How old do the geese have to be?

[ironjerry]

I have a pair of Chinese geese that are about a year old. They have been mating for about a month now. Yesterday I found 3 eggs in a nest in the barn but they were ice cold. Should I be collecting them and will they hatch? I am in Medina, Ohio and it has been 15-20 the last three days. I just hatched 10 of 12 chicken eggs from a month ago when it was just as cold. Any suggestions on collecting or just leaving the eggs alone. They have a nest in the hay but the female has never been sitting b ut I am a teacher and am gone all day.

 

[jvls1942]

geese stockpile eggs and then they start to set.. I picked up eggs out of a foot of snow last spring and hatched them in my incubator.. I had about 50% success..

I think if the eggs do not actually freeze, they will hatch..

I would collect the eggs and when she begins to set, give some of the fresher ones back to her..

leave one or two in the nest when collecting so she doesn't move to a new nest. always take the oldest egg each day..

one of the more experienced goose keepers should jump in here.

 

[banter]

If you leave an old egg in the nest you can collect a few of the new ones to incubate. Many times the first couple eggs are duds. She'll probably keep laying and then you can let her keep the rest of her eggs in week or two when it warms up. With first yearers it's hard to tell how many eggs they'll lay. Geese can lay 30 eggs and up depending on the breed.