Waterfowl laying question.

[Wolf-Kim]

I know that chickens lay in cycles according to light, do geese do the same thing? Have you heard of anybody doing this? Why?

I imagine that geese and ducks would respond like chickens when it comes to artificial lights. The question occurred to me just a few minutes ago, so I decided to ask.

Feel free to post health concerns with this, as I know there are some with keeping chickens under timed lights.

Please do NOT post, if you are simply going to post "the practice as cruel", I can decided that for myself. Post information please.

I don't have waterfowl currently, neither do I plan on keeping the messy critters inside, under lights. I simply want to know for curiousity.

Thanks.

-Kim

 

[chickmommar]

Hmm, I don't know. I have ducks and they lay pretty much late Feb to late summer or late fall, depending on their age (younger lay into Nov, older may stop in July). I don't have geese but the friends I have who do, say that they tend to lay for a short time. My friend in south TX has domestic geese who lay in December but only for a few weeks. I know people who have indoor pet ducks and some of these do lay year round so I do think ducks are affected by season (light) but don't know about geese.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Thanks. I've been reading up on it. LOL I realized I better go do my research since nobody seemed to know the response.

Thanks again,
-Kim

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I think they are sensitive to daylight length in the same way as chickens. I think they also tend to lay less eggs/year than chickens, so I don't know if forced daylight would be as effective. I had a duck that nearly laid all through her first winter and only stopped to molt and then started up again, however now I think she was an exception.

What did you find out?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I havent heard of that. I dont think its cruel. But it can lead to them stopping laying at an earlier age.