The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: trefnantbach on May 04, 2010, 07:50:48 pm

Title: Goose laying at night!
Post by: trefnantbach on May 04, 2010, 07:50:48 pm
At what time of day do geese normally lay? I couldn't work out why one of mine refused to come in to the safety of the goose house one evening. Twice she escaped to the lake only to come back to her nest. Eventualy at 11pm I managed to catch her and manhandle her into the goose house and the others followed in. Following morning I found an egg in the nest that had been laid between 10 and 11pm! is this normal. I bring them in every night because of the threat of foxes. Usually if I leave them too late they stay on the water all night or go to one of the islands on the lake where they are relatively safe. They appear to be a bit vulnerable sitting on the nest all night. I am still taking eggs for the incubator by the way.
Title: Re: Goose laying at night!
Post by: jameslindsay on May 04, 2010, 07:56:47 pm
My girl lays between 9 and 11.30am normally.
Title: Re: Goose laying at night!
Post by: Dee on May 05, 2010, 09:46:03 pm
I have a couple that lay in their Den at night,doesn't seem to be a time really, another lays about 7-9pm another in the morning.
Title: Re: Goose laying at night!
Post by: Dee on May 06, 2010, 01:01:50 pm
I am still taking eggs for the incubator by the way.


I have 9 in the incubator at the mo, due in a few days. Also one the ladies decided to go broody in the log store, so she is now securely barricaded inlol.
Title: Re: Goose laying at night!
Post by: jameslindsay on May 06, 2010, 01:06:31 pm
Fingers crossed for a good hatch. I incubated and hatched 2 geese eggs almost 3 weeks ago and their mum is now sitting on a nest but I have my doubts they will hatch, sadly. Let us know. This is the first time I have anything to do with goslings and they are great wee characters, mine are a sort of green colour and pre historic just now.
Title: Re: Goose laying at night!
Post by: Dee on May 19, 2010, 08:24:34 pm
Well I got 6 goslings out of 9 eggs :) I am really pleased and yes they are such charactors..
One of my geese are now sitting on 6 more eggs I think.
Title: Re: Goose laying at night!
Post by: trefnantbach on May 20, 2010, 02:55:32 pm
got 3 out of 3. The remaining 3 turned out not to have developed at all. I probably did a bad job of candling them earlier on and left them in the incubator just in case. They've been in the brooder under lamp for a week. Will be gradually reducing the heat and taking them out gradually next week.