Conflicting info: At what age do geese lay eggs?

[Friend2Fowl]

I was told (I thought) that geese lay at 2 years old, but some breeds lay sooner. A friend has some pilgrims that are just barely a year old, if they even are yet. Her pilgrim goose has layed 3 or 4 eggs already. I was thinking 'Okay, it must be that pilgrims lay sooner'.
I have an american goose. I was not 100% sure what the sex was, but I had tried vent sexing as a baby, and thought it was a girl. It will be a year old in April. Well, today I found my first goose egg

So apparently, I was right, and she is a girl

I also have an embden, which I'm 99.9% sure is a boy. Of course I won't know for certain until I do or don't find goose eggs in the yard, cause this goose does not ever go to the pond where the american goose hangs out with the ducks.

So I guess, since the 'geese don't lay until they are 2' thing is apparently not right, what should I expect? The embden won't be a year old until May, and these are the only geese I have at this time. Should I expect to have a bunch of non-fertile goose eggs? Will she (the american) go broody at under 1 year old? Thanks for any help

 

[JazzyDucks]

I have a pair of White Chinese geese. The female started laying a little over a week ago. I have getting one egg every other day. This shocked me! She is only 5 months old. At first I thought she was sitting on a duck egg. But every other day she goes to the nest and sits. And there is another egg. Is this normal?

 

[Bluewater57]

My African Geese saga----
I've finally figured out what's been going on here. McMurray Hatchery didn't send me a matched pair to begin with!
I've had 2 females all along. One was killed last year.
I hatched another...I thought was another female. Turns out I now have a MALE!
SO...The other female has now mated with him and has been producing eggs since April. I hatched 3 so far and they're beautiful!
12 more in incubator.
I also have been certified by the state of Tennessee. It's all turned out great!

 

[Miss Lydia]

From looking at the pictures I say gander. No lobes hanging down under her belly. I don’t see a link to your video if you can give us that? Very pretty goose. Why just one?

 

[Miss Lydia]

@MasterOfClucker?

 

[Isaac 0]

Since she/he is a Chinese x Canada Hybrid, Its hard to tell since Canadian geese male and females both have the same looking lobes, both are uptight to the body, but just going off by posture I'd say male although I'm not 100% sure. She/He is sure pretty!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I thought about that after picturing the 2 Canada’s that are at our river right now they look just alike under the belly. Be nice to hear this one.

 

[Miss Lydia]

She is adorable ❤ Sure doesn’t make me think gander. Maybe @MasterOfClucker will know since he knew breeds.

 

[amity3520]

My Toulouse started laying at the end of January. She was 9 months old then. I think it really depends how old they are when they go into breeding season, since mine were hatched last Spring I think they were old enough this year to hop on the bandwagon, but if they had been hatched towards the end of the summer I don't know if she'd be laying.

Hope that helps!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: I keep white and brown chinese, and Embden. Have kept geese almost my entire life, as my father and grandmother did. Aside from those breeds I have kept a few others.. My experience is:
Geese will sit and hatch ducks, without a doubt. Even a young goose will have a much larger egg than a duck. I have a chinese goose that adopted a muscovy hatch, and reared them herself. The mother had hidden, laid the eggs in the goat pen, and unfortunately she was trampled. I found the eggs, incubated them, and when the brood went outdoors, she took over.
The goose has to be around 8 months old. Some will start a little younger, and may sit on eggs if the mothering instint is strong enough already. My suggestion is to get a trail cam to see if she is laying. Season will usually play a part in it. I have one embden girl thats STILL laying (just a year old), and has almost a full nest. My brown chinese just stopped. My neighbor keeps American buffs, they were about 9 months for their first egg.
Season also plays a big role, younger geese start earlier in the spring. My first season with my white chinese, the girls were laying in January! This fall is the latest I have ever seen a goose lay where I live.
The "norm" for my state is early spring to early summer. Its not cut and dry though climate seems to play a role in it.