Gosling update – a historic occasion!

While the duckling and first gosling (yet to have names..) were having their first taste of grass, cracks were appearing in the other 2 eggs.  One of our clients said " this will be a historic occasion"! Unfortunately for those clients, nothing more than a small hole appeared throughout the day.  After another 12 hours, I got impatient and started to help the process... I immediately regretted it as I seemed to have punctured the yolk. I was worried that it would not survive.  Hours later, a slimy gosling slid out into the incubator, looking quite alert but very messy, covered in yolk and bits of shell.  Meanwhile, the other one was still only a hole. However, the next morning, the other one had hatched and both were looking fluffy and alert in the incubator and making themselves heard. Very relieved, I left them there to fluff up more.

After nearly a day in the incubator, the new goslings seemed impatient to be out.  I was worried what would happen when I introduced them to the other 2 who looked huge in comparison.  I waited until the end of the day and tentatively put them together. There was some exploring of each other with their beaks and quite a lot of 'chat' but I persevered and watched.  Still concerned, I returned again in an hour to find them all asleep in a heap... Phew!
The 2 new ones seemed much more steady on their feet and were trying to eat grass the next day.  The slimy one still looks a little like a dinosaur; however, he is very active and enjoys exploring the yard. (I say 'he' but I am not sure what sex any of them are.  I googled how to sex a gosling and inspected their vents.  My guess is that the little greyish one is a gander, and the others are all female... I may regret having posted my guess!)