We have a pair of Toulouse geese and the female is laying eggs right now. I think it's still too cold for them to be viable, but the main problem is that something keeps stealing them. Yesterday morning she had a clutch of four eggs which disappeared one by one throughout the day. We keep our geese in with our chickens because the geese seem to deter the hawks that prey on our flock otherwise, and I have seen a chicken pecking at the eggs, but the goose eggshells are so hard that I didn't think they'd be able to crack them. Still, the eggs are gone now. Any ideas how to raise goslings in this kind of setting?
Goose Eggs Disappearing?
Was it wet where the eggs used to be? If the chickens were eating them it would be wet. They peck the eggs and break them so they leak all over, though my egg eating hen does eat the shells too. I would be more inclined ig it isn't wet, to think something is carrying them off. This time of year things that normaly come out at night are hungry and will venture out in broad daylight to steal eggs. There was a possom nosing around my coop yesterday at three in the afternoon.
When I had my pair of toulouse, NOTHING got near their nest, including me. That gander was mean!
Hard to tell if it was wet because I threw some leaves into that area to give the chickens something to scratch at before the goose decided it was perfect nest-material. I will try to take a closer look at it and see if there are any signs. We assumed it wasn't a coon or possum because those depredations usually take place at night. Maybe we ought to try setting a trap.
Our geese have tried to set eggs before but something always gets them; usually they're missing in the morning, though, which is why we figured that was a coon or possum and currently it's not.
The geese often make noise for no reason, so I can't depend on them to tell me when something's wrong. And I guess my ganders aren't as fierce as yours. We have four; an Embden pair and a Toulouse pair. They seem to take turns with that nest!
Any ideas how to protect the geese, whatever is doing it?
Hey greenhouse: You will need to pay a little more attention when investigating as different predators behave in different ways. Racoons generally will carry eggs away, possum generally will eat the eggs where they find them. And JYL is right on about the chickens leaving it wet and gooey. I agree with JYL about the predators comming out early, They have great appetites the time of the year which makes them braver than usual. I have killed two possums in my coop this past week. Both were in before dark, fortunately I visit my coops several times a day. Also my girls usually let me know if something is askew. Good luck and catching the rascal and making them pay with their life. Haystack
I had a muskrat and a skunk stealing eggs from my geese
Lots of possible perps, huh? We do have muskrats here, but we also spend a lot of time outside around the chicken yard this time of year and I haven't seen anything suspicious except for several hens pecking determinedly on the eggs. We now have two more eggs in the nest and one under the henhouse, so I'll see what happens next.
When we lived out in WA, Haystack, we had a coon getting our ducks. She would just rip the necks out and leave them, which was particulary frustrating. And she had a knack for picking our favorites. Finally my DH popped her. We cooked her and ate her - more for justice than for anything else. She wasn't really gourmet fare. But thank heavens for The Joy of Cooking. That'll tell you how to prepare just about anything!
Hey Greenhouse: So where did you live out here in Wa? and did you like it out here? It's ok to be honest, I'm not easily offended. Also why did you move to N. J. i am really nosey. We don't have muskrat out here to my knowledge. Yes those darn Coons are especially cruel and so are skunks. I carry a nine inch 22 pistol on my property always and because of the long barrel I don't miss very often, We have even had mountian lions here, and for them I keep a 30-30. You might get a chicken but its gonna cost you big time. My wife says I am ruthless when it comes to predators. I'll sit and wait for hours just for the satisfaction of revengeing my girls. So I know and understand the joy of cooking that coon greenhouse. LOL. Haystack
Our dog used to steal goose eggs. She'd carry them off and hide with them.
This message was edited Mar 14, 2009 5:18 PM
Haystack, we lived near you, on Lummi Island off the coast by Bellingham. We loved it there and almost bought property, but the deal fell through so we moved back east where we both grew up. I was in your area to get an MA at WWU, so we only stayed two years, but we have very fond memories of the place. We went to Ferndale for a horse-drawn tractor pull once, and I think there was a feed or hardware store there we used to use.
The coon was definitely a good memory, too! The nerve of the beast!
Our dog would steal goose eggs too, if she could get to them. We had a Cuckoo Maran with wanderlust and it kept getting out of the chicken yard just long enough to deposit an egg near the toolshed. Our dog was thrilled to discover a new gourmet treat, and several times I caught her coming toward the house delicately holding an egg in her mouth before she chomped it. Luckily the hen has been discouraged from flying the coop, so that's not a problem anymore.
Do chickens ever move eggs? I had a very fussy pullet laying in a box--suddenly her two eggs were gone and two identical eggs showed up across the yard in another box. It happened in one day and she is the only pullet that lays white eggs so they couldn't have been laid by any other hen. At first I thought something had stolen them...but it never happened again and we don't really have any predators--just feral cats. The pullet that laid them is very intense about keeping me away from her eggs--every time I go near a box--even one she isn't laying in--she follows and glares at me.
She gave you the eye huh? I have never seen a chicken move her eggs except in the box to adjust. I am not sure how they could move them any distance without breaking them. That does not mean they cant though. Maybe she wanted a different veiw. hehehe
How weird, Catscan! Could she just have laid two more in a different place? I'm picturing her intently rolling the eggs across your yard with a dogged look on her face - "That'll teach 'em to mess with MY babies....!"
