Why are my Sebs laying in December?

[xIndigoSkyx]

I live in Alberta, where it's freezing all the way until the end of March, and generally my geese don't start laying until around then, when it starts to warm up. But last week, just as we had gotten a cold snap, I found an egg, and so far, even in -30 temps, I've found 5 eggs. They're two years old this spring, and they started laying in July last year but they're laying and it's only December. Is this normal? Will they keep laying until the spring, when I could actually hatch some goslings?

 

[xIndigoSkyx]

Oh, they also hatched out 5 goslings of their own around mid August last year.

 

[flockman]

Are they getting any artificial light? That would be one question.

 

[xIndigoSkyx]

Yes, mostly for heat because it's just them now.

 

[Mary-Anne]

My goose is still sitting on eggs in a rather cold shed with a heat lamp. I am in Manitoba. They actually hatched one two weeks ago who is now living in the house.

 

[xIndigoSkyx]

That's what I don't want! My imprinted peacock is in the house with a healing frost bitten foot so I have absolutely no where to put the little ones if they do hatch some.

 

[livininbrazil]

My goose is still sitting on eggs in a rather cold shed with a heat lamp. I am in Manitoba. They actually hatched one two weeks ago who is now living in the house.

Mary-Anne, just a thought...when would the eggs be due to hatch? I successfully have had goose families made up of different ages. The goose may well adopt Frosty. frosty would just need to learn to go to her for warmth, but it shouldn´t take long for him to cotton on. Once any new goslings are on their feet, of course.....

 

[livininbrazil]

Yes, mostly for heat because it's just them now.

The longer daylight hours trigger birds into breeding, so if you´re using a light for heating, it could be the reason they´ve started early. also, they may feel it´s quite warm enough in there! An infra-red wouldn´t give off the same kind of light, so may help. Although, depending on the breed, they do tend to be quite tough. Also, you can keep picking up any eggs until late Feb, then leave her to it.

 

[xIndigoSkyx]

That's what I planning on doing but we can still get some pretty scary storms in April.

 

[livininbrazil]

Do you mean heavy rain? We get some really heavy downpours here, so I keep the small goslings in a pen with their mom who takes good care of them, then I let them wander about when they´re big enough not to get washed away in the stream!