Any Reason Not to Let Goose Hatch Eggs Her First Year?

[Haunted55]

A question just came up in a conversation with a friend, about letting geese hatch their eggs during their first season. I have never heard of this before and am just curious what the reasons could be. I would really like to learn the answers to this some other way than the 'hard' way for a change.

 

[Miss Lydia]

A question just came up in a conversation with a friend, about letting geese hatch their eggs during their first season. I have never heard of this before and am just curious what the reasons could be. I would really like to learn the answers to this some other way than the 'hard' way for a change.

Aww come on the hard way is the best way, isn't it?

 

[sourland]

Lessons learned the hard way do seem to stick with you.

At times there is a fertility issue with young geese, and at times young geese can be sporadic setters, and more frequently (my experience only) young geese are excellent parents. A lot depends upon the genetic background of your geese. Good mamas generally produce good mamas.

 

[Iain Utah]

Most breeds are ok to breed as yearlings, but as sourland says, there can be inconsistency with them. Often yearling ganders cannot get the job done, so to speak. Yearling geese typically lay smaller eggs/produce smaller goslings and for certain breeds, like dewlap Toulouse, where their large size is a critical element to maintaining their breed standard, it is best to not hatch eggs from yearling geese.

 

[Haunted55]

Aww come on the hard way is the best way, isn't it?

It does stay with you longer, I'll say that for it but I think it's a lot easier to 'learn' from someone else's hard learned lessons. Well...I do try anyways.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It does stay with you longer, I'll say that for it but I think it's a lot easier to 'learn' from someone else's hard learned lessons. Well...I do try anyways.

I prefer it that way too. Just doesn't always work out that way with me.

 

[Haunted55]

Lessons learned the hard way do seem to stick with you.

At times there is a fertility issue with young geese, and at times young geese can be sporadic setters, and more frequently (my experience only) young geese are excellent parents. A lot depends upon the genetic background of your geese. Good mamas generally produce good mamas.

Most breeds are ok to breed as yearlings, but as sourland says, there can be inconsistency with them. Often yearling ganders cannot get the job done, so to speak. Yearling geese typically lay smaller eggs/produce smaller goslings and for certain breeds, like dewlap Toulouse, where their large size is a critical element to maintaining their breed standard, it is best to not hatch eggs from yearling geese.

Sourland and Iain Utah, what I get form your answers is if hatchlings come it's pretty special, so don't get my hopes up that they will be able to follow through. My Embdens, Toulouse and one Chinese gander were purchased from a local farm store chain so they aren't anything special except to me. I was really afraid I was going to make a serious blunder here by not taking the eggs from the nest! I noticed the goose, who is sitting now, spends quite a bit of time off of the nest and I believe she is 'practising' more than serious about it. I know that some of the eggs were probably fertile thanks to the Chinese. The Embdens and Toulouse ganders? They still act like they are not sure what is expected of them so I see your point Iain Utah.

Thanks so much for the replies!

 

[Haunted55]

I prefer it that way too. Just doesn't always work out that way with me.

Oh me too Miss L! Me too.

 

[squirrelbug]

Hi,

Last year was the first year for Bonnie & Clyde, she started laying the end of February, but I removed the eggs until I got them moved into their own area (they were living with my 2 boy alpacas), which was around the end of March. I let her keep the eggs at that point and after she had 12 in her nest, she sat on them continuously for about 2 1/2 weeks, then she would take a break of about 5 minutes or so every day. She would hobble out of her nest until her legs got going, then she would eat, bath and poop and go back in!

She hatched 9 of the 12. 2 eggs had broke, 1 the gosling didn't make it out (fully formed). I kept 3 of them, one of which was the "runt"...she was very small compared to the others....she died when she was almost a month old.

Other than that everyone was fine! I don't know if the little one died because she was so little, but that is what I am thinking as she had a hard time keeping up with everyone else.

Oh, mine are Pilgrims, not sure if that makes a difference in her dedication or not, but I was amazed! I did feed her and give her water at her nest until she started coming out on her own.

I am really looking forward to having the goslings this spring!

Joanne

 

[Haunted55]

Okay, good to know! Thanks for the answer. This is my first year with geese and there is still so much for me to learn that I figure it's better to ask than not.