're gonna but a lot straw on out "island", which is a small wooden floating dock.