IF the eggs ever hatch, I may have given one of my geese psychological problems. The geese sat earlier this year, Senior on five eggs, Sister One on one egg, and Sister Two on hot air and hope. Nothing hatched, (particularly the hope.) The eggs must have been infertile because nothing hatched, and finaly all three girls gave up. I cleaned out the nests, and only a couple of weeks ago realized that all three were sitting again. Senior on 8 eggs, Sister One on four, and Sister Two on – yes, hot air and hope again.
I was sorry that she was in for a second disappointment and thought no more of it until one of the hens went broody and I found her parked right where I didn’t want her, in the most popular hen nest-box, on three eggs. Kindly but firmly I dispossed her, and stood there with three warm eggs in one hand. Hmmm, while I didn’t want that nest-box blocked to all the other hens, I had nothing aginst the eggs, and there was Sister Two and her hope…
So I tossed food out, Sister Two dived for it, and while she was off her nest I tucked in three warm hen eggs. She returned and settled onto them with every evidence of deep satisfaction. The question is, will she still be so satisfied if they hatch? Three offspring, not grey and white like her, but either black or a fawnish shade. Three offspring who don’t swim, and who are a fraction the size they should be, with chick voices. I fear that if those eggs do hatch, I could have set Sister Two up for appointments with a goose psychiatrist. Although it’s going to be interesting to watch events if the eggs do hatch in another 2-3 weeks.
Cuckoos in the Nest
7 December 2011
IF the eggs ever hatch, I may have given one of my geese psychological problems. The geese sat earlier this year, Senior on five eggs, Sister One on one egg, and Sister Two on hot air and hope. Nothing hatched, (particularly the hope.) The eggs must have been infertile because nothing hatched, and finaly all three girls gave up. I cleaned out the nests, and only a couple of weeks ago realized that all three were sitting again. Senior on 8 eggs, Sister One on four, and Sister Two on – yes, hot air and hope again.
I was sorry that she was in for a second disappointment and thought no more of it until one of the hens went broody and I found her parked right where I didn’t want her, in the most popular hen nest-box, on three eggs. Kindly but firmly I dispossed her, and stood there with three warm eggs in one hand. Hmmm, while I didn’t want that nest-box blocked to all the other hens, I had nothing aginst the eggs, and there was Sister Two and her hope…
So I tossed food out, Sister Two dived for it, and while she was off her nest I tucked in three warm hen eggs. She returned and settled onto them with every evidence of deep satisfaction. The question is, will she still be so satisfied if they hatch? Three offspring, not grey and white like her, but either black or a fawnish shade. Three offspring who don’t swim, and who are a fraction the size they should be, with chick voices. I fear that if those eggs do hatch, I could have set Sister Two up for appointments with a goose psychiatrist. Although it’s going to be interesting to watch events if the eggs do hatch in another 2-3 weeks.