Fertile Goose Eggs?

[animalmom]

We have Embden geese, nine of them. They will be 2 years old April 24, 2014. I know we have both sexes, a 4/5 split depending on who is doing what to whom which makes me think it is 5 ganders and 4 geese... or the other way around. They are, ahem, active.

So, when should I expect fertile eggs and resulting goslings? Egg laying is not the problem as we get more than enough eggs, but none have shown the red spot like a fertile hen egg does.

Should I be looking for a different sign? The geese make nests, lay eggs, sit on the eggs and eventually loose interest. Is it reasonable that this spring I could anticipate the little flapping of webbed feet?

Inquiring minds would love to know.

 

[Southern by choice]

Not sure what you mean by the red spot.
At what stage are you cracking eggs for fertility?
You are looking for a bullseye, not red spot.
Not too familiar with the Embden Geese but most geese are seasonal layers and only will lay in season fertility is best in Jan-April with eggs hatching Feb-May.

It may be advantageous for you to gather eggs and candle them at 7-10 days.

 

[jodief100]

I don't know anything about geese but I just love the way you put that- The flapping of little webbed feet.

I wish you well, I want to see pictures of you little goslings when they hatch!

 

[Southern by choice]

One thing that can be difficult is birds laying and sitting and other birds adding to an established nest. This has happened to us with our Brown Chinese and Toulouse geese. Sometimes the ducks will steal their nest. You can also get a staggered hatch and that doesn't usually go well.

Do they breed on land or water?

My friend has Embden, duh... I just remembered... came from good stock and she paid a fortune... not one gosling so far from the geese. She has had them I think 2 years.

 

[animalmom]

SBC:
The red spot I mentioned is what I see when I crack one of our hens' eggs. I suppose that red spot would eventually become a little chick if left with the hen.

My understanding is that Embdens take longer to produce goslings than other geese, but then again they are large birds.

Embden ganders seem to prefer by far to breed in their pool, but the absence of water doesn't seem to deter these males... meaning they will do their thing on land as well as water, but prefer water.

The geese build lovely large nests. I've read that the geese will continue to lay until the goose "thinks" she has enough eggs to suit her and then she sits.

My girls have the idea down pat, they make nice nests, lay and lay and lay, sit and sit and eventually decide that there must be something more entertaining to do than sit .

I am hopeful that after they hit the magic 2 year mark that all works out well for them... otherwise I'm afraid it will be goose sausage time... again that would be a shame as they are lovely birds with beautiful blue eyes.

 

[Southern by choice]

Have you thought about collecting the eggs and incubating?
I prefer for the goose to sit and hatch and brood. No incidence of angel wing when the parents raise them, but I will be gathering and incubating this year. I think they will take to the new hatchlings well and can raise them. They did last year when we got new goslings in, took to them right away.

Our geese like to do a communal nest and share the eggs and responsibility but last years hatch wasn't very good.

I hope magic 2 works too!

 

[Prairie Farm Woman]

We've had both Tufted Romans and then Pilgrims. We have had some good results from leaving the geese in their trios and then separating them when they start to lay. This way we know the genetics and their isn't a free for all around the goslings. The first year the rest of the Romans trampled the goslings. It bummed us all out. That was 4 years ago. We've been learning since and continue to.

 

[Gryphon]

Blood flakes in the egg has nothing to do with fertility. By the time there's actual blood in the egg development, you would see visible veins. When there's a "blood spot", it's from the hen's body when forming the egg, some lines are more prone to it than others. One of my hens sometimes produces a bit of a blood spot and since I have no rooster I know that there's no way it's a sign of fertility. Here's a great thread showing pics of the bullseye on a chicken egg, I assume (although I could be way off) that a fertile goose egg would look similar. http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/16008/how-to-tell-a-fertile-vs-infertile-egg-pictures