Is it normal for geese to bury their eggs?

[Kambrie]

I'm quite new to geese, and I have 2 female geese. I have noticed that they have been burying their eggs in the straw that is in my chicken coop. Is this normal behavior??

 

[The goose girl]

I'm quite new to geese, and I have 2 female geese. I have noticed that they have been burying their eggs in the straw that is in my chicken coop. Is this normal behavior??

Yes, they cover their eggs in straw (or leaves, or whatever is handy) to protect them from predators. That way, a bypassing crow or magpie can't see the eggs and find the nest.

Last week, my goose laid a shellless egg. She didn't cover it - they usually don't - and when we found it it had been eaten. Apparently a magpie saw it through the door in the goose house, because now this magpie visits the goose house several times a day to check the nest. Clever bird!

 

[Kambrie]

That is so cool! Does it also mean that they want to sit on the eggs later? I really want my geese to sit on eggs haha

 

[The goose girl]

That is so cool! Does it also mean that they want to sit on the eggs later? I really want my geese to sit on eggs haha

Most geese are good sitters, unless they're very young.

But if you only have the two females there's absolutely no reason for them to sit on the eggs. The eggs are not fertilized and no goslings will hatch from them. And as sitting may be very stressful for the goose, you risk ending up with a weak or sick goose.

 

[Kambrie]

Most geese are good sitters, unless they're very young.

But if you only have the two females there's absolutely no reason for them to sit on the eggs. The eggs are not fertilized and no goslings will hatch from them. And as sitting may be very stressful for the goose, you risk ending up with a weak or sick goose.

Oh yes, I know this! I want to order some fertile goose eggs and put those under her if she does start sitting.

 

[The goose girl]

Oh yes, I know this! I want to order some fertile goose eggs and put those under her if she does start sitting.

Oh good! I've been taken aback at how many adults who don't know. I recently had to give a veritable "birds & bees" on a group of senior citizen nordic walkers passing by me and my single goose. Some of them thought she couldn't lay eggs without a gander; some of them had no idea the eggs had to be fertilized to hatch. And these people were all parents and grandparents. Devastating.

 

[Kambrie]

I agree haha