How many/how often does a goose lay eggs?

Ben n Deb · **Posted:** Fri Jul 16, 2010 3:29 pm

Hi

I have a goose that has just laid her first ever egg.

That was 2 1/2 days ago.

My husband thinks that they only lay an egg every few days??? Or is it because it is her first time laying?
The breed is a Sebestapol. Not sure she was cross bred with another breed tho.

Any answers would be helpful thanks!

Sebducks · **Joined:** Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:41 pm **Posts:** 812

My seb layed six eggs in total two days apart and it was her first too. Sebs don't lay many more than that, once a season.

Moon_Manor · **Joined:** Mon Aug 31, 2009 6:03 pm **Posts:** 18

Hey,

I have Chinese geese, so it might be slightly different with Sebastopols (and BTW congrats on getting Sebs ... I am incredibly envious!), but I have 1 goose that is currently averaging 1 egg every 2 - 3 days.

The same goose did the same thing last year and averaged 1 egg every 2 - 3 days and ended up laying about 20 eggs in the season ... which when you look at the size of the eggs (someone commented to me that the eggs she laid looked like a prop out of "Jurassic Park") I think it must put a huge strain on the bird to be popping out something so big every couple of days. Also it was her first season laying, and she had only newly arrived here and hadn't had that long to settle in, so I think that was a fair effort on her behalf.

I posted a question earlier on in this forum about geese laying in winter - all the research says they lay in Spring (which is what my lot did last year), but based on the replies I received, for some reason this year is odd ... as the geese are laying already. Maybe it is different where you are - but it is still mighty cold here at night / early morning on the Central Coast of NSW, so I am taking a long shot and putting the eggs in an artificial incubator ... which on checking today she has almost filled. I am hoping for a really good season this year, although I dont hold out much hope for the eggs laid so far, but will give artificially incubating the eggs a shot and keep my fingers crossed.

If you can keep us updated - I would be interested to hear how things pan out for your goose. Good luck!

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

every 2 1/2 to 3 days
so look mornings and evenings so you dont miss any

Ben n Deb · **Posted:** Mon Jul 19, 2010 5:55 pm

Hmmm. still only the one egg

I've had a look around the pen, and there only seems to be the one nest... I disturbed the nest a bit when I first found it, as some of my chickens and 1 duck lay in there too [smilie=a_doh.gif]

so perhaps she's hiding them better elsewhere... will have a better look later and let you know.

Ben n Deb · **Posted:** Thu Jul 22, 2010 6:27 pm

No more eggs

I wonder if it was because I disturbed the nest? (I took the lid off the dog kennel so I could take out a big pile of chook & duck eggs.)

Is there any chance she will lay again - that this was just a 'false' egg laying???

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

Ben n Deb wrote:

I disturbed the nest a bit when I first found it, so perhaps she's hiding them better elsewhere... will have a better look later and let you know.

OH YEAH = if shes still laying you have an egg hunt ahead of you
put a fake WHITE egg in the nest and DONT distrub it or at least make it look like you havent been there

Ben n Deb wrote:

(I took the lid off the dog kennel so I could take out a big pile of chook & duck eggs.)

lock yr chooks and ducks up if you have to to stop them laying in the same spot = she probably thinks all her eggs have been stolen and you really do need to go on an egg hunt

just consider the fact geese like privacy as opposed to a menagerie = if a chook or duck is in there WHEN she needs to lay an egg she will go elsewhere
geese sometimes lay next to each other in the same nest but not often and rarely go broody together - make several 'nest sites' around the yard for the geese that the chooks and ducks cant get to and then they have a choice of areas to lay in

Ben n Deb · **Posted:** Sun Jul 25, 2010 6:46 pm

Still no more eggs, and we have looked a number of times...

If she only laid the one egg, will she possibly wait a while and lay again like muscovy ducks, or is that it for the year?

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

They lay from 30-50/60 eggs a season depending on the breed – the ‘odd’ weather we’ve had may be contributing to her not laying anymore atm – she should start again soon
I note also you are in Townsville = have you got snakes around atm? They like eggs and can and often do steal them - I don’t live up north so I have no idea if the snakes are out or not - hence the question

Ben n Deb · **Posted:** Wed Sep 01, 2010 5:41 pm

I found 3 more eggs! they look pretty dirty, but I've seen her sitting on them occasionally. It is a sebestapol goose. Once she starts sitting, does she need to sit consistently like ducks and chickens, or not quite so much, as she only sometimes sits...

A duck found the first egg and sat on it... and it hatched! It is so cute! so much bigger than our ducks!

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