broody?

[TH3G00DL1F3]

hi
got my first geese, a pair of white ones (embden?)
they lady lays every few days, she buries the ones shes laid and seems uninterested in them, sometimes she lays 2 in 2 days then waits ages before laying another, sometimes she will sit on them for a period of time other times she ignores them.
any idea what shes doing, is it because this is her first year laying perhaps? any signs of broodiness to look out for?

 

[JROOSTER]

She is waiting till she has a clutch say 6-12 could be more or less. She will then go broody and try to hatch them. If you pick them up each day she will not go broody if you leave them she will.

 

[TH3G00DL1F3]

thanks

i just was getting worried the eggs were going bad or something because she wasnt laying that regualry.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
They usually lay every OTHER day. She may be burying/diging them back up which can be confusing your count. You didn't give your location but I assume nights are still cold as are some days, they tend to bury them to protect them from the cold and dig them out when it is warmer so she can check on them. Providing dry litter near the nest for her use is the best thing you can do for her. Some geese wait till the last minute to build a proper nest. If you see her plucking her own feathers to line the nest, they usually go broody within 24 hours of that. Don't worry the eggs will usually be good for a good length of time before she goes broody and incubates them.

 

[TH3G00DL1F3]

she layed again today so that does make its pretty much every other day

im from southampton area so been a bit warmer but still pretty chilly, she has loads of shavings in their house , most the shavings have pack down alot apart from the ones in a corner where she buries her eggs. she hasnt plucked her feathers yet. she seems to be sat in the house for a substantial portion of the day.

on a separate note, my male goose absolutly loves her and ive noticed she is starting to lose alot of feathers on her back and neck(he has scissor beak so the whole process is rather messy and takes him a while of pulling feathers to get a grip!) should i get anything to protect her back incase he pulls many more out or get him another lady? or just leave it and hope mating season passes without many more feathers lost?

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
I assume you have watched enough to be sure that it is him that is plucking her? What becomes of the feathers that are plucked? You do know ganders hold the geese by grasping feathers while mateing, usually in the neck area, but sometimes only the back can be reached with a big goose small gander pair.
I did not mean to imply that all geese pluck before going broody, I am fairly sure that is not true, but IF she plucks, broodyness *seting the eggs" usually follows shortly thereafter.