Wild (Canadian) Baby GOOSE Story - From Eggs to Babies.

[Mzyla]

A friend of my son gave him 4 Goose eggs that he find in a field.
We live in a country with many lakes, fields, woods....
I was a bit hesistant, because never before incubated goose eggs.
Well, I read everything online and put them in a old foam incubator that I have already 30 years!
Watched temp. almost constantly and was adjusting to keep accuracy.
Cooled/moistened and turned daily. It was very hard to bring Humidity any higher then 55* even though water was filled up into incubator's spaces and additionaly I put 2 cups with water & moist towelette.

Nonetheless on about day 25 eggs started to wabble. On day 29 cracks/holes appeared.
On day 30/last Thursday afternoon gigantic and healthy goslings were born! All by themselves without any interference.

Only 1-st day they were sitting quietly in plastic bin with lamp.
Next day they became fluffy and almost doubled in size!
So I put them in double-size container, which I left on a table.
On Saturday I took them outside into meshed enclosure.
When I was sitting next to them they were foraging on grass and being happy.
Minute I left, terrible cry began!
Grand-children came to visit. They took Goslings on hands and walk with them around the property.
Night Time...The Cry! I end up sleeping with them in a bed. I put them inside of my Fur hat & they were sleeping with out a peep all night!

On Sunday about 7am, I left them on a table in a container and went to do some Gardening.
My dogs were laying next to fences where I worked.
At about 7:45 I hear peep...peep...
I'm lifting my head and what do I see?
My Gooslings marching towards garden through the grass!!!

I run to the house to ask who let them out? Husband was hard asleep, the rest of family was having second dreams....Nobody!
I did left my house doors open though.
Then I noticed wet foot splashes on a table....
The conclussion: They jumped out of the Box, on a table, down to the floor, went through opened door, then through the hallway onto the porch, then down 3 stairs, then walked around to back of house, Total about 100 feet journey.

I still cannot overcome the amazement, what a sense of direction they have!
Also, I never knew thet Goose can follow human scent! I know dogs can do that, but 4 days old baby goslings?!

I don't know for how long they going to need "Mommy" / Me! It is rather troublesome to sit with them or sleep w/them so they could be quiet.

1-st Picture is when they were 1 day old in smaller container.
2-nd Picture is when they were 4 days old in bigger container.
Today, they running on a floor through the whole house, following me of course!

 

[GEESES Peanut Butter Cup]

My African gosling sometimes want to jump out to get close to use. It jumps high, so we have to use higher "fences" to prevent it from getting somewhere dangerously without our noticing.

The box in your photos seems very short...

 

[Fishkeeper]

They definitely need a much larger brooder. A big storage tub could work. You're also going to need a proper heat lamp.
What are you feeding them?
Their water needs to be deep enough for them to get their faces up to their eyes in it.
Don't give them corn, they need only the most nutritious foods right now.
And no, they can't track your scent. Most birds don't have a very good sense of smell.

They're very cute! But you should make sure they're legal to keep. I'm not sure people in the US are allowed to keep Canadian geese, I know they're protected in some ways.

 

[Mzyla]

Thanks! They are totaly loose now, walking/following me through the house.
They dispise any enclosure. I guess they will always stay free.
Couple times during a day, we go outside; I'm working on a yard and they foraging around near me. They understand my calling them & learned to go up the stairs to the house.
We have a shallow stream, but they not very fund of it. Inside I provided couple of water bowls. I'm chopping cooked eggs, starter, salad...
Most troublesome is sleeping time.....Still with me in my bed :-(
In this picture they are next to my Great Pyrenee dog.

 

[Fishkeeper]

It's not that they don't like an enclosure, it's that their enclosure is much, much too small. They need a warm and comfortable place to stay, or they can get very sick. Your bathtub is about the size of the pen they should really be in. I wouldn't put them in your bed to sleep, you might roll over on them and crush them. I would also be VERY careful introducing them to dogs, because even the gentlest dogs can be enticed to bite by flapping poultry.

They need a proper, safe pen, indoors. They aren't ready to swim in any water that's not lukewarm, so don't try to put them in water.

 

[Mzyla]

Thank you very much for these good advices!