Author Topic: Introducing gosling to flock (Read 2558 times)

Legs · « **on:** May 27, 2014, 02:46:12 pm »

Hi all,

Our Embden goose sat on 6 eggs and, while two of them hatched at the weekend, three sadly didn't make it. If you're thinking my maths is dodgy, read on... She abandoned the nest before the sixth egg was even pipped, so we took it indoors and, long story short, hatched it last night underneath a neighbour's hen. So now we have a contented goose family of four in the paddock and a gorgeous little gosling under a heatlamp (with food, water and sawdust) in the house. Any tips on how to make it a contented family of five? How should we go about introducing the gosling to its family? Just stick it into the hut tonight, leave it and hope for the best? Maybe keep the gander out of the hut tonight?

Thanks,

Tim and Jo

Womble · « **Reply #1 on:** May 27, 2014, 03:08:48 pm »

From similar experiences we had last year, I think you either need to do it ASAP so that it imprints on mum and all is well, or wait until it is mostly grown.

Keeping the gander out of the equation for now seems like a good bet too.

Legs · « **Reply #2 on:** May 28, 2014, 03:56:49 pm »

Well, the third gosling was successfully popped back into the fold last night, but when I opened the hut this morning, the first-hatched gosling was lying almost motionless at the back of the hut. I rescued him and put him under the same heatlamp that #3 was enjoying yesterday, with food and water, but I'm not holding much hope. He appears not to be able to hold his head up and is not walking properly.

No blood but I think it bears the hallmarks of an accidental trampling - he'd been fine for three nights...

Legs · « **Reply #3 on:** June 02, 2014, 09:41:32 am »

Miraculously, gosling #1 (aka Lazarus) recovered after a day or so under a heatlamp with some TLC and force-feeding and has been successfully reintroduced to the flock.