Is this normal??

[5paceDandy]

Hello all! I got my white Chinese goose (Isolde) from a hatchery as a hatchling in mid-July and then I got three African geese (I was told i was getting 1female and 2 ganders, though I now believe all the African geese are, in fact, ganders) in October, though having hatched in late May, early June. It was my understanding that geese do not start laying until around a year old, but 2-3 days ago when I went out to feed the ducks and geese, Isolde, who is pretty much the queen of the yard, did not come out of the house to eat. I went to check on her and found her sitting in the back corner of the house in the area kept most warm by the heat lamp I keep on in the house during the winter, on what looks like a nest. I checked the nest and found an egg, though it didn’t appear to be any bigger than one of my ducks eggs. Is this normal? Would Isolde be laying eggs already? Or is it more likely the case that she got broody and took over sitting on an egg laid by one of the ducks? Below is a link to a video I took of Isolde sitting on her nest:

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Goose eggs seem to always be significantly larger than duck eggs. It could be hers or the ducks. We are approaching breeding season so she may either be laying or feeling motherly. Time should tell.

 

[007Sean]

@oldhenlikesdogs is correct! Geese eggs are about 1 1/2 x again big as a duck egg.

 

[5paceDandy]

Goose eggs seem to always be significantly larger than duck eggs. It could be hers or the ducks. We are approaching breeding season so she may either be laying or feeling motherly. Time should tell.

If the egg is not hers, but she sits on it and hatches it, will she then want to raise it as her own? Or will she recognize it’s not a goose and leave it to the ducks to raise? What about the ganders? Will I need to worry about them picking on it?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If the egg is not hers, but she sits on it and hatches it, will she then want to raise it as her own? Or will she recognize it’s not a goose and leave it to the ducks to raise? What about the ganders? Will I need to worry about them picking on it?

I've read of geese hatching other species. I personally wouldn't let her set on any eggs but her own, or another goose.

When mine start to lay they often will spend a lot of time laying, and tending the nest only to walk away at night. So they can fool you into thinking they are ready to set when they aren't.

Usually a goose will add her eggs to the nest over the course of a week or two before finally going broody. I've never had one go broody without laying for a while first. I've had chickens or ducks add their eggs to the goose nest and I always remove them.

They males should mostly ignore the nest and than help out when eggs hatch.

 

[JRies]

The Production Africans I got from the Hatchery (March) started laying within 8 months. The eggs were fertile and hatched that December. MaMa's eggs are about the size of a Large duck egg and still are 3 years later.

 

[Iain Utah]

I have had a goose hatch a duckling. The goose was very confused and only took care of the baby for the first few days, then abandoned it because it was not a gosling. On the other hand, I've had a duck hatch a gosling and that duck (and her mate) were amazing parents and raised the gosling until adulthood.

 

[Goosey Girl]

A month later...have you figured out your egg layers???