Gander sitting on eggs

[Jenbirdee]

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!

How many eggs were you getting per day when they were laying?
if he was really a he then why are no eggs viable?
what breed are your geese?

 

[Ducky 488]

How many eggs were you getting per day when they were laying?

Not sure, there were two one day then she skipped a day or two, then maybe one, etc. I didn’t realize there were that many in the nest until today, they were buried under the hay and shavings. Maybe the one sitting on the nest is actually a goose and she has just been laying more, I’m confused. I never sexed them because I read you can hurt them by doing it and I didn’t want to take a chance. I’ve had them from babies. The bigger one just seems like the male, by looks and tail spread from what I’ve read. And he was mating with the other one all summer and fall.

 

[Ducky 488]

How many eggs were you getting per day when they were laying?
if he was really a he then why are no eggs viable?
what breed are your geese?

African geese. Not viable due to the cold maybe? There were some with what looked like a yolk but no veins or dark spots anywhere and others were just clear.

 

[Jenbirdee]

African geese. Not viable due to the cold maybe? There were some with what looked like a yolk but no veins or dark spots anywhere and others were just clear.

ok but also to help figure if he is a she or not , do you know how many eggs per day were laid?
my pilgrim goose lays one every other day from early March to mid June . If you were getting an egg every single day, perhaps both of them were laying? Or do African geese lay one every day? In that case you would be getting two a day so it would take 12 days to get 24 eggs.

 

[Ducky 488]

ok but also to help figure if he is a she or not , do you know how many eggs per day were laid?
my pilgrim goose lays one every other day from early March to mid June . If you were getting an egg every single day, perhaps both of them were laying? Or do African geese lay one every day? In that case you would be getting two a day so it would take 12 days to get 24 eggs.

I just read that Africans will lay one or two every three days or so. The eggs toward the bottom of the nest have been there so long and I see no development. I guess I’ll wait and see if he/ she lays some more in the next few days. Maybe he is just a large she

 

[Jenbirdee]

I just read that Africans will lay one or two every three days or so. The eggs toward the bottom of the nest have been there so long and I see no development. I guess I’ll wait and see if he/ she lays some more in the next few days. Maybe he is just a large she

 

[JRies]

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!

Funny thing but if you have a dominate female (which is normal) she will mate another female. MaMa was my worst. She picked the gander and if he would try to mate a girl she would mate the girl for him so she got all the attention...

 

[Ducky 488]

Funny thing but if you have a dominate female (which is normal) she will mate another female. MaMa was my worst. She picked the gander and if he would try to mate a girl she would mate the girl for him so she got all the attention...

I have two female ducks that mate each other . It’s probably what’s going on, I was just hoping I had a male and female pair. Thank you for your input, I appreciate it

 

[Marieaa70]

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

Yes they will set, Also when baby s hatch the male will look after them, while the F set for the rest to hatch, wonderful pair of parents, now don t try and pick up a baby you will be attack for sure, nothing touches there baby s LOL

 

[Bolfreak]

Following because my Pilgrim pair is 9 months old and I got my first goose egg. It’s in a nest that’s open during the day but geese and ducks are closed in the stall at night.
My goose has been curious in the nest a few days ago. This morning a duck was on the nest and my gander was sitting in front of it and I found my first goose egg!
I dated it and put it back for now. My turkeys are also showing interest in the stall and straw bale fort that hides the nest
I’ll have to check for fertility because I’ve seen my gander mate a duck and my drake mate the goose, but not the geese together (annoying!!!!). They have access to a kiddie pool and a horse trough that’s deeper and only the geese can get into without the ducks.