It's Complicated

[livininbrazil]

There is a white spot.

Stephen

Hi stephen, glad to hear she´s trying again. I have to say, though, I cannot see a 'halo' around that dot. If they hould prove to be fertile eggs, do you plan to put them in an incubator, or just leave them with the goose?

 

[Wild1]

Hi, this time I will collect the next 4 eggs, that is if I can get that many and put them into the incubator. The reason for not leaving them with the goose is the chickens will try to muscle in and lay on her nest plus there is still a risk from the monkeys like last time.

I may be moving to another location later this year and my garden at the new place will have space for chickens and the geese can be separated. That will be better.

As for the egg yes the white spot seems to be quite big at 5mm but I agree I don't see the halo either. I will give them a try all the same maybe get lucky. now the water bath is bigger and I think the gander can mount the goose better.

Stephen

 

[livininbrazil]

Hi, this time I will collect the next 4 eggs, that is if I can get that many and put them into the incubator. The reason for not leaving them with the goose is the chickens will try to muscle in and lay on her nest plus there is still a risk from the monkeys like last time.

I may be moving to another location later this year and my garden at the new place will have space for chickens and the geese can be separated. That will be better.

As for the egg yes the white spot seems to be quite big at 5mm but I agree I don't see the halo either. I will give them a try all the same maybe get lucky. now the water bath is bigger and I think the gander can mount the goose better.

Stephen

That sounds good, the more water the better, really. Also, if you pop some into the incubator, after about 5 days you´ll be able to use a torch (candling) to see the egg developing if, of course, they´re fertile. If not fertile, try again with some others.....have fun!

 

[Wild1]

Hi All,

Well she laid another 2 eggs over the last 2 days, the first one is considerably bigger than the other, I have marked them as 1 and 2 so I know which was the first one. I will keep them over the week end and see if she lays any more. I see them mating more in the water and I guess now he is getting better at it as she allows him to without fighting him off and also he gives his victory call and flaps his wings after the event so I am guessing he was successful.

Now then my questions,

how long can I keep the eggs before they must go into the incubator?
after 5 days or so in the incubator and if they are not fertile are they still edible?
if not for humans can I cook them and feed them back to the chickens?
how many eggs will a Chinese goose lay in her first season?

I don't want to waste them if you know what I mean.

Stephen

 

[livininbrazil]

Hi All,

Well she laid another 2 eggs over the last 2 days, the first one is considerably bigger than the other, I have marked them as 1 and 2 so I know which was the first one. I will keep them over the week end and see if she lays any more. I see them mating more in the water and I guess now he is getting better at it as she allows him to without fighting him off and also he gives his victory call and flaps his wings after the event so I am guessing he was successful.

Now then my questions,

how long can I keep the eggs before they must go into the incubator?
after 5 days or so in the incubator and if they are not fertile are they still edible?
if not for humans can I cook them and feed them back to the chickens?
how many eggs will a Chinese goose lay in her first season?

I don't want to waste them if you know what I mean.

Stephen

That sounds more how it should be with the gander. Good. If you get any small eggs I´d not bother to incubate them, as they can be weak babies. Make an omelette. If it´s an abnormally large egg, also, make an omelette. Keep to the normal sizes.
A goose will take on average 2 weeks to lay around 8-10 eggs, so you can keep them easily for 2 weeks.
If infertile, you can eat them. Up to you. Or, better still, feed them to the chickens. (Good for the chickens and it´s free grub).
I understand a chinese goose can lay 50+ eggs in a season.
The only ones that will waste will be those that were fertile but died along the way. Have to be tossed.

 

[Wild1]

Hi everyone,

Just an update my goose has laid 5 eggs since last wednesday all but one weigh 95-98grms, one weighs 85grms. Today she has not laid but has sat on an empty nest all day. Do geese get broody like a hen, stop laying eggs and sit on an empty nest? if yes how do you stop this? Or is she just resting between eggs? I thought 5 eggs were not many for a goose because i have read that chinese gees can lay upwards of 20 eggs in a season.
Can someone offer any advice?

