[Anke]

So after nothing happened by day 32 I have just opened up all the eggs - all complete duds.  They don't smell rotten or anything. (I have so far never candled, as my chicken eggs are brown shelled and I always felt that I would give all eggs a chance anyway). Might need to re-think that one and build a candling box...

So, this complete and utter failure could be because of one or the other....
1) Gander firing blanks (he is only 1 year old - can they become fertile later?)
2) Gander not quite got his technique right.... I have seen them mating (on the ground) in February a few times but not since... he did look clumsy, but then so does the cockerel. Not seen much action since late winter.  Goosey's neck feathers are pristine, suggesting that he is not that regular in his endeavours...
3) Goosey's eggs not right? (They have got poultry grit and wheat at night time, they live in a grassy area that is changed round regularly.
4) Are they just too young?

Welcome suggestions as to what I should do with them - I am keen to breed geese, mainly only for meat with selling breeding stock a longer term aim, as I would need another pair for that anyway. I really love having them around, but they do need to earn their keep...

Should I wait another year and see what happens next year? Change gander (although it seems Pilgrims are not that easy to come by...)? How easily would the girl accept a new man? Different breed of gander - but I would loose the auto-sexing?

These are Pilgrims, and I like them because a) easy to sex offspring and b) not quite that big so would like to continue with them.

[simone]

Having the same problem with my one-year old Pilgrim pair, can see why they are a rare breed  :-(

[HesterF]

I've got a West of England gander that appears to be infertile. First season I put it down to technique and age but he's now in his third season and never produced a fertile egg from any of the girls he's with. He's definitely treading fervently this year - his goose has signs on the back of her head - so my guess would be gander fertility. It's a pain because he's a beautiful gander, very friendly (most of the year) and was very expensive! Oh, and I separate ganders so I have to split him out with a decent goose and have enough space to keep him. I've offered him to various good homes but no-one has wanted him yet.....

H

[Anke]

I've got a West of England gander that appears to be infertile. First season I put it down to technique and age but he's now in his third season and never produced a fertile egg from any of the girls he's with. He's definitely treading fervently this year - his goose has signs on the back of her head - so my guess would be gander fertility. It's a pain because he's a beautiful gander, very friendly (most of the year) and was very expensive! Oh, and I separate ganders so I have to split him out with a decent goose and have enough space to keep him. I've offered him to various good homes but no-one has wanted him yet.....

H

and he may be a tad tough to eat.... ours definitely was too expensive to eat (but as we bought them as 6months old last year, he was obviously not proven..). I think gander is getting another chance next year...

[cans]

They may be too young.  A friend had geese and they said that it took a year or so before they got the hang of things   

[Anke]

They may be too young.  A friend had geese and they said that it took a year or so before they got the hang of things

Let's hope so...

[Harebell]

It's advisable not to hatch eggs from Pilgrims until their second year anyway, so don't worry too much yet.  My Pilgrims mate in water (in a pond or paddling pool), do your pair have access to water like this?

I use an OvaView Egg Candling Lamp to monitor Pilgrim eggs throughout the incubation process.  Pilgrims are more difficult to hatch than Embden or Chinese but not impossible.  They need to loose a lot of water to successfully hatch, so you need to dry incubate to try to avoid 'dead in shell' goslings.  Alternatively you could pop some eggs under a broody hen or muscovy duck. 

I love Pilgrims and they make great pets but if you want an easy breed that makes good eating, I'd go for Embden or Embden type white geese.

There's a good Pilgrim group on Facebook if you're not already a member
https://www.facebook.com/groups/405161572918812/

I also recommend 'Keeping Geese: Breeds and Management by Chris Ashton' for general goose advice!