GOOSE BREEDING THREAD - for breeding, incubating, hatching and rearing.

[livininbrazil]

That was a very interesting read. Isn´t it funny how we come across things? I love my geese and can´t imagine not having them. In England we always lived in the countryside. When we moved to Brazil we lived in a city on the outskirts of São Paulo. Didn´t last long there, moved to the countryside. Some friends had some geese. thought they were great, then they had goslings. I took 3 home. There started my thing with geese. I have chickens and muscovies too now, but geese are just great. I don´t think I´ll ever breed as many as you, though, or I´d be inundated as I only let certain people here have mine as they often aren´t cared for very well here.

 

[servpolice]

thats a pity ! But i cant imagine life with out geese it would be devestating since they are so cool and handy and their goslings are fluffy and little heating machines if holding one for a while

 

[TheStewarts]

We are very new to geese as we were given a mated pair of Pilgrims in a trade. They are 1.5 years old and the previous owner cooped them with her hens who had supplemental light in winter so "Suzie" laid out of season for them (I think January) and she just started laying for us about a week ago. She is up to 3 eggs now but she is not setting them yet or anything. It was unexpected... we just found this giant white egg in the barn one afternoon. After she laid a second I made a safe place for her to lay and after a couple days she laid a third with the other 2. I am not 100% sure that they are fertile (I have not actually seen suzie and oscar do the dance) but if they are I would prefer if Suzie does her thing all on her own. I have an incubator though and I can just put the eggs in and do it myself. She is not protective of the nest. She LOVES me. I have noticed that the hay around the nest is sometimes built up on top of the eggs or sometimes the eggs are uncovered... I am guessing that she is burying them when it is colder and uncovering them when it is warm. Overnight temps right now are 50/60 and day time are 60/70.

Anyone else have pilgrims? Or geese laying out of season? How long should I wait for her to go broody and set them before I take them inside and do it myself?

 

[servpolice]

Ive no pilgrams and none of my geese are laying but she will probely start brooding when she has around 9 or 10 eggs

 

[livininbrazil]

We are very new to geese as we were given a mated pair of Pilgrims in a trade. They are 1.5 years old and the previous owner cooped them with her hens who had supplemental light in winter so "Suzie" laid out of season for them (I think January) and she just started laying for us about a week ago. She is up to 3 eggs now but she is not setting them yet or anything.

I am not 100% sure that they are fertile (I have not actually seen suzie and oscar do the dance) but if they are I would prefer if Suzie does her thing all on her own. I have an incubator though and I can just put the eggs in and do it myself. She is not protective of the nest. She LOVES me.

I have noticed that the hay around the nest is sometimes built up on top of the eggs or sometimes the eggs are uncovered... I am guessing that she is burying them when it is colder and uncovering them when it is warm. Overnight temps right now are 50/60 and day time are 60/70.

Anyone else have pilgrims? Or geese laying out of season? How long should I wait for her to go broody and set them before I take them inside and do it myself?

I have a pilgrim-type trio. They lay 6 or 7 eggs. They cover them in between laying, and when they leave the nest while brooding. Here it´s about 90 and they still cover the eggs.
She won´t mind you being nearby until she is seriously brooding the eggs.
Rather than a mating dance, you´re more likely to be aware of a mating shout of triumph!
Also, geese are more likely to be successful at incubation than an incubator, a lot of people seem to have difficulties getting it right.
Is it autumn where you are? if so, does it get very cold in the winter?
Depending on the answers, it may be better to eat the eggs and let her raise some goslings when coming out of the winter. If it gets cold where you are you may need to give a lot of feed and shelter and heating to rear the goslings successfully. As they normally breed when the new grass is sprouting, this time of year would pose problems.
On the other hand, if you´re below the equator, no problems.....