Stephen

 

[livininbrazil]

Hi everyone,

Just an update my goose has laid 5 eggs since last wednesday all but one weigh 95-98grms, one weighs 85grms. Today she has not laid but has sat on an empty nest all day. Do geese get broody like a hen, stop laying eggs and sit on an empty nest? if yes how do you stop this? Or is she just resting between eggs? I thought 5 eggs were not many for a goose because i have read that chinese gees can lay upwards of 20 eggs in a season.
Can someone offer any advice?

Stephen

Hi Stephen. although chinese lay around 50, it does sound like she´s gone broody. Some of mine (not chinese, though) will go broody after only 3 to 6!
To get her out of being broody, you need to move her to a different place, or at least, make sure she cannot get back to her nest.
Or give her one of her eggs and see how it goes...you´d still have 4.

 

[Wild1]

Hi all,

My goose laid another egg today that is 6 in 7 days but she is sitting very tight on nothing right now, I blocked off each new site she sits at and she sits some where else. I will check tomorrow if there is any more eggs but if not I have a predicament. I have opened 2 of the 6 eggs the first one was the pic I posted earlier the second I cracked and ate tonight (very nice) the second was very visibly fertile so I am presuming the balance 4 are too, the last egg yesterday was the heaviest so far at 105 grams all of the rest except one are 95-97 grams with one being 85grms. Assuming she does not lay anymore my predicament is simply what would you experienced guys do?

either put all 4 eggs back under the goose?
put the 4 eggs in the incubator?
or split them 2 under the goose and 2 in the incubator?

what are your thoughts?

Stephen

 

[livininbrazil]

Hi all,

My goose laid another egg today that is 6 in 7 days but she is sitting very tight on nothing right now, I blocked off each new site she sits at and she sits some where else. I will check tomorrow if there is any more eggs but if not I have a predicament. I have opened 2 of the 6 eggs the first one was the pic I posted earlier the second I cracked and ate tonight (very nice) the second was very visibly fertile so I am presuming the balance 4 are too, the last egg yesterday was the heaviest so far at 105 grams all of the rest except one are 95-97 grams with one being 85grms. Assuming she does not lay anymore my predicament is simply what would you experienced guys do?

either put all 4 eggs back under the goose?
put the 4 eggs in the incubator?
or split them 2 under the goose and 2 in the incubator?

what are your thoughts?

Stephen

Hi Stephen. It all depends on how much you feel for your goose! She will get over it eventually. OR....
Me, here, where I live, leave them all under the goose as there are few pred problems. (just lizards) And incubators can let you down. However, as you´ve already lost eggs to preds before, you probably would be better off leaving her with only one or maybe two eggs. Can you not build a reallya super-strong run around her? here I can buy 1" chain-link. It´s so strong.
Poor little madam obviously wants to brood. OR:
Get some fake eggs and let her sit on them. she´ll be quite happy, then when the time comes, you could always introduce back to her the goslings that have managed to hatch. OR:
You could leave her 2 eggs, and put 6 fake eggs in with her, in the hope that a pred would pinch the fake eggs first.....
Those are the options I can think of. the choice is yours, you know where you live better than we do, if you see what I mean. Those are my thoughts.

 

[Wild1]

Hi,

Well she has laid no more but is still sitting so I have persuaded her to sit in a new shelter that I have made for her, she sat yesterday all day on 2 plastic eggs so today I have put under her 2 of her own eggs and put the other 2 in the incubator. Now she seems ok except I have about a dozen chicks running round that are 1 week old and with their respective mothers and a group of 9 x 4 week old chicks also running around and they are so inquisitive they pester the goose in the new area especially as there is some corn and pellets for the goose near by. To reduce this I have closed the door and basically locked her inside on her own, much to the ganders disgust, he is not happy. So far she doesn't seem to object and has not panicked and left the nest so I figure I will keep her door closed. Is this ok or a bad thing to do or should I let the door open and the younger birds wander in and out?

Stephen