Canada Geese Question - age: old or young ?

[Dotfur]

So, my wife and I and my dog: Maddie have had this three year long relationship with a Canada goose couple down at our local canal. Names: Novio & Poca. There are a number of other geese there but Novio and Poca are our most beloved friends. Thing is: in three years, they haven't had any goslings. This spring, Poca built a very sad little nest, a few twigs kind of in a circle; and laid one egg. She was protective of it as was Novio but it was gone in the morning. A week later, she looked extremely under the weather - we thought she might be "egg bound" but she pulled out of it. One day, when she seemed so down - all the other geese had their goslings going up and down the canal - I saw her in the water pulling up twigs and placing them in a circle around herself as if neurotically building a nest on the water's surface.
Could she or thay be a very young couple trying to have their first goslings or could they be much older and no longer capable of having goslings?
Any ideas anyone?

Thanks for any insight,

Marty

 

[brittanimck]

Sounds older. Poor things.

Our very young 2 year old is. Capable of producing offspring, and he seems very unprotective for a Canada goose. But he is active and prolific.

 

[Dotfur]

Gee, really? You think this is the sign of an older goose winding down?

 

[brittanimck]

I don't know for sure, but it is a potential problem for older geese. They have fewer eggs and those eggs aren't viable after a certain age. Canada geese can live a very long time, but I don't know when is their peak.

 

[Dotfur]

I would think that she would still know how to, and build a good nest. Her nest was barely there. I've only known them for three years. So I don't know how old they are.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I would think that she would still know how to, and build a good nest. Her nest was barely there. I've only known them for three years. So I don't know how old they are.

We have a pair that come to a small island in our mountain river below our home, every year they come and some years they have goslings hatch some years the river rises and they get their eggs washed away. this year it was her last week on her eggs and we had heavy rain and her eggs got washed away. She barely has a nest just looks like an indention on the ground and some grasses pulled into it. This couple has to be upwards of 8-10 yrs. last year they out did them selves with 6 goslings out of 7 eggs. I'd think if your pair are an older couple she would still have the instinct to make her nest maybe she just isn't capable of laying many eggs any more, I have 2 chicken hens that have gone through menopause one is 7 yrs old the other 5.5 yrs old neither have laid an egg in 2 yrs. I would think it would be the same with water fowl wild or domestic.
When breeding season is starting to get under way here I see my females geese gathering sticks and things at their feet, must just be some kind of instinct they have since they are so maternal.