Should I let my first year geese hatch eggs?

[Miss Cheep]

Hi! So I have some 11 month old French Toulouse geese, and they laid three eggs recently and started building a nest. Should I let them hatch those eggs on their first year? I have heard that you are not supposed to let year old geese hatch eggs because the eggs can be too small and I have seen my geese mating at all. I attached a picture of me holding a goose egg in my hand and a picture of the geese themselves. Thanks!

 

[sourland]

I'd provide swimming water to facilitate breeding, and I would allow them to at least try to incubate and hatch goslings.

 

[Percheron chick]

Sacrifice an egg and check fertility. I would have an incubator on standby jik she quits. Also be prepared to take the babies away if she is not dedicated to them.

 

[Miss Cheep]

I'd provide swimming water to facilitate breeding, and I would allow them to at least try to incubate and hatch goslings.

Thank you! I have a pond where they can float but I don’t see them swimming in it often.

 

[Miss Cheep]

Sacrifice an egg and check fertility. I would have an incubator on standby jik she quits. Also be prepared to take the babies away if she is not dedicated to them.

How do you know if a goose egg is fertile? Is it like a chicken egg?

 

[Percheron chick]

Same.

 

[Goosey Girl]

If you can check every day for new ones, do that and write the date on them. When you get to about 37 days, remove the eggs. Old eggs won't hatch, might break, and could become really stinky!

 

[laboroflove]

I would let them try. Disclosure, my first geese arrive next month but I will be allowing mine to try to hatch their first time I think. You’re geese are beautiful!

 

[Miss Cheep]

I would let them try. Disclosure, my first geese arrive next month but I will be allowing mine to try to hatch their first time I think. You’re geese are beautiful!

Thank you!