My brown Chinese geese started laying (these are my first geese, they should be about two years), and I have a few questions.
1) What happens with the eggs that don't hatch? I had a chicken once sit her eggs so long they finally busted rotten under her (she hid so well, I had figured I had lost her, then discovered her about a month later!).
2) Apparently, one of my EE chickens took an opportunity to use the nest as her own drop site (before the goose truly started sitting)...has anyone ever had a gooses hatch a chicken egg?
3) How often does a goose get off her nest while sitting? She seems to be on more often than not, now, but she seems to take rather long breaks (a few hours at a time, and she wasn't sitting through the night until the last few nights). Is this normal, or does she not have the hang of sitting yet?
4) Candling...should I try it on one of those moments when she's on break?
I have generally decided to let this clutch be a learning experiment in hatching, and any input is greatly appreciated! So far, this nest has all the ear-marks as a potential failure, but I figure I should give it a try as an incubator is not yet available. This poor nest is a combo of two geese (the first used it as a drop nest, the second simply took over and started sitting). Early on, the nest was frequently upset by the chickens as they tore apart the hay for possible goodies, and several eggs were rolled all over the place. I removed some of the early eggs (mmm tasty!), but I have been hoping for a naturally broody goose.
1) What happens with the eggs that don't hatch? I had a chicken once sit her eggs so long they finally busted rotten under her (she hid so well, I had figured I had lost her, then discovered her about a month later!).
2) Apparently, one of my EE chickens took an opportunity to use the nest as her own drop site (before the goose truly started sitting)...has anyone ever had a gooses hatch a chicken egg?
3) How often does a goose get off her nest while sitting? She seems to be on more often than not, now, but she seems to take rather long breaks (a few hours at a time, and she wasn't sitting through the night until the last few nights). Is this normal, or does she not have the hang of sitting yet?
4) Candling...should I try it on one of those moments when she's on break?
I have generally decided to let this clutch be a learning experiment in hatching, and any input is greatly appreciated! So far, this nest has all the ear-marks as a potential failure, but I figure I should give it a try as an incubator is not yet available. This poor nest is a combo of two geese (the first used it as a drop nest, the second simply took over and started sitting). Early on, the nest was frequently upset by the chickens as they tore apart the hay for possible goodies, and several eggs were rolled all over the place. I removed some of the early eggs (mmm tasty!), but I have been hoping for a naturally broody goose.
