Believe it or not, we have more babies here on the farm! Yesterday, Mother Goose, aka Mrs. Snuggles, hatched six goslings. We have all been keeping an eye on Mrs. Snuggles and her nest. However, Jenna was the first to spot the goslings when she arrived for work yesterday morning. Eric was brave enough to venture near the nest. He got as close as a few feet from the entrance to the hut but was quickly chased off by one very threatening goose sentinel.
I find animal behavior so fascinating. The geese have left Mrs. Snuggles alone for more than a month. Perhaps her winning personality or warm fuzzy disposition keeps them at bay. She really is a nasty creature. Anyhow, she has been on her own, aside from the occasional goose laying outside the hut for a few hours at a time. That all changed yesterday. The entire flock circled the hut from all sides. Nothing was getting past these steadfast sentinels. I cautiously walked out to the hut to get a closer look at the babies. Surprisingly, the ranks parted and allowed me to pass. Although they hissed and screeched the entire time, no one approached me. I murmured to Mrs. Snuggles as she busily tried to keep the goslings contained within the nest.
Mrs. Snuggles is not alone in caring for her young. There is another goose inside the hut with her at all times. The geese, like our goats, take an “it takes a village” approach to raise the little ones. They all act as parents, herding, nudging, and directing the little ones. It will be a bit before the babies are taken to the water. The flock will protect and encircle the little ones and Mrs. Snuggles for the time being. I am confident that nothing will bring harm to these adorable balls of yellow fluff or their very unfriendly mother.
If you would like to see a video of the little ones, check out our YouTube channel: The Smiling Goat Soap Company. As always, stay safe, be smart, enjoy the video, and keep washing your hands.
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