I have a young pair of Toulouse geese that are laying but not setting yet. They should be fertile (I caught them in a private moment :o). I threw out all the old eggs and I am collecting the new ones to put in my styro-incubator.

Any words of wisdom?

Farm Mom in Houston
www.angelfire.com/tx/FarmMom/index.html

Hi farm mom!
We are one in the same!
I also have geese; toulouse, african, and chinese,whom are laying but not setting. Sometimes they lay quite a few in the same area, but since they are free roaming on our large ranch, I'm never sure where all of the nesting places are. I can only observe the ones our geese are laying in their "coop' and in our pot bellied pig's heated dog house! This is our geese's first anniversary since their arrival as gooslings, last spring. I live in the CA foothills, where spring is becoming suggestive, but not full blown. The Geese seem to know about this before the rest of us, but I'm wondering if its just too soon, in the year? Or they are not "of appropriate age," yet. What I've done is give some to my mom who is using her expensive incubator, to see if we can hatch them, and I have tucked some under my "inexpensive incubator" my bronze turkey, who has been setting but has no fertile eggs. ( we just have 2 female turkeys.) She seems very appreciative,and I find this an interesting solution, especially when they hatch.
Anyways...don't throw your eggs out! I find goose eggs are absolutly wonderful when used in baking...use 1 instead of your 2 chicken eggs...for cakes, cookies, etc They are delicious, and seem richer than a chicken's egg. They have no noticable difference in taste. I have not been able to eat them scrambled yet. But who knows? Also, easter is coming up. You can "blow" your outcast eggs, and paint, decorate, what have you. There is a easter bonnet competition in our town, and I plan to decorate a hat with these decorated "outcasts" In the mean time, I hope we both find out why they are not setting, yet.
good luck!
diana

Diana,

I think you're right about all causes. My geese are not quite a year old and it is still very early to be setting.
I only threw out the old nasty ones then started fresh and marked the date on each egg. My styro incubator is almost full now so I may try decorating a couple for easter.

Does anyone know the proper humidity for incubating goose eggs?
Should the eggs be washed before incubation or left alone?
I have to turn them by hand because the auto turner is too small for goose eggs...
:o)Farm Mom

Farm mom,
I have heard that cold eggs can be incubated days after being laid, if they have not had a start already. Do you think that is true?
My geese have laid up to 12 eggs , in their nice little nest. I've been waiting to see if someone was planning on sitting on them, after they get a nice collection started, so now many are rather "old"
Guess I should break down...and get a book on geese!
Thanks for writing me back!
Diana
psMy mom put quite a few goose eggs in her fancy incubator, and they are due to hatch any time. we washed the eggs first. I'll let you know if they hatch, and will ck on humidity.

I have been candling my goose eggs since this is my first try. All my eggs are "alive" and you can actually see the embryo jumping around in response to the bright light. My oldest eggs should begin to hatch late next week and I have put an egg in almost every day since about March 3rd.

:o)Farm Mom in Houston

How do you know if a goose is setting? I have a pair of geese. I have gotten 5 eggs over two weeks. the female has maded a nest for the eggs and covered them with hay but have not seen her set on it. and how long does it take to hatch a goose egg.
thanks
Bob

Yahoo!
My first 3 geese have hatched and 3 more are "working" as I write.

Geese take 28-30 days to hatch. I read that they like 75% humidity in the incubator and you should mist the eggs with warm water 1-2 time per week. I did it and it seems to work!

Farm Mom in Texas

We have been in the goose business 4 days and that means we know NOTHING about geese. We have a great pen, nesting box, fenced in area, and food for two weeks. Where do we go from here.
Matilda has been laying eggs every day and we have been retreaving them and will wait until she begins to feather her nest before we put them back. I have left one in the nest as a cheater and hope it will convince her to keep laying. I hope I am doing the right thing. I raised ducks many years ago and the egg process is the same as I used for them.
Please give advice as I will gladlie take it. Thanks.
Altha

I am from England and we have a trio of American Buff geese. One goose has been sitting on 11 eggs for about 15 days now. I am getting a little worried about how to manage if they hatch. Should they be separated from the others? The geese are free ranging with three sheep, poultry and two llamas at the moment. Any suggestions or hints would be appreciated.