I don't really see how she could do it either. I know my Golden Sebright, Calypso, took exception when I put some Nankin eggs under her (even though she is a bantam she likes to sit on BIG eggs) and rolled the jumbo wooden "nest egg" she had been sitting on across the double-sized laying box and left the five Nankin eggs in place so she could sit on the big fake one all by itself. She has also hatched a Barnevelder chick and was very devoted to that egg.
I was wondering if maybe Treacle, the Buckeye Leghorn pullet that gives me the evil eye, had managed to tuck them up under her wings or something.
Lawn Bowling!!! Is that what your thinking?? I don't think so Catscan, but nice try. I sure do know about the evil eye thing though. I have a lakenvelder, spangled hamburg, both are very small birds but they are definitely trouble makers. I have had to remove both of them from my laying flock even though they are both great layers. They scream if you even look at the nest, and they scream at all my other good layer and fight until they finally win and take over the nest. My Cuckoo Marans are not push overs but they finally give up the nest to these two ole bitties.
The Lakenvelder is gorgeous and I named her Sewincircle, But I renamed her Hagatha, Shes a mean spirited old Hag. LOL Wrong Spirit for Sew. Haystack
WOW!! Greenhouse: Did you commute on that old tub of a ferry to go to school? I'm really impressed if you did. I used to deliver propane gas to folks on Lummi Island. Thats really remote living. It's beautiful, but to remote for me. There's nothing over there. What? one store and gas station. Yikes. To bad you could not find the property you wanted when you were here. When did you move from here? I worked for Propane Gas Co, maybe I delivered to you guys. What a hoot that would be. Haystack
Haystack, I can't remember who delivered our propane; what company did you work for? Was it called "Propane Gas Company" or did it have a less generic name? Yes, I did commute back and forth on the ferry, but I just loved it! We lived on South Nugent Road and had a wonderful view of Rosario Strait, Clark and Barnes, and Orcas Island. We loved the one-store-and-gas-station setup, too. Someone told me that the island has been developed and there's a Subway eatery there, now.
We moved back east in 1970, so it was a long time ago. We found a place here on the water but of course there's no ferry.
Haystack, You have not seen me on a bad day!! hehehe My kids think, Witch Hazel....
I don't believe that for a minute Sewin.. I'm sorry.. you are just too cute for that!
LOL, will you tell my kids that, maybe DH too. ;)
It really does seem to be the chickens attacking the goose eggs. They circle the nest like a bunch of feathered destroyers and peck away. DH has been getting rid of the goose eggs, hoping to forestall the chickens deciding to turn on their own eggs. But it would sure be nice to be able to raise our own geese instead of having to buy them.
Oh, I am sorry to hear that. (chickens getting your goose eggs.) Mystery solved though. So your chickens have not bothered their own eggs at this point right? Can you fence off an area for your geese to set on their eggs? I would love to see you hatch out your own as well, just so I can see the pics! hehehe
We do sometimes see some peck marks in the chicken eggs, but I try to collect them several times a day so they're not too tempted.
We're planning to move the geese to a different area, but I'm afraid that by doing that we'll start getting more predation from hawks. The geese really do seem to protect their pasture-mates when they're together. Oh well, we'll see!
But if you want goslings, here's one, being guarded by our labradoodle:
What a great dog!! Handsome! The gosling is in good paws! hehehe So cute. I love the fuzzy baby look.
That's Chouette, and we just love her. The gosling had coccidiosis and we treated it and returned it to its friends; it's now all grown up.
I emailed someone I "met" on another forum, from Ireland, who also has geese, and this is what she said about my problem:
Quoting:
Our geese are laying too!
Our hens do have access to the goose pen but dont peck eggs (not as much as the wild birds!) However - in case this helps - our geese have a house which they lay in. Some people say take the eggs away keep them cool (not cold) and dry and turn them everyday and then give them back when she begins to sit - I guess this would protect some of the eggs?
The only problem with this plan is that it is hard to KNOW when she is going to sit - ours will just decide to one day.
When she does sit we build her an enclosed pen around her house and put mesh over the top to keep wild birds out - she must be able to see the gander at this stage.
We provide her with water (enough to bathe in - towards the end) and a small dish of grain. We shut her in to keep her safe at night.
It has worked for us!! Hope it helps!
If she lays any more eggs we'll try removing them as advised, and then do the pen. Who knew this would be so complicated?
Leslie
Boy, not me. I had no idea. It makes chickens seem easy. LOL
Hi Greenhouse!! Yes I did work for Propane Gas, over on LaBounty Drive. And yes There has been change on Lummi Island. I'm impressed with you, I hated taking that stinking ole tub ferry everytime I had to board it. Maybe its because as a little boy I lived on Vashon Island and always had to ride that ferry also. I hate ferries and having to ride them. I used to pastor a church on Vashon Island and It seemed they were always going on strike, so one day I decided I was going to take flying lessons so I could fly over to Seattle. How elese was I going to visit those in the Hospital. I still love to fly today. That was the only good thing that came out of having to ride stinking ferries. LOL Haystack
Sewing I'm LMBO, Trust me as fond as I am of you my dear, I always knew beyond that pretty face there was a little (demon)LOL, but your still (Always on my mind) Great Uncle Haystack. Chill out darling.
LOL I thought I hid the horns??? ^..^
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