Laying goose

[Chicky-dees]

Well this is very interesting to me - I've been following along. I have a pair of brown chinese, and the female already has a clutch of 10 eggs so far. I had similar questions too, like how many will she lay in a clutch before trying to hatch them, etc and am impressed that they would lay such a large clutch. My guineas always had about 15 or so before they decided to get broody. I never see the gander and goose mate, so I have no idea if any of them are fertile. It has been over a decade since I had geese and I honestly can't remember much about the first group except that I left them alone and they made nests in my horse stalls and hatched a few babies here and there.

I never bothered with the proceedings of laying/setting/hatching with my previous geese, but since I only have a pair this time and not a gaggle (and they have their own yard and aren't free roaming the property) it is easier to follow along with the whole process. This is fun!

 

[ga_goat]

Goose #2 hatched 4 then quit the nest , have the last 6 in hatcher till next Tue , incubator still has the 2- I managed to get from #3 till 3/2 then to hatcher , along with 12 ugly duck eggs , sent 64 chicken eggs to hatcher today due Mon , putting 60 more in Sun / everything is pretty busy around here this spring in Feb .

 

[Miss Lydia]

Goose #2 hatched 4 then quit the nest , have the last 6 in hatcher till next Tue , incubator still has the 2- I managed to get from #3 till 3/2 then to hatcher , along with 12 ugly duck eggs , sent 64 chicken eggs to hatcher today due Mon , putting 60 more in Sun / everything is pretty busy around here this spring in Feb .

I'd say and don't forget pics when hatching starts, and pics of the 4 that have hatched already, I need to see some baby pictures..

 

[ga_goat]

Didn't have time to take pics the last 4 are already gone (sold) when I get some more batteries for the camera I'll take pics of the first hatched 3 weeks old now and she's as big as the bantams , got 2 fresh and 1 older egg going to the hatcher 3/2 maby I can get some pics of them before I call the naxt one on my list .

 

[Chicky-dees]

Congrats on the babies! And congrats on getting them sold already - that's great!

I've been watching your post since it relates so closely to my situation. My goose finally starting setting after 12 eggs. I have no idea if any are fertile or not and I don't plan on incubating any so I will wait and see if anything hatches after a month or so. My female Mallard actually shares setting duties with her. The female sits for several hours and when she gets up, the Mallard covers the nest until she gets back. Talk about teamwork. I never see the geese mate, so I have my doubts to wether or not the eggs are fertile. I don't have the heart to take her off her nest so I'm leaving her alone to do whatever her instincts tell her to do. I have noticed that she moves one particularly dirty egg around the nest more than the others, and it often ends up on top of the pile (it was one of the first eggs). She always keeps it right under her. If any of them were fertile, it would be that one. We will wait and see!

 

[newduckie]

[RIGHT[/RIGHT]
Isn't. It amazing how they seem to know when an egg is good or not right from the start. Our chickens will boot out the bad ones, clear out of the nest! I took my gooses egg the other night because I can't have her set on them where she layed them. She would never survive it. I put a plastic egg with pink glitter in the nest so the maybe she wouldnt notice her egg was gone. She had the plastic one halfway across the room to get it away from her nest...lol. They can be so dumb but I can't seem to put one over on them... What does that say about me you figure??? Lol

 

[newduckie]

Isn't. It amazing how they seem to know when an egg is good or not right from the start. Our chickens will boot out the bad ones, clear out of the nest! I took my gooses egg the other night because I can't have her set on them where she layed them. She would never survive it. I put a plastic egg with pink glitter in the nest so the maybe she wouldnt notice her egg was gone. She had the plastic one halfway across the room to get it away from her nest...lol. They can be so dumb but I can't seem to put one over on them... What does that say about me you figure??? Lol

 

[Chicky-dees]

LOL! Sounds like something i would try. Although I would have never thought of glitter...haha!