Laying goose

[ga_goat]

1 of my 3 geese is laying there are now 6 eggs in the nest and no sign of her wanting to set , it has taken her 10 days to get these 6 should I wate in her or put them in the incubator ?

 

[Kevin565]

I personally would take these eggs. The first few eggs aren't usually the best for trying to hatch. I collect all the eggs and leave them in one area. After awhile she starts moving them around to where she would like to brood.

 

[ga_goat]

Goose now has 10 eggs in nest , neatly covered up each time she leaves them . My wife don't want me to bring the goose eggs in to use in the kitchen so i'm just going to leave her to do whatever she wants and see what turns out. so far she is the only one laying so it isn't a drop nest , maby she will start setting soon , these white chineese are my first geese and seem to be semi aggressive, not to me but they will get everyone else .

 

[Terri O]

My geese will not start to sit until they have at least 17-20 eggs. They are Toulouse though. I dont know about Chinese! The experts say that the first layed usually do not hatch anyhow...I think you are right to just let them where they are.
Mine will start laying in late January early February...of course this is WI and many of them freeze at that time. I usually leave one and bring in the rest for crafts. Then by the end of February I let them start sitting if they want...HTH Terri O

 

[RAREROO]

Quote:
Wow. Can they cover and hatch that many ? I've had ducks before that way over-estimated their covering capability before they started setting .

 

[Goose and Fig]

I would take those eggs and just eat them or whatever. If you are still waiting for others to start laying they may lay in the same nest and it will be a big mess of goslings all due at different times.
I have found that the first few eggs are not fertile anyway. My females start laying before the males are really serious about breeding, and the broodiness doesn't kick in until almost spring.

 

[goosedragon]

Assuming she is in a location that you find suitable for a nest I would start stealing a few eggs at a time because if you steal them all at once she might move her nest. If it is a bad location steal them all and place a couple where you want her to nest this only works about 40% of the time for me but it is harmless to try.

 

[Terri O]

Quote:
Wow. Can they cover and hatch that many ? I've had ducks before that way over-estimated their covering capability before they started setting .

Mine regularly hatch 13-15 per clutch. THey seem to lay a "buffer" of eggs around the outside of the nest and those dont hatch. Maybe they are insulation? One hen's record is 17! Anyhow, it is true that the earliest eggs usually dont hatch so if you want to collect them that would work. T

 

[ga_goat]

Her nest was/is just where I wanted it and she finally seems to be settled down to hatch with 16 eggs in nest. may get nothing maby somthing , one of the others has started laying in her nest about 50 feet from the first one .

 

[Yetti]

I guess I need to know a bunch at this point. its winter up here and its really cold. I have to ask what your average temps have been at night? the reason I ask is your at least 8 hours south and I wonder how temps affect when they start laying? secondly how old are your birds that are laying? mine are all born in May of 2011 and I really don't expect anything out of them this spring.