how many eggs before they sit?

[camilleathome]

My pilgrim geese have four eggs in their best we just moved seven duck eggs from our hen that died into the best as well. How many eggs usually do they lay before they start to sit on them? Should i be worried yet?

 

[mshuntjump]

I've had a hen that has set on 36 eggs before.

 

[livininbrazil]

My pilgrim geese have four eggs in their best we just moved seven duck eggs from our hen that died into the best as well. How many eggs usually do they lay before they start to sit on them? Should i be worried yet?

Hi Camille. My pilgrims set on 3 to 6 eggs, others may be more.
But I don´t understand why you think maybe you shoudl be worried...about what, exactly? if she´ll lay more? If it´s too many? If she won´t sit? what?

 

[livininbrazil]

I've had a hen that has set on 36 eggs before.

Crazy! How many hatched?

 

[camilleathome]

Mainlly if she will sit and if it gets too cold for rhe eggs before she does so. I live in canada

 

[livininbrazil]

Mainlly if she will sit and if it gets too cold for rhe eggs before she does so. I live in canada

Oh, ok. Well, pilgrims tend to be good brooders, but if you leave her with too many eggs, there´s a chance that some or all won´t hatch, as she may not be able to cover all of them well, so that´s down to common sense really.
So, does it still get down to freezing at the moment? I don´t mean just a frost, I mean really cold? Will the eggs get frozen? If they´ll only get cold, that shouldn´t be too much of a problem. If you´re worried you could always take some out and keep them by, and put some false eggs in until she starts sitting properly, then do a swap.
Having a nest-full could push her into sitting sooner. Keep us posted, won´t you?

 

[Tivona]

My pilgrim laid a total of 20. I ate the first one because I wanted to check fertility and sold 6. She sat on 13 eggs. I expect them today or tomorrow because one already opened an air hole and they are talking to me. I can let you know how many hatch.

 

[DurhamDuck]

If they freeze they'll probably crack, at which point she'll roll them out or eat them. I wouldn't worry about it. You've got nothing to lose.

My goose would sit for an hour or so every day once she layed a single egg, then I'd collect it. She decided to start permanently "sitting" after making quite a collection- almost 10 goose eggs, and tons of eggnapped duck eggs she rolled out of the ducks's nest.