Geese with eggs in the nest - not sitting

[Nyssa03]

Hi all - I have some eggs incubating - and about a week after I finished collecting eggs for the incubator I marked all the eggs in the nests. One of the geese is sitting on her eggs very faithfully. - Three of them are sporadic at best - mostly not sitting. My question is how long should I leave the eggs - they are continuing to lay but the oldest ones I marked are getting close to 3 weeks old? I was thinking I should go pull out the oldest ones and see if they decide to sit - now that the weather is warming up. One of them did sit and hatch her own goslings last year but she didn't start sitting until the middle of May.

 

[newduckie]

I came looking for advice on this very thing. I am leaving eggs but I don't want alot of babies so I left about ten eggs in the nest. She sat on them for several hours and then leaves. She will go outside for HOURS at a time. I believe she sets on them at night but not very much during the day. My question is, area even any good anymore. Did they start to develope in the time she was in them and then die becuase of the cold? I don't know whether to throw them out or let them be. There is another half dozen that I could trade out but since she is sitting so sporadically will she do any better? Doubt it.

 

[BunkyB]

Geese can be weird at times as mine are now. I know your concern as I am going through my Pilgrim-Chinese cross and a purebred Pilgrim. They have one nest just bulging with eggs and I have them dated as well. For some reason geese like lots of eggs in the nest. I would continue to leave the eggs in the nest unless there are too many now.

If you can, toss the extra eggs into the incubator....give it a shot to see whether they will candle after a week. I find the cooler the air the longer the eggs can last unattended. If a warmer climate then the less time spent idle the better. Since mine are over a month late doing their nesting and sitting thing I am allowing a bit longer for the setting. Patience I guess.

Hope you have success.... Steve

 

[Nyssa03]

Thanks so much for your reply --- ok --I will exercise some patience and see what happens.

 

[pete55]

The can be fickle but usually a large number triggers brooding. Any eggs over 2 weeks old could be incubated. Usually when they're on and off the best they cover the eggs but don't incubate in earnest. Sonera research supports the theory of a better hatch rate when periodically warmed.

I had a goose like this and then suddenly incubated on only 5 eggs. You can't predict them sometimes.

Best of luck.

Pete.

 

[newduckie]

Mine has finally settled in to incubate.... I think. And now that you say that, she was doing just that. She would sit on them but leave them buried and I thought that was weird. Now I have two sitting on eggs but have long since lost track of how many and how long they have been layed. May be way to old.

 

[hopemason28]

I have a Chinese Crested who has finally decided to stay on her nest for two days now. I have no idea how many eggs are under her. I am afraid to go near the nest as to upset her and that she may get up and not come back. I know there were no eggs on the nest two days ago. How long should I wait to go check her nest and am I just being to nervous as I am new to this and I think she is too. She has tried sitting for about two weeks but only lasted about an hour or two then gave up but now she hasn't moved. Hoping for some babies in a month....but not too many LOL
Also, will she get off the nest ever or will she stay on until they hatch? Should I put water and food near her?
Hope and Jeff
The Newbies

 

[newduckie]

She will get off to eat and drink.