How many days do geese sit on eggs before the chicks hatch and what affects the timing?

Geese are bred primarily for their nourishing and tasty meat. Eggs most often have a secondary meaning, but recently this product has become popular. Therefore, farmers should know how long geese sit on eggs, at what period the birds begin to lay eggs, what affects the timing and productivity of hatching, and how to ensure optimal conditions in order to achieve good results.

When do birds sit on eggs?

In most cases, geese begin laying eggs at the age of eight months. This category includes the following varieties:

• Demidovsky;
• Kuban;
• Toulouse;
• Lindovskie.

Other members of the species incubate eggs for the first time at nine months of age, for example, Danish Legard, Gorky goose. The gray goose reaches maturity at 10-11 months, the Kholmogory goose - three years after birth. As for the time when birds prefer to lay eggs, it is usually mid-February, early March. In rare cases, the deadline is extended until June.

To understand that the goose is ready to start laying, you should pay attention to its behavior. The female exhibits the following signs:

1. Anxiety.
2. Nervous gait.
3. He starts digging and digging.
4. Lowers his tail.
5. Begins nest construction.
6. The bird carries small stones and straw to the site of future masonry.
7. The goose places its own down at the bottom of the supposed nest, which it pulls out of its chest.

The signs become more pronounced as the deadline approaches. Just before laying begins, the female sits down next to the nest.

Compared to other agricultural birds, geese have the lowest reproductive index, and the egg-laying process is highly seasonal.

How many days does a goose hatch a clutch at home?

Females of Toulouse, Lindov, Kholmogory geese, as well as Danish legard, lay eggs once after the end of winter. Other breeds, namely large gray geese and Demidov females, create two clutches per year in the autumn season. However, this rarely happens and only under optimal conditions.

In order for the goose to increase the number of clutches, the nests are returned to their original place and the daylight hours are extended to 14 hours. Pasture walking is also provided, and the diet is supplemented with protein foods and minerals. 30-32 days should pass before the chicks hatch - this is the optimal amount of time for all breeds. During the year, one goose hatches 15-30 chicks.

Geese usually lay eggs in the first half of the day. In this case, the frequency is one day. First, those females who are older settle into the nest, and they are followed by young individuals. Hatching of fertilized eggs begins three days after mating. It is noteworthy that in many cases geese hide their clutches. Therefore, there are no eggs in the nest, but this does not indicate their true absence.

What can affect the timing?

The entire process of oviposition in geese occurs individually and is determined by several factors:

1. Breed.
2. Quality of food.
3. Length of daylight hours.
4. Age of the bird.
5. Attitude towards offspring (in some species the maternal instinct is weakly expressed or completely absent).

Also, the time and period of incubation depend on the ambient temperature. The lack of useful microelements and nutritional components negatively affects the health of the bird, including a negative effect on egg laying - it reduces or completely stops productivity.

An important factor is the light regime. Like any other poultry, the egg production of geese depends greatly on the length of daylight hours:

1. For young individuals, daylight hours, starting in December, should be 14 hours. These are optimal conditions for starting laying in January.
2. The illumination level is 20 lux per square meter.
3. If we are talking about females older than two years, then after the end of egg-laying in the summer, the accelerated molting method is used. It consists in creating a seven-hour daylight hours for the goose, and over the next three weeks the regime is increased to 14 hours. This method is designed to stimulate egg laying in the autumn-winter period.
4. Three-year-old females are transferred to the seven-hour regime in early January. Gradually, natural daylight hours increase, after which the birds begin the spring-summer egg-laying period.

So, the brooding period for geese is about a month. The specific period, as well as the frequency of oviposition and productivity, depend on many factors (breed, living conditions, climate, etc.).