When do the goose eggs start?

[DoodlesDuckies]

Morning. I am located in Wisconsin so we are having cold temps and not much daylight. My goose was hatched the beginning of April 2024. Her main squeeze Rusty is a few years older. It is just those 2 (in a mix of 6 crazy ducks and a distinguished gentleman drake). In a perfect world, I am hoping they are proud parents this spring. She has yet to lay an egg. To be honest, all the ducks stopped last fall when it got cold and dark.

I have been trying to watch behaviors. The geese have moved in with the ducks at night. When things got very cold the geese decided to go in with the ducks at night. With temps at -30F I wasn't going to argue. Sometimes the geese go into their own hut at night but they have been going in with with ducks mainly now. Everyone seems ok with it.

Anyway, I assume the eggs will start soon for my goose?
(grey goose is my girl Eddie)

Thanks
Renee

 

[JRies]

Depends on the breed the amount of daylight and the temperatures. My main flock usually end of Feb to fist of March. There Heavyweight 20-26lb Africans. My white African flock are a little smaller bird 16-18lb and first year, 2 of the girls started last week the other 3 larger girls probably wouldn't for a few more weeks.

Geese like 11-12 hours of daylight light, Boys need warmer temps for fertility.

Mine are not production geese and only lay 20-30 eggs a year as soon as it gets to hot they stop.

Things you can watch for but not always with a first year goose is getting good fat lobs hanging under and a slightly swollen rear end.

 

[AGeese]

Soon!

 

[DoodlesDuckies]

Soon!

That is like telling a child "we'll see"...LOL!

 

[Jenbirdee]

My pilgrim Trudy usually lays her first egg every year on or very close to my birthday - March 3!
Personally, I would discourage letting your goose hatch any eggs her first year.

 

[DoodlesDuckies]

My pilgrim Trudy usually lays her first egg every year on or very close to my birthday - March 3!
Personally, I would discourage letting your goose hatch any eggs her first year.

That is good information to know. Can I ask why? Should I not hatch them myself too?

 

[Jenbirdee]

That is good information to know. Can I ask why? Should I not hatch them myself too?

The first year, the goose is still young and growing and maturing. Brooding takes a lot out of them physically, nutrition wise. I would wait for next year to let her do it. As far as hatching them yourself inside in an incubator, I don’t really know, but I would at least let the first few eggs go by before starting to put any in an incubator when they first start laying their body is working things out. I really don’t know they might be fine, but that’s what I would do. @Goosebaby will know

 

[DoodlesDuckies]

The first year, the goose is still young and growing and maturing. Brooding takes a lot out of them physically, nutrition wise. I would wait for next year to let her do it. As far as hatching them yourself inside in an incubator, I don’t really know, but I would at least let the first few eggs go by before starting to put any in an incubator when they first start laying their body is working things out. I really don’t know they might be fine, but that’s what I would do. @Goosebaby will know

From the way my male acts around her- he will be the one on the nest and parenting all the time. He treats her like a queen and she doesn't really pay much attention to him. She is busy running with the ducks. He is a few years old than her.

 

[Goosebaby]

First year broodies aren’t always the best moms.

 

[fowltemptress]

Also, first year eggs often are smaller, which can cause problems.