Question about Canada goose laying eggs with no male around.

[counterWULF]

We have a Canada goose who was abandoned by her parents when a cat caused damage to her eye when she was a few days old. She is "wild" and free to leave at any time (she flew off once before [over a year ago] and walked back home), but she chooses to remain on our acreage and hangs out with our ducks at our pond. We didn't know if she was a "he" or "she" until today when she laid her first egg. She is about 1.5 years old. There have been no males on our property her entire life. She is building a nest and guarding her egg, and we are thinking it was never fertilized. Is this possible? Before this, we read they only lay eggs when they have a mate. She has no mate. So maybe that info is wrong. Do geese lay eggs like ducks and chickens no matter if they are fertilized or not? We live near a lake that has hundreds of Canada geese, but we watch our free range chickens and ducks like hawks, and even though the geese fly over our property en route to the lake, they have never once landed in our yard to be near her. We've been putting her up with our ducks because we have predators on the property who have taken our chickens at night. We are attached and don't want to lose her by letting her sit on these eggs, especially if they are not even fertilized. Just read that she will lay 5-9 eggs (1 egg every 1.5 days) over the next week or so. She doesn't have the natural defense instincts a fully wild goose has, and we don't want anything to happen to her.

 

[sourland]

She does not need a mate to lay eggs, and if she has no mate it is most likely that her eggs are not fertile.

 

[counterWULF]

So since the egg is unfertilized, can you eat the egg? I've never heard of people eating goose eggs. I am certain you can, but just wanted to see if others are eating goose eggs. I understand anything made of meat can be eaten. People eat human flesh. But still, wanted to learn from others on their experience eating goose eggs.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Yes, you can eat her egg. Have fun collecting it if she's guarding it as well as a wild pair would.

 

[counterWULF]

Yes, you can eat her egg. Have fun collecting it if she's guarding it as well as a wild pair would.

Thanks for letting me know. I read another thread where someone gave the same advice and claimed they make the best omelets. Now I'll admit I prefer chicken eggs over duck eggs for breakfast, so not sure if I will like goose eggs more than chicken. We'll see! We got a second egg from her today.

Oh, and as for her guarding her "nest," so far she has attacked my wife and all four kiddos to protect it, but she has not come after me. I can walk right up and take the egg and she just stands there. I've always had a connection with animals, both wild and domestic. I know the "alpha" theory has now been debunked by the same person who coined the term, but with all of our roosters and this grumpy goose, I am the only one who has maintained their respect. They back off and leave me alone. None of us have ever been mean to them or abused them in any way. So it's not like the kids did anything to deserve it. Lol. But it's like I walk on water among these animals. It's actually pretty crazy. I used to work with wolves and it was the same way. There were wolves who would not come near any of the staff or volunteers or visitors at the sanctuaries, but the most timid wolves would still approach me to take food from my hand or let me touch them. I don't want to sound like I'm patting myself on the back, because I cannot explain it either. I just am grateful to have these experiences that many others will never have.