# Geese broken eggs and pulling feathers



## laurenbeautyroom (Oct 9, 2008)

Hi
I rescued a pair of geese about 6 weeks ago and I noticed that they were mating recently and last week they made a nest.
They sat on the nest for 3-4 days and there was 2 eggs. Then I noticed that they were both having a wander round the field and not sitting on the nest. When I looked both the eggs were broken, smashed to bits. why do you think she sat on the eggs and then decided not to?
Also the male has started to pluck his feathers out. He does not have bald patches or anything but is pulling huge long thick feather out from the root.
Any advice would be welcome.
Thank you


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## chickenrun (Jan 31, 2010)

Hi
I dont know anything about geese but as noone has answered your question i thought i would post a reply

Have you seen him pulling them out?
The feather picking might have something to do with the annual moult.

The egg side could be that she sat on them wrong and they broke then realised they were broken so got off the nest.

mitch


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## laurenbeautyroom (Oct 9, 2008)

Thanks for your reply. I'm sure they are both fine I was just unsure as I have never had geese before.


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## chickenrun (Jan 31, 2010)

No problem 

If you ever have any problems just write on here as i know people with geese so most of the time i can get answers.


mitch


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## AlexArt (Apr 25, 2010)

Geese are really clumsy and are very good at breaking their eggs!! They are even worse when they do sit and they start to hatch they get all excited and stand on the goslings!!! It's a bit late in the year now anyway for them to be sitting so I'd remove any eggs they lay now and eat them rather than waste them! It maybe also that they are younger inexperienced birds and haven't a clue - they do live till they are 40 odd so do have time to get it right!! I had 20 geese for years and only ever had 3 lots of goslings hatch naturally - on average about 3 in each batch of 8 or so eggs survived the clumsy mothers big feet!!! Sticking them under a broody hen is the best way to do it, just watch for rats though as we lost a good few goslings - even large ones - at night pulled out from under the goose as the geese can't see in the dark so don't protect the babies and rats luuurve baby geese!!

The feather loss thing is most likely their yearly molt which they do over the warmer summer months - they shed all feathers including the big flight feathers and look like they have been through a blender repeatedly, and your field will look like a duvet massacre has taken place - they grow back in time for winter though!!


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