[CMFAM]

Hi, we have 2 geese and 2 ganders, the 1 goose hatched 5 baby goslings herself about 4 weeks ago, unfortunately only 1 survived(all the geese and one gosling sleep together).  We have today hatched another 3 goslings in the incubator   .  I have read somewere that it might be possible to put the new goslings with the mother goose so that she can raise them?  I am not sure about this, has anyone had any experience of putting them with mother goose or will i have to raise them myself like i have done in previous years until they are old enough to be put with the rest of them.


thank you

clare  

[Bodger]

I'm sorry Clare but the answer is no. The adult goose and the goslings are not imprinted on each other.

[Vember]

I did and it was succesful, think that was just bl***y good luck though.

The other thing which I think helped is my goose was broody and could hear the eggs as incubator was on top of her cage.

I slept in with my goose for 3/4 nights to check it all went well.

Like I said I was very lucky  

[Bodger]

Vember.

Clares goose hatched its goslings four weeks ago and that alters things considerably from the situation that you were in.

[Vember]

Can't honestly see how Bodger as Crumb now has with her 2x 4 weeks old Goslings, 1x 3 week old Gosling and 1 x 1 an a half week old ??

But hey  Every goose is diffrent and like I said think I was quite lucky

[CMFAM]

hi, both my mother geese have been sharing the mothering of  the one little gossling (as they both layed eggs), I think tomorrow I will separate the one mother (as we have a separate gated off pond) and put her separately with the new goslings, and see how she reacts, hopefully she will take to them otherwise i will try her with the older gosling and new goslings and see again, if all goes wrong and she does not take to them, then i am close enought to separate.

clare

[CMFAM]

Hi, I had some bad luck today my older gosling died , she was pecked by a drake duck a few days ago and was slightly injured, we put her under the lamp with antiseptic cram on injury and she purked-up, she had been fine for the last few days, but this morning got very wet with the rain, so we put her under the lamp again as she looked sickly and mother goose was just standing looking at her, unfortunately she died.

We tried the new goslings in the goose shed with mother goose and she did sit down to let the baby's under her, but after half an hour they were still sitting in the corner, the other geese who were near by were just looking with interest at the new arrivals and were not aggressive towards the new ones.  I did not keep the liitle goslings with the mother goose as they were not responding to the goose and I was worried that they would get cold and die.  - Our geese had hatched 5 goslings naturally this year and they have all died (3 were troden on/died in the night after 1 week and the other 2 were pecked by the drake duck and died in similar ways a few days later when they were damp) -

Even though the mother goose was showing willingness to the new goslings, my heart was sayin "no" as I do not want to risk loosing the other new 3 goslings - Do you think I have done the right thing in taking them back under the lamp or should I have left in longer to see if they got on - the mother goose is calling as i write for her lost gosling

sorry for wrambling on

clare

[Vember]

Oh thats such a shame,
but I think your doing the right thing.

It can't be very nice hearing mother goose crying but in the long run you've got more of a chance of the 3 goslings surviving if you keep them away I wouldn't want to risk loosing any more.  


You can always try them again in a couple of weeks when they're a bit bigger, weather might be a bit better then?

[CMFAM]

UPDATE - our goslings are know 3 weeks old and growing very quickly  - we have put them into a spare chicken house with attached run and the mother goose has really taken to them , she has got on so well with them and more importantly them with her that she has now spent the last 3 nights and 3 days with them, she is so protective of her adoptive babies, hissing at anyone or anything that comes to close  I will post pics soon.

clare

[nettynoodles1]

Clare so sorry  to hear  you lost a baby. Glad to hear the others are doing so well.

[Vember]

That's brilliant news CMFAM, I'm really pleased alls going ok

Can't wait for the Photo's