A bit of advice needed

[Tracy0802]

I have 2 geese in my garden, male and female, they live in an enclosure and have a shed where they sleep. Out of hhe front of my house usually lives 2 feral cats who have just started to let me stroke them, it's taken 1 year, the problem is the Queen has had a litter of kittens in the goose shed in a nest. This seems to be with the blessing of the geese as they seem to be sitting on them when the mam cat leaves them and my female goose has built a nest next to them. I have never heard of 2 species co parenting and I am very worried about what to do once these kittens are more mobile. The geese are very protective towards the kittens I handled them today to make sure they are well and fed and the geese went crazy, the kittens are 10 days old. I'm worried if I move them the cat won't carryon caring for them or if I don't the geese may harm them, anyone else have anything like this happen? I have attached photos of nests and parents.

 

[Iain Utah]

Very interesting! While I have had chickens raise ducks and ducks raise chickens and geese, I've not had a goose raise a duck or chicken. They usually reject the non-goose species in a few days once they leave nest and rejoin group. I also have four cats that have been raised with my birds, and as adult cats they have watched over babies being hatched and running around the property. The cats NEVER touch our birds, but happily kill any flight bird they can catch.

 

[Tracy0802]

Very interesting! While I have had chickens raise ducks and ducks raise chickens and geese, I've not had a goose raise a duck or chicken. They usually reject the non-goose species in a few days once they leave nest and rejoin group. I also have four cats that have been raised with my birds, and as adult cats they have watched over babies being hatched and running around the property. The cats NEVER touch our birds, but happily kill any flight bird they can catch.

Yeah I've found the odd remnants of pigeons and a magpie in the front garden and was surprised at the tolerance between the cats and geese, hopefully things will be ok I will keep a close eye.

 

[Goosebaby]

I’d be worried about the geese deciding that they’re going to be full time parents and then chase the mother out and not let her nurse them. If you move the kittens it’s less likely that the mother will abandon them but it’s likely she’ll just move her kittens back to the goose nest.

I don’t really know though, this is a new one for me!

 

[AGeese]

My geese were like that with my pullets, the hens were very interested in them, I caught the ganders snapping at the hardware cloth and knew there'd be no way I'd ever let them near. Once they were big enough any love that was there was lost.

If it were me, I'd separate the geese from them. Maybe they'd be great friends or family, but I wouldn't want to find out otherwise.

 

[Tracy0802]

I’d be worried about the geese deciding that they’re going to be full time parents and then chase the mother out and not let her nurse them. If you move the kittens it’s less likely that the mother will abandon them but it’s likely she’ll just move her kittens back to the goose nest.

I don’t really know though, this is a new one for me!

They are 10 days old at the minute, I think I will move them all being well once the are able to be weened they seem content and growing.

I have never known anything like it geese are great full of surprises, my gander was best friends with my old German Shepherd and in his later years would walk with him and keep him company.