Toulouse goose breeding

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I just found this site and hope someone has an answer. I raised a lot of animals and birds over the years but have never raised geese. (the neighbors geese attacked me when I was a kid) Anyway, I was given a trio of Toulouse and pair of African geese. My question is...I don't have a pond (yet, we are in a drought) and I know ducks need water to breed, do geese? I have a long water trough that was apparently an old steel water heater cut in half and they climb in it to bathe. I have never seen the geese breed but one of the Toulouse is already laying eggs. She has made a rather fancy nest in the empty pig shed and burys her eggs well below the straw. Should I leave them and let her set or spray paint them gold and donate them to the kids Easter egg hunt? Any response appreciated. Thx

-- Nancy C. (nmcarter@infomagic.net), February 21, 2002

Answers

Nancy, I am no goose expert, lol, the people at www.poultryconnection.com, General Waterfowl Forum are. I can tell you though that domestic waterfowl do not have to have a pond to breed however it will increase fertility in your hatches as they do find it easier on water as opposed to land. As for the fertility of the eggs, it is easy and a good idea to candle them if you have doubts. There are links on the above site(to Quackers Home Page etc) which have illustrations on how the eggs will look at any given time during incubation. Hope this helps. Good luck with the geese. Little Quacker

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), February 21, 2002.

I have a pair of Toulouse geese that are 3 yrs old, and have raised a clutch every year! Without water! They have a water tub but prefer the house. The goose will lay an egg every other day, until she's done, usually around 10, but if you take them away, she'll keep laying. She will set for a month, and RARELY get off the nest, maybe once a day. The gander's are VERY protective. My goose will let me check on the eggs while she's setting on them. After they hatch, I take them and raise them, I like to have them imprint on people if I'm selling them. ANy way, unless you live where the weather is decent, not cold, rainy & snowy, I'd wait until April to let her hatch. We live in NW PA, and the weather isn't predictable this time of year. Have fun with your goslings!!

-- Tricia (never-enough-pets@excite.com), February 21, 2002.

I don't think geese strictly need water, but you'll probably have higher fertility if you have it available for them. Even a mud puddle is a turn on for my ducks! :)

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), February 21, 2002.

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