How do I know when my geese will be ready to lay? I have no experience with geese. Chicks I know by their comb and desire to be in a nest box.
also is it common for them to eat eggs?
All I can say is you’ll know when they know. Geese can start laying at 8 months, a lot of times you’ll know they’re laying when you find their surprise eggs.
Geese will eat eggs, but it can be an acquired habit, though I’ve never seen one ever try to eat an egg unless it’s broken. If it’s intact it’s a potential baby to them, if it’s broken it’s a free meal.
You'll start to notice your goose going around and spending time in secluded areas, fixing piles of leaves or other plant materials near by. Do you have a gander too? You'll also notice that he will become more aggressive than usual, far more protective of his mate and the location of where she has decided to fix her nest, always standing guard while she does her business.
When I noticed my goose getting ready to lay I was so excited! She did it in a location outside of a window that I could peep in and spy on her. It was a lot of fun
I could tell when my geese were getting ready to lay because, to me, they had this look to them like they were "carrying" a load in their abdomen...hanging low. Not long after, they began laying.