Yup, I know, bad pun. Bet we were so excited yesterday. The kids and I unloaded feed and got to our chores, checked on the pregnant goat, and I began rotating back and forth between livestock and watering. That's when I found them...
Proof our geese lay eggs!
Some geese lay only for a short time in the Spring, and that is it for the year. Last year, the geese came to live with us in late Spring, and we had never seen them lay. It always takes time for a female to settle in to new surroundings and may not lay for a while. I really didn't care if the geese ever did lay eggs, as they came as protectors, and we have not had a single hawk or owl attack since they arrived. There is some fairly consistent pranking between the geese, Shadow and a couple other animals, but that is pretty normal around here.
So imagine my surprise, when I was watering the planters and looked down to find this little nest of great big eggs!. The four eggs are right where the kids had been chasing baby chicks just the other day, so we know they are all new in the last few days.
So far, the geese are trying hard to pretend that the nest is not there, but are defending the nest heartily, telling me when and where to water, and taking over Shadow's play pool in that end of the yard. The eggs are HEAVY and large. I had a photo on the phone with a chicken egg in it, I will have to share that separately, since I am really slow on the smart phone!
The gander, front right, is tremendously protective. And the bigger prankster of the two, but very much the gentleman looking out for his goose. They think they own the entire property, and I find myself having interesting conversations with them!
The mild tempered goose has quite the skills, I really wonder if she has hatched goslings before. They were adults when I brought them here.
I wish I could upload the cute photo Bailey got of Huey. He just turned 11, and has us all worried, as he is aging and not getting around like he used to. Powerstroke (below) makes sure he gets up to eat, and he likes to go out for an evening walk each afternoon. Yesterday, we all watched him go for a walk without a leash, and he made a beeline for the feed shed and tried to knock over feed barrels looking for treats. (Plenty of hay in the feeder in the pen as usual.)
Powerstroke stood in the door of the pen to watch his buddy, and Huey enjoyed running around being silly, demanding treats and having fun as a buck on the loose. He ate sunflower seeds, and then went back to his pen to have fun.
Well, on to the next fun! Time to get a little work done on the pen projects. Have a great day!
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