Done laying?

[amity3520]

When are geese done laying for the season? My started on January 31st when she was about 8 months old, and the eggs started dwindling by the end of March, and we got our last one about two weeks ago. Do you guys think she's done for the year? She never went broody, but our gander just started showing signs of being interested in mating about a month ago. Other than that she's acting completely normal, eating and drinking and swimming just fine.


Thanks for your help!

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Depends on the breed and the flock + location. Heavy geese produce fewer eggs. Here in NC the laying season is pretty much done and goslings get scarce in early June. Young geese often have your problem, They may do much better next year.

 

[amity3520]

Thanks!! She's a toulouse, so yes, one of the heavier breeds. That makes me feel a lot better though, I've been so paranoid that maybe she's sick or there's some internal issue because someone else had told me they should lay until Fall. Glad that this is normal!

 

[shelleyd2008]

I don't know of any geese breeds that lay like you were told. I've heard that the chinese can lay again in the fall, but they usually lay only in the spring, then perhaps start again in September or October for a bit.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
The hatcheries play tricks with the lighting that the goose experiences to extend the egg production. Because they migrated in the past they were pretty much programed to lay eggs when they arrived in the North with the longer days that the north has in the spring on the other hand their offspring had to be developed enough so they could make the long migration trip to the South so they had to quit laying eggs and molt in order to be ready for the trip back South. Mating behavior in the wild is controlled by the length of the day (or night, there is some dispute) Being domesticated can slowly change that behavior as it has done for chickens and ducks but the Natural cycle still rules.