TO HATCH OR NOT TO HATCH !!!

[alycececelia]

Our geese (2 Africans, 2 Saddlebacks) have laid over 100 eggs between them, starting in late February. The first 50 or so eggs we removed once they were in the next for awhile and not being tended to. However, the last 50 or so remain, and now the geese are sitting constantly, to the point of only leaving the nest to eat and drink. My question is - they have been doing this for well over 30 days. Do you think these eggs will hatch or are they just sitting as it is their instinct? I am wondering if I should remove the eggs, but hate to "fool with mother nature".
Please advise - this is our first go around with the eggs! Thank you all.

 

[Mykee]

How long did the eggs sit ouside before they decided to sit? And do you have a gander? If you do have a gander, do you also have a pool or something they can swim in? It is possible the eggs aren't fertile.

 

[alycececelia]

I don't want to sound like an amateur, although i am, but i don't know if we have a gander. the amount of eggs got so out of hand and i know we had at least 3 of the four laying. We just tonight removed some of the older eggs that have fallen out of the nest. the remaining eggs are very very warm from the geese sitting.
We have a lake and they have access to it. Today for the first time in weeks they were all out of the coop and wandering. two of them have lost so much weight its not even funny. I'm beginning to think we should just remove all the eggs but i don't want to give up that a few might hatch .... i don't want them starving themselves either though.

 

[alycececelia]

oh and i would say that the eggs just sat around for nearly two months before they decided to sit and stay on them.

 

[Mykee]

I would say the eggs are not going to hatch and remove them before the geese kill themselves. If one goose stands out as the leader of the rest, that's probably a gander. If you watch them around the pond, you may notice behaviour almost like they're flirting.

 

[alycececelia]

yes we have noticed them prior to them sitting with behavior in the water of what seems to be mating. On top of one another, the goose on top will actually hold the others' head under water.
We will give it through the weekend surely it will have been over 30 days of constant sitting - and then remove the eggs. Their weight loss is scary. Thank you!

 

[Mykee]

Yes, you have a gander! They're so much fun

 

[RURU]

Do you have food and water by their nest so they can eat and drink? You should because they should not be losing that much weight. or you make sure to get them off the nest to eat and drink and relieve themselves!!! You should not let them sit so long without making sure they eat and drink daily..........