The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Jackie 2 on February 22, 2013, 05:51:14 am
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I have a flock of 16 ebden geese, they are two years old and this year we want to hatch the eggs in a hatchery bought for this purpose. Last year we left the geese to hatch and rear their own but they are terrible mothers and they only reared one.
The question Im asking is; do I take eggs from the nests as soon as they are laid or do I leave them until I think the female has finished laying?
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If you leave them till she's finished laying you risk losing them to vermin or maybe having the goose crack them, they're clumsy buggers. Ours have just started to lay and I'm leaving one egg in the nest and taking the freshly laid ones out as they appear. Last year we left things to nature and ended up losing all the eggs before she managed to hatch any so this year they're going in the incubator.
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I'd leave her with half a dozen subtley marked ones and take the rest - once she finishes laying she'll be sitting and yes, there is a chance stoats or others will take them. She won't lay every day so I'd check it out every 2 days. We penned ours last year with the mum, we had some success but they do get kicked or trodden on don't they. I may just take them off them this year and put them in a safe place where the mum can still see them. They do need a bit of care the geese at this time don't they, makes up for the easy care the rest of the year I suppose.
Good luck Jackie.
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We always take 1-2 out every couple of days & they are always the oldest eggs & that always leaves 1-2 eggs so we know they are always fresh also when hatching you don't really want to keep eggs for hatching over 3 weeks ideally x
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Thanks Ill remove most of them every 2 days :)
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Do you leave them so they know where to lay more? I think we had our first goose egg a few days ago (it was in the duck house which puzzled me since it was first thing in the morning but I think she must have laid it the previous day - it was a clearly bigger egg than the duck has ever managed) but we've had nothing since so I wondered whether she'd laid something elsewhere or whether they just start slowly....
H
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So far I have retrieved 20 eggs :) and more to come for the 2nd hatchery I hope :)
I have 13 females so should get more eggs
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So far 63 eggs!!!
24 in one hatcher and holding another 24 till the other is free is a week. I have left the remaining eggs with the geese and will remove chicks (if we can) when we see them and put them in a brooder as geese seem to be awful mothers.
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That's great Jackie, I'm jealous, I can only find 1 nest which has 7 eggs in it so far, the other 3 females are laying who knows where - I will find them though 8)
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Hi I have 16 embden geese too,I put some hay in an an old wooden cupboard and all the geese lay in the same nest.
I collect all the eggs once a day and leave none,I get between 3 and 5 a day.So far I have 36 eggs.
I have 20 in the incy,in two batches of 10.
The first lot have been in the incy 10 days I will candle them to night.
Graham.
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GP I hope you find where the others are laying before the vermin does.
What are you doing with the rest Graham?
I was surprised how long it takes to hatch goose eggs so wondered if I can hold some for the 1st hatcher to become vacant in 30 days?
I already have enough for the second hatcher.
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Hi,at the moment I am try to get hold of another incy,I all ready have two but the other one if full of chicken eggs.
Money is a bit tight at the moment though as I've just bought some more land.
I will also putting some eggs on ebay and the like as soon as I candle the first lot as fertile.
Graham.
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I have two as well but its just not enough is it? I might buy another too as I hate to waste eggs.
I think Ill take mine to market
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Sorry what do you mean you will take them to market.
Graham.
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Melton Mowbray cattle market has an auction for selling eggs, when I was there last (2 weeks ago) goose eggs were selling for £1.60 each but unless you have hundreds or are going to MM anyway the price of transport will outweigh the profit.
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Hi,yes I see what you mean that sounds good.There is an auction near me but not til next Saturday.
Graham.