Gander sitting on eggs

[Ducky 488]

Just wondering if anyone else has seen this or experienced it…. My goose laid her eggs but doesn’t really sit on the nest, the gander does…. He’s so sweet. The goose just wants to get outside and let him do the sitting! I guess as long as one of them sits, it’s fine. Very cute, just curious. My first geese

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The bulk of my experience with geese is with Canadians and yes they do that. I'm suspecting most species of geese share the incubation duties.

 

[Jenbirdee]

I have a couple of pilgrim geese. my gander tries to build a nest whenever I leave his toys out on the lawn. One of his toys looks sort of like an egg so he sits on it. however when my goose lays eggs, she builds a fabulous nest, and she sits on them herself.

 

[Goosebaby]

Yeah a lot of my ganders get broody. They like building nests, gazing at the eggs and saying “whoooo” to them, nesting on them, ganders are great dads.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yeah a lot of my ganders get broody. They like building nests, gazing at the eggs and saying “whoooo” to them, nesting on them, ganders are great dads.

And they can get very cranky and territorial when there is a nest to protect. At least that is the case with wild geese.

 

[The goose girl]

In spring, my gander likes to steal my keys out of my pocket. He will then cover them with grass and twigs and proceed to sit on them. I really hope I'll one day have enough space for them to be parents. He'll be the best dad!

 

[Debbie292d]

In spring, my gander likes to steal my keys out of my pocket. He will then cover them with grass and twigs and proceed to sit on them. I really hope I'll one day have enough space for them to be parents. He'll be the best dad!

That sounds so cool! My farmer across the road has geese. I'd like some too but we don't have enough room so I just go visit hers.

 

[Ducky 488]

Yeah a lot of my ganders get broody. They like building nests, gazing at the eggs and saying “whoooo” to them, nesting on them, ganders are great dads.

Thank you for the info. My gander is really sitting on the eggs most of the day and night now and the goose wants nothing to do with them.

 

[Iain Utah]

In my experience, ganders will help build the nest and sit on the eggs to protect them until the goose is ready to go broody. At that point, the gander will position himself a short distance from nest and post up guard duty there.

 

[Ducky 488]

In my experience, ganders will help build the nest and sit on the eggs to protect them until the goose is ready to go broody. At that point, the gander will position himself a short distance from nest and post up guard duty there.

Thank you. I just candled all the eggs and none are viable. It is winter here in Vermont, so I guess that’s a good thing. I removed them from the nest, but now the gander went back to looking for them and sitting on the nest again. How long will he/ she continue that? Should I worry? He doesn’t seem to be eating, like a broody goose. My first time with geese. I am also assuming the gander is a gander because he was always mating with the other one who is smaller and wasn’t doing that to him. Any info appreciated!