I'm confused about sex of geese...help please

[couponsaver47]

I have 2 african greys..we thought a certain 1 was laying eggs..it was the one sitting all the time. Now, that one is climbing on top of the other, ALL THE TIME!! now i'm not sure if i have male & female or 2 females.

The one we originally thought was laying the eggs is the biggest but it's belly is lower to the ground than the other..I also has what I call a boat keel under it. The other doesn't have that boat keel & has a more pronounced horn.

I'm sorry but my camara died or I'd take pics.

My questions are:

1: Will both sexes sit on the eggs?

2: How long does it take for goose eggs to hatch?

3: How many will they lay until they quit?

We have something like 20 eggs in one nest over about 25-30 days. They won't sit on them at night, only during the day. the nest is out in the open field.

4:Will these eggs hatch if we have male & female or should i pull them & start over?

Now, the goose that we thought is male, seems to have feathers on it's back that seem like they were slimed (lol) & then dried..Like it was just plastered with something.

5: These slimed dried feathers, are they a disease or something else I should worry about?

This is our first time with geese, even though we have had them for a year now..Just don't know much about them.

All responses deeply appreciated & welcomed.

Thanks in advance for the help.

A fellow BackYard Chicken Raiser

 

[kandyg_99]

I have two pairs of Chinese Geese, Both My females are laying and they take turns sitting on the nest.
They have laid atleast 20 eggs between the two of them.Both of the males sit outside the nest and guard.
Goose eggs take 28-30 days to incubate.
The eggs will hatch if they are fertile first year layers may not get it right the first time.
If you have any other questions let me know..

 

[cracking up]

I have White Chinese. I call the boat keel an egg channel pretty sure that is your female. Usually only the female will sit on the eggs and they take 28 to 30 days to hatch. If you keep taking the eggs away they will keep laying number of eggs depends on the breed of goose.

Maybe something is sitting above your gander in the coop and that could be the reason for the slime??

 

[couponsaver47]

Thanks for the responses.

I'm going to give the eggs a little while yet to go & cross my fingers for goslings...I hope we get some!!

The one that we think is male, seems to be smaller than the boat keeled or egg channeled one but the boat keeled one is the one doing the mounting or deed, this last 2 weeks. The weird part is she only does it after i handle her & oh does she like to be handled. She just loves to be picked up & carried around the yard but as soon as I put her down, she mounts the male.

Does this sound normal for geese?

These geese won't go near the coop..They stay outside & free range day & night, so it's not droppings or anything like that..the nest is in the open & they only sit on it during the day, so I'm worried about the eggs.

If they won't sit on them at night which is colder, will the eggs still be viable for hatching?

Should I take the eggs out & just plan on eating the new ones that they lay?

I know chickens vaguely, but, totally lost on these 2 geese.

Thanks again for any responses!!

 

[jack & mommy's duckies]

I'll go out and see if I can get a video of the sound of my african geese... the male is bigger and makes a way different noise.

Ill be back in a sec


Ya he isn't making any noises..... I'll try again later

 

[couponsaver47]

Jack & Mommys, mine seem to make the same noise, right in my ears..lol.

starting to wonder if I have a runt female but I have no idea..there is NO egg channel on this one & it was the first to do the deed..It's just the last 2 weeks that it has switched..

Got to get a new cam on payday.