 

[TheStewarts]

Well we just went to check on the chickens and cause Suzie in her special place laying! We are up to 4 eggs now. It is Autumn here now and the winters do get cold but not harsh and I do have her set up in a side room of our barn so she is sheltered (though she can come and go from there as she pleases) There is electric run to the barn and it wouldn't be a problem to put a heat lamp if we needed to. I don't mind giving a little extra feed as needed. We sprout our own fodder for our birds and other livestock, which is quite economical. I definitely am hearing the mating triumph calling

 

[Iain Utah]

Well we just went to check on the chickens and cause Suzie in her special place laying! We are up to 4 eggs now. It is Autumn here now and the winters do get cold but not harsh and I do have her set up in a side room of our barn so she is sheltered (though she can come and go from there as she pleases) There is electric run to the barn and it wouldn't be a problem to put a heat lamp if we needed to. I don't mind giving a little extra feed as needed. We sprout our own fodder for our birds and other livestock, which is quite economical. I definitely am hearing the mating triumph calling

Precious! Fingers crossed the eggs are fertile. I bet their babies will be adorable.

 

[servpolice]

Ok if thats the place shes going to brood then she will break the eggs coz thats way too small she wont be able to move around and she wont turn the eggs properly and they will turn rotten and when goslings hatch they will be squashed this happens to me every year with aleast one of my geese so probely happen to you too ! Just move the box not the hay Just the box and she wont mind at all Trust me ! And she will have alot of room and this way she will lay way more eggs and geese need to move their necks so the wont get neck problems which is annoying becoz by the looks of the pic she cant even lift her neck . And if she dosent hates the small area she will just leave the nestand wont go back ! Thats my advice dont have to do it but its what you want
And i like that gander :-D

 

[livininbrazil]

Well we just went to check on the chickens and cause Suzie in her special place laying! We are up to 4 eggs now. It is Autumn here now and the winters do get cold but not harsh and I do have her set up in a side room of our barn so she is sheltered (though she can come and go from there as she pleases) There is electric run to the barn and it wouldn't be a problem to put a heat lamp if we needed to. I don't mind giving a little extra feed as needed. We sprout our own fodder for our birds and other livestock, which is quite economical. I definitely am hearing the mating triumph calling


Gorgeous. Sounds like your set-up should be ok, lets hope she sits it out! Where is their pool? Is it a good size? If it has some depth of water, the eggs should be fertile.

Servpolice may have a point, though. It does look a little tight in there for her. My geese need a bit of support for their nests, so they use tyres stuffed with sticks and hay, as they like to be up a bit too, or barrels on their sides, supported by bricks so they don´t roll, of course. Or, you could always cut the box...put it right way up and make it shallower, then stuff it with the hay. I hope all goes well for you, you´ve probably already seen the pics on this thread of my recent goslings. I can hear noises in some other eggs, so next week should have some more!! Yes!! These will be crosses, though, exciting to see how they turn out. I also have another goose laying at the moment. 3 of her eggs are under a muscovy and she´s laid her 6th in a nest, so she´ll be starting to sit any day.

So, your goose has 4 eggs, so should be sitting by the end of the week. Goslings should arrive mid-November-ish. Really look after them until you see their feathers coming through at about 4 - 6 weeks of age, then they´ll be a bit hardier. But on milder sunny days it would be good for them to get out on the fresh grass in a protected zone, of course.

Don´t forget plenty of greens for your babies, and that all-important Brewers yeast/VitB3/niacin, especially if you need to give them more feed than grass. I hope I´ve helped a bit. Have fun!!!!

 

[livininbrazil]

Oops, sorry Stewerts. I added to your quote instead of "reply" !! How many eggs now?

And one of my mix-breeds has now laid her tenth egg, but she already started sitting with no. 8, so there´ll be a couple of late ones I guess. I put 3 under muscovy to help out. That leaves goose with 7 as of yesterday, I hope she stops now. another goose I have sat on 7 eggs for a while, then after 3 weeks laid another, all clean and white, so that went under a muscovy too. Useful birds, muscovies.

Servpolice, another question. Why do parks and zoos want white greylags? They´re not exactly the norm in the wild. If they want white geese, why don´t they get domesticated breeds? Just curious.