Broody goose - help needed.

[LadyGascoyne]

We've got an adopted pair of geese that were left at our new house. The gander is very friendly and sweet. The goose is shy and can be quite stressy.

Today the gander has been excessively needy and irritating, standing at the sliding door and squawking. Goose was nowhere to be seen. Have since found her on eggs. She was out and about yesterday so must have just started sitting.

What can I expect? She's a young goose, still a bit raggedy and teenager-like. She's in good condition but she is small. I don't want to disturb her but I also don't want to let her keep them if it's going to be to her detriment.

How do I know if they are viable? And how long should she sit? Is she safe to sit under trees, she isn't under proper cover? Should I be feeding her? They've been living on the fields and rivers, with some fruit and veg scraps in the mix. He loves strawberries, and the contents of my herb garden 🙁

Also, what do I do with him. He seems very distressed to be on his own. Will he settle?


ETA I am in New Zealand, so it is spring here.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

she'll sit for 28-30 days and I would just let her be tbh, she'll feed herself and probably get off the nest once or twice a day to feed and poop, bathe. As the eggs become more developed, she might spend less time on them. He'll get over it I should think!

 

[Esmae]

Would agree with MOC. Just be prepared for the parents to morph into screaming aggressive dervishes once the babies hatch!! They look lovely geese, pictures of babies when they appear would be lovely.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Would agree with MOC. Just be prepared for the parents to morph into screaming aggressive dervishes once the babies hatch!! They look lovely geese, pictures of babies when they appear would be lovely.

ha, yes-although not quite geese my Muscovy mums are extremely protective and I have to keep ducklings under nets for three weeks to stop the crows etc so I get chased alot. My post should say 28-35 days. Agreed, pics wanted they are very pretty.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Thanks everyone, I will leave her to it. She got off the nest this morning and went for a bath and a nibble so hopefully she will look after herself. She was back on by the time I managed to get there so I don't have any idea how many eggs she's got.

I will definitely post pics in a month or so. They are lovely things. He's particularly handsome, although still being rather irritating and squawky.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

I eggspect they will not lay more than one per day.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I eggspect they will not lay more than one per day.

😂😂😂

Brilliant 😄

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Eight eggs today, and she seems like she's doing very well. She gets off her eggs and has a a bath and some food.

He, on the other hand, is a nightmare. He's lonely and bored without her and, as a result, I have a goose-shaped shadow. If he sees me in the house, he squawks incessantly. Today I wanted to have a lie down and quietly read a book. Not a chance! I ended up sitting outside, reading first chapter of Pride and Prejudice to him.

 

[SpringArising]

Eight eggs today, and she seems like she's doing very well. She gets off her eggs and has a a bath and some food.

He, on the other hand, is a nightmare. He's lonely and bored without her and, as a result, I have a goose-shaped shadow. If he sees me in the house, he squawks incessantly. Today I wanted to have a lie down and quietly read a book. Not a chance! I ended up sitting outside, reading first chapter of Pride and Prejudice to him.

That's hilarious. Can you send him to me? I'm in the market for a new pet. He's so cute and handsome!

 

[Clodagh]

Oh I love that photo!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

oh thats so cute, bless him when all my muscovy hens were sitting/with ducklings this year, my drake took to sitting on the patio looking in at me in the front room. Puppy thought that was great fun.

 

[Snowy Celandine]

Lovely geese LadyG and that fabulous view as always I always had to turf my goose off her nest because her eggs were infertile and I knew it after the first year but, sadly, she never worked it out I used to feel awful about doing it and would let her sit for a few days but there really was no point. I have to say that her 'husband' wasn't as needy as your gander. He was still very protective of her and never strayed far from where she was sitting.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Goose update.

Well, chances of a nice roasted goose for Christmas are out the window; they have been named. Husband has dubbed them Earnest and Gwendolen.

Gwendolen has been a very diligent expectant mum, although a bit hissy. She's off her eggs for a bath and some food in the morning, but otherwise sits right.

Earnest has been an utter pain. He still seems to find his wife boring and much prefers to spend his time trying to break into the house, resulting in our security cameras being triggered about five times a day 🙁 Husband has very 'helpfully' set up alerts on our phones which stream the camera footage and I get live goose footage all day.

Here is the little tresspasser in action.

He is cute though.

Not long now, until the little ones arrive 😄

 

[Esmae]

Bless him he looks lovely. Be prepared for "hissy" to turn in to raging aggression when the babies arrive.