Will a goose without a mate raise goslings if I get her some?

[MsDiz]

This cute little American Buff Silly Goose is miss Olive. She isnt quite a year old yet. Right before christmas, her mate Gus goose gave his life protecting her from a coyote. He was such a good gander and is sorely missed.

I assume Olive will likely be coming of breeding age in the spring. Gus is the third companion she has lost. She is now my only goose. My question is this: if I were to purchase some goslings for her this spring, would she still be compelled to mother them in absence of a mate/flock?

She is such a sweet, mild mannered little lady and seeing her lonely breaks my heart. She only gets excited about her absolute favorite activity...you're going to laugh, but she absolutely loves walking me to the mailbox to check the mail in the afternoons (and helping me take my bin to the curb and back on garbage day!). Comes squaling across the yard at top speed if I try to do it without her or tell her it's time to check the mail! I want my sweet girl to be happy.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

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This cute little American Buff Silly Goose is miss Olive. She isnt quite a year old yet. Right before christmas, her mate Gus goose gave his life protecting her from a coyote. He was such a good gander and is sorely missed.

I assume Olive will likely be coming of breeding age in the spring. Gus is the third companion she has lost. She is now my only goose. My question is this: if I were to purchase some goslings for her this spring, would she still be compelled to mother them in absence of a mate/flock?

She is such a sweet, mild mannered little lady and seeing her lonely breaks my heart. She only gets excited about her absolute favorite activity...you're going to laugh, but she absolutely loves walking me to the mailbox to check the mail in the afternoons (and helping me take my bin to the curb and back on garbage day!). Comes squaling across the yard at top speed if I try to do it without her or tell her it's time to check the mail! I want my sweet girl to be happy.

Only if she goes broody and is willing to foster the gosling. Some birds foster more willingly, some refuse to

 

[Jenbirdee]

you can brood them yourself until they are big enough to hang out together . start by letting her see them through a fence .

 

[Jenbirdee]

just a side note does she also have deeper water to put her head in deep enough for her to keep her eyes clean?

 

[MsDiz]

just a side note does she also have deeper water to put her head in deep enough for her to keep her eyes clean?

Oh yes! The waterer in the photo is actually for my dog. I snapped the pic on a day I left the door open during nice weather and she let herself in for a visit but you know how it is with geese....if theres water in any amount, they MUST get at it!

 

[JRies]

Geese are amazing but every goose is different. I have some that love mothering more than hatching. Best way I can explain it is MaMa. I knew her hatch would not be successful 2 years ago. Tiny goose mated to a huge gander, bossy little girl took over my best gander as her's. And he had no eyes for any other goose. Her eggs went bad they were infertile. I had just hatched babies in the house. So I offered her goslings.. She raised all my goslings for 2 years. But every goose is different

 

[MsDiz]

Geese are amazing but every goose is different. I have some that love mothering more than hatching. Best way I can explain it is MaMa. I knew her hatch would not be successful 2 years ago. Tiny goose mated to a huge gander, bossy little girl took over my best gander as her's. And he had no eyes for any other goose. Her eggs went bad they were infertile. I had just hatched babies in the house. So I offered her goslings.. She raised all my goslings for 2 years. But every goose is different

MaMa is beautiful! She looks so proud of her babies! What a good girl!

 

[JRies]

MaMa is beautiful! She looks so proud of her babies! What a good girl!

She is a sweetly, she got her forever home this year with a young gander small enough to breed her. She lives for babies and is a great brooder so this spring she will be able to raise her own. Cant wait to hear the stories.....

 

[The goose girl]

Getting her goslings will not help if you don't protect them from predators.

Assuming you already took the appropriate measures, your best chance to get her to parent day-old goslings would be when she's been sitting on her nest for about a couple of weeks. Place them under her and watch their interaction closely, especially the first day. If she accepts them, she'll lift her wings to let them cuddle. She may hiss at them occasionally the first day or two, but if she tries to bite them or if she leaves them, she's not ready and they should be separated.

If you don't want to wait for her to go broody, or if you can only get older goslings, I'll recommend Jenbirdee's advice and let them get used to each other before letting them share a pen.