Backyard Poultry Forum

My momma goose started sitting on her eggs a couple of days ago.
She has a fantastic nest in a sheltered spot and has previously hatched out goslings without any problems.....

Today I go down to let the waterfowl out of their overnight pen and notice she is off the nest.
No big deal! She does have to eat and poop occasionally after all.
But then I notice that her nest is "hollowed out" and there doesn't appear to be any eggs in it.
I climb inside the box and discover .......NOTHING!
No eggs! No shells! No sticky remains.....NOTHING!

I can't imagine that a fox got in and ate them and ignored the six runner ducks in the same yard.
I can't imagine why she would eat them or how she could do it with no trace of evidence.

All day she was very "sickly". Sleeping most of the time, walking VERY slowly, holding her head low over her body rather than extending her neck.

I have to assume that she did indeed eat the eggs....but why?

Is this something that just happens occasionally?
Is she likely to start laying again or will this stuff up her "cycle"?
Is her diet inadequate in some way?

Totally baffled......

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Buff Cochins, Light Sussex (Standard & Bantam), Silkies, Salmon Faverolles, Coloured Indian Runners, Geese, Peafowl (Blues, Pied and Whites), Dogs, Cats, Goats, Sheep, Alpacas and Horses!

Crows???
Snake?? may explain they way she looks-hope not

I hope you're wrong too!

No snake species in victoria (that I'm aware of) could eat 8 goose eggs! If one had, it would most probably still be curled up in the nest too stuffed to move!

I know the weather has warmed up a little but I'm pretty confident it's still too early for snakes. It's still bloody cold here in Woodend!

Can't be crows either. She's in a fully enclosed (bird net roofed) yard.

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Buff Cochins, Light Sussex (Standard & Bantam), Silkies, Salmon Faverolles, Coloured Indian Runners, Geese, Peafowl (Blues, Pied and Whites), Dogs, Cats, Goats, Sheep, Alpacas and Horses!

I have never had a goose eat an egg, ducks and chooks yes, but not geese.

I feel they would have too much trouble getting into the shells.

I would be concerned that it was a fox or dog if i was you, and he took the easy take away rather than the ducks.

I hope i am wrong, but like i say, they dont eat eggs.

Honk

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If you can keep chooks, geese will be a BREEZE!

That's certainly possible as I have lost one duck out of that yard previously, but it doesn't explain her behaviour today, unless geese are capable of depression??

Also, there were 4 geese in the yard, her boyfriend is very protective of the nest and very vocal! I think he's got some Chinese in him!
The yard is only 40 metres from 2 dogs, one of which will bark at anything unusual (which probably explains why I only lost the one duck).

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Buff Cochins, Light Sussex (Standard & Bantam), Silkies, Salmon Faverolles, Coloured Indian Runners, Geese, Peafowl (Blues, Pied and Whites), Dogs, Cats, Goats, Sheep, Alpacas and Horses!

Geese do get depressed. When i remove the goslings as day olds, the mums are upset for about a week.

If they see goslings they fight to have some. Once the gossies are a bit bigger i give them all some back.

Honk

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If you can keep chooks, geese will be a BREEZE!

Could it be a two legged fox? are the birds pure and show quality?

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Goanna? They can clean up a nest of eggs in no time. A very large python could too I should imagine?

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Those who say it cannot be done shouldn't interrupt the people doing it

Just barnyard geese so not likely to be two legged foxes.

....and we don't have goannas or pythons in the great dividing range (it's a bit cold methinks).

She's still depressed this morning though a little better.

Also, the runner duck eggs in the next door A-frame were untouched yesterday...

Usually a fox will return to the scene of the crime but I don't think we had any visitors last night.

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Buff Cochins, Light Sussex (Standard & Bantam), Silkies, Salmon Faverolles, Coloured Indian Runners, Geese, Peafowl (Blues, Pied and Whites), Dogs, Cats, Goats, Sheep, Alpacas and Horses!

Well, looks like it was a fox! :evil: :evil: :evil:

I did a search of the perimeter fence today and found a "tunnel" under the wire. Only a couple of inches clearance but enough for the little bastard to squeeze under.

I've filled it in and my 40kg husky is chained up 5 metres away so I hope there's at least one fox that's gonna get the fright of its' life if it comes back for seconds!

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Buff Cochins, Light Sussex (Standard & Bantam), Silkies, Salmon Faverolles, Coloured Indian Runners, Geese, Peafowl (Blues, Pied and Whites), Dogs, Cats, Goats, Sheep, Alpacas and Horses!

Hope that fox says away needs to permanently fall over
Hope she is feeling better tomorrow