May 26, 2010: "Day 1"

Some stats before we begin:

• Name:Alex
• D.O.B.: Evening of 5-26-2010
• Species: Goose(gosling)
• Breed: Embden
• Gender: mystery

Mom had been expecting our mama-goose's eggs to hatch any day, now. I wasn't so sure about letting them hatch to begin with because of the way imprintingworks. Goslings imprinted on geese are rarely people-friendly and our current three adults are a right example. They tolerate us, maybe let mom touch them, but we are not welcome into their kinship. We are not geese.

Anyway, I was laying in my floor, relaxing with my rabbit when I thought I heard mom call for me outside. Like the bum I am, I didn't feel inclined to move until my sister came in and told me what was up: one of the young ones was hatching and the ducks(we have about a dozen) and ants were after it. I assume the ducks wanted the discarded shell, but you never know. I watched over mama-goose for a bit while Mom fed the dogs(we have 5 outside, basset hounds) and crept closer, hoping she'd stand up enough for me to see the baby's condition. Eventually, she did and once I saw that it was free from the shell, I snatched it right up!

If you've ever seen an angry mother, you'll know I had good reason to back off as quickly as possible! The gosling wasn't exactly soaked, but it certainly wasn't dry enough to have any sign of fuzz. I kept the babe in my palms and close to my breast for a good.. 2 hours, at least, moving in and out of the sun for warmth and stroking the new feathers to encourage fluff to poke through. While sitting on the porch, I dubbed it 'Alex'. This was the first unisex name I could come up with and you can't really tell easily with geese until they get their grown-up HONK and are old enough to start laying. I wasn't going to risk checking its cloaca.

Mom and dad prepped a warm box with a desk lamp and infrared bulb. A cushy layer of pine shavings covered with a folded clipping from a sheet(once used as cage bedding for my rats, all of which are deceased, now) makes a safe bed for a hatchling. It's folded in a way that Alex couldn't possibly move it or get under it with its current wobbliness.

This is Day 1 of what is soon to be an ongoing journal of Alex's growth, adventures, and development. I'll try to write an entry each time I update this. :) Here are some pictures and a video of my tumbly gosling: