How sporatic will a goose lay eggs?

[des7598]

I have a 7/ 8 month old Goose who is a Tuft Roman/Toulouse Mix. She has laid only one egg since 2/28. Here in NY , it is still cold overnight so I have to collect them .. The days are starting to get warmer but the nights are still in the mid to low 20s so I cannot leave them out side as they freeze. I collect my duck eggs daily so they don't freeze. Is it still too early for my goose start laying continuously? how long will the egg be viable for before I should begin to incubate it? I would hate to incubate just one. I was really hoping she would not lay until it was much warmer at night (about 32 at least) Any suggestion or recommendations as I am a new goose owner.

 

[Leader Bee]

I was on the understanding that in general, geese tend to start laying regularly after their first year and then usually between the months of April to possibly mid July?. Holderred says tufted romans you can expect between 25-35 eggs a year and toulouse 25-40 so somewhere in between i guess?( he doesn't go into any detail on mixed breeds)

Page 53. incubation, he also has this to say: "if eggs are held for 10 days or less, the ideal storage temperature appears to be 55 to 65F (13 - 18C). A slightly lower temperature of 48 to 52F often improves the hatchability of eggs kept over 10 days. It is best to store eggs where the temperature remains constant since wide temperature fluctuations will lower the viability of the embryos"

Personally, i'd incubate as soon as reasonably practicable.

 

[jtn42248]

My geese lay one egg every other day. This is, as I am led to understand, the normal pattern of goose egg laying. They will stop if the weather changes to a point that they feel the egg will not be viable. But, in normal spring temps they lay with great predictability. As for holding the egg until you have several...keep in mind that if you let them to all the work the first egg can lay in the nest for over 30 days before the female will set the nest. Last season our nest would have had about 60 eggs from our 5 females if we had left them there. We take up our eggs now since we do not need more geese and donate them to our local senior citizen kitchen. They use them for omelets and meat loafs and seem to really appreciate the donation.

 

[des7598]

I was on the understanding that in general, geese tend to start laying regularly after their first year and then usually between the months of April to possibly mid July?. Holderred says tufted romans you can expect between 25-35 eggs a year and toulouse 25-40 so somewhere in between i guess?( he doesn't go into any detail on mixed breeds)

Page 53. incubation, he also has this to say: "if eggs are held for 10 days or less, the ideal storage temperature appears to be 55 to 65F (13 - 18C). A slightly lower temperature of 48 to 52F often improves the hatchability of eggs kept over 10 days. It is best to store eggs where the temperature remains constant since wide temperature fluctuations will lower the viability of the embryos"

Personally, i'd incubate as soon as reasonably practicable.

Thank you for the information. I do plan to give her this weekend to produce another egg as it is supposed to be nice. But plan to incubate sunday either way. Thank you again.

 

[des7598]

My geese lay one egg every other day. This is, as I am led to understand, the normal pattern of goose egg laying. They will stop if the weather changes to a point that they feel the egg will not be viable. But, in normal spring temps they lay with great predictability. As for holding the egg until you have several...keep in mind that if you let them to all the work the first egg can lay in the nest for over 30 days before the female will set the nest. Last season our nest would have had about 60 eggs from our 5 females if we had left them there. We take up our eggs now since we do not need more geese and donate them to our local senior citizen kitchen. They use them for omelets and meat loafs and seem to really appreciate the donation.

I only have one young pair. And hooe that the weather levels out soon. I do not need a lot of babies, so i will also be sharing my eggs. Thank you for your information.

 

[The goose girl]

My goose is usually a very regular layer. But in the beginning of the season she may pause her laying - one year it took over a month before egg #2 showed up! And then the next 56 eggs came as clockwork. It's weird, but I wouldn't worry as long as it's still so cold at night.

 

[des7598]

thank you. I was hoping it was something as simple that.

 

[Isaac 0]

My geese lay about every other day.