Can a broody hen hatch a goose egg?

[lizzie1221]

I found 2 eggs in our backyard and think they are from a Canadian goose that has been hanging around. there were two of them but I think the mate was killed so it has only been one for the past couple of weeks. the eggs were nestled in the roots of a tree but no real nest and I waited 3 days before doing anything in case she decided to start sitting but she hasn't come back. I have a broody hen, has anyone ever hatched a goose egg with a hen?

 

[Pyxis]

A hen can hatch goose eggs, but you shouldn't give her these eggs for several reasons. It's illegal to take the eggs of wild geese, for one. Then when they hatch it's illegal to have the goslings, too. You will face large fines and even jail time if caught.

Secondly, the goslings would not be able to survive on their own after they are hatched and raised by a hen. They will have never been taught the migration routes by their parents, so they would try to migrate, get lost, and die.

Plus, if you've never seen a male, they're probably not even fertile. Canada geese pair and mate for life, and the male is always with his female during breeding and nesting time. If you didn't see one, she probably doesn't have a mate.

 

[lizzie1221]

I think her mate died or was killed after the eggs were laid. I didn't put them under the hen because I heard they needed to be turned 2-3 times a day since they would be too big for the hen to turn. I did candle them and they were fertile but I put them back out in the yard because I didn't see anyway to get them back to the wild. Thanks for responding to my post.