Gussie is laying again

[Callender Girl]

Gussie, my American Buff goose who filled a nest with eggs recently, has decided to lay again. I watched her make a lovely nest in one of the open chicken runs today -- much to the chagrin of the chickens who wanted to hang out in there.

However, since I have learned that her partner, Golly, is also a goose and NOT a gander as I had believed, this time, I immediately took her egg when she wandered off. I currently sell chicken and duck eggs in town, and I think her eggs will certainly be a value-added benefit.

I was surprised that she is laying again so soon. This is my first experience with laying geese, and I guess I thought that since her first nest didn't pan out, she wouldn't bother trying again this year. Live and learn, I guess.

 

[sourland]

If a first nest 'fails' geese will frequently lay a second clutch. If you continue taking her eggs she may lay even longer. Have you thought about getting fertile eggs for her if/when she goes broody ?

 

[Callender Girl]

Actually, I was kind of relieved when it turned out her "mate" wasn't a gander. Between them, they laid 19 eggs and I couldn't imagine what I would do with so many goslings.

And, by that I mean, where would I house them all? Maybe I could have sold some of them, but past experience with baby critters has taught me that people who SAY they want them often regain their senses in time to decide they don't want them.

So, is there anything I can do to convince Gussie that motherhood simply isn't for her?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just keep taking her eggs .

 

[Callender Girl]

Thanks, that's my plan. A new wrinkle this morning: One of my runner ducks spent a good deal of time checking out the new nest; eventually, she decided to just drop her egg in the middle of the yard.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Happens here often my Runners are just to busy to sit long enough to lay inside. I have been trying to let them out later but it’s getting light earlier and they raise cane ready to start their day

 

[Callender Girl]

Gussie continues to test me and vice versa. She decided today that she wanted to lay an egg, but not in her house. I had to remove her from underneath my house deck three times. I made three different types of barricades to keep her from slipping into the space where there is no lattice.

Finally, I realized she just wanted extra privacy. I cleaned out the old goose house -- the one she and Golly lived in when they first left the brooder -- and gently put Gussie in front of her old home. She ran right in and began rearranging the clean straw I'd put in. Three hours later, she had it just right and laid her egg.

When she walked out, I swooped in and stole the egg. I hope she forgets and forgives by tomorrow morning.

 

[Miss Lydia]

You now speak goose.