Shetland Geese, Shachah, lambs

Shachah likes to sleep on his back.  He no longer stays inside our fences. Here he has decided to sleep in the driveway.  I guess we'll have to get some invisible fencing to run along the front of our property so he won't go to the neighbors.  I like him to be able to guard our whole property, including my birds and the rams during the night, so I'm not sure about penning him up with ewes again after lambing is over.

Here Shachah tries to get to know the geese. I had let them out earlier to graze freely, but I was afraid they might give Shachah some grief and who knows how he would react to that. I didn't want anyone getting hurt, so I quickly set up this little pen and pulled out their pool.

I noticed the Shetland goose egg was missing the other day.  I'm not sure if the geese are breaking their own eggs, or if something is getting in there during the night. I gave them more bedding to cover up the eggs that are laid.  And I figured their swimming pool would give them something better to do.  They love their pool!

I sat down a watched while they got themselves all cleaned up. I was able to determine two that are a mating pair, so I now I can separate the pairs.  I think I will offer the mating pair for sale, I'm not sure if that goose is laying yet.  I know the other one is.  I'm going to swap the eggs  out for sandfilled plastic eggs and when I get a few collected I'll fire up the incubator to see if they are fertile.  From what I've read, the ganders aren't very fertile their first year.

As far as temperament, the Shetland geese are very Shetland-like and typical geese.  The ganders are protective of their space.  If a gander tries to attack my foot, I just pick him up and hold him a while.  He's small enough to handle easily and he's always happy to be put down again. I've only had to do this three times this spring. They still remember me as their caretaker and I was surprised when I let them out that they still wanted to follow me around the yard.  The geese are still their inquisitive selves.

Ebony's safe spot for when the ewes eat their grain.

Lanora's ram lamb is so big compared to Hannah's twins. This is their safe spot at graining time.  Rhisa, being a week older is now in with the ewes trying to nibble on the grain too.