UK geese

[chickenz101]

Hi I live in the UK have a embden pair and was wondering if anyone else in the UK has geese and they had started to lay yet? My goose is just under a year old (a year in April) and hasn't laid any eggs yet... I have a tire filled with hay in their house but she hasn't bothered to make a nest or anything? Could it be the rubbish weather?!

 

[BunkyB]

Don't worry yet about the goose. It takes up to 2 to 3 years just for them to mature. When she is ready she will make her nest and you will start to see changes soon enough. Less time outside and more time getting a nest ready. If and when you want to try and build a nest for her it should be protected on 3 sides and a roof of course. Tires are all right and I use them as well. I just make sure to stuff straw all the wat inside the tire then the rest of the nesting material on top. Geese are pretty good builders and they like to have straw handy if not right beside them so they can cover their eggs while going for a feed or swim. Have fun and be patient. The rewards are there when the eggs hatch.

I am no expert but I have had geese around with my flock for over 20 years and I am a habitual learner. The geese teach me...

 

[chickenz101]

Ok thank you, but do you reckon there is no way she'll lay this year then?

 

[flockman]

She will most likely lay this year. Most geese lay their first year. Their fertility and the number of eggs will be higher next year.

 

[DallasCriftins]

I have just bought two female Brecon Buffs through a contact of Chris and Mike Ashton that had to let them go
http://www.ashtonwaterfowl.net/index.html
Either of her two books are well worth buying btw.

He sent me some egg laying records but with this latest batch of heavy Snow and coming to a new home I am not sure when either of them will start this year.
anyway this is what I was told about one of my two

"a few notes for you
I dont know what you realize about goose egg laying but they basically lay 2 batches of eggs with somewhere between 2 weeks to a month between batches ,if you don't take the eggs from them they will sit on the 1st lot and you don't get any more laid that year .the eggs are laid 36 hours apart

my records for your leg ringed female are
2011
1st egg laid on 2nd of April she laid 9 eggs then stopped her 2nd batch started three weeks after the 1st ended and she laid another 14 eggs!

2012 1st batch started 26th of march laid 6 then 2nd batch started two weeks later and laid 10 more ."

 

[chickenz101]

Oh ok, she laid her first ever egg, however that was three days ago and she haven't laid anymore....?