1st Toulouse Egg of the Season

[pete55]

At long last we've got our first Toulouse eggs of 2011

One of our younger females started laying last week but still waiting for our older females to begin. They seem to be taking their time but the old Gander seems to be on form

 

[Tim]

Congratulations Pete55!

I have heard from some that geese have come into lay early this year, possibly because of the harsh / cold weather we had early.

My 2010 Brecon Buffs have not come into lay yet but the majority of my ducks have just started to lay.

Tim

 

[Davidd]

Hello, i am still waiting for my first egg- mine are late this year- it's still like winter here at the moment- shouldn't be long now!
regards, David

 

[Cheviot]

Hi,
Got my first Toulouse egg this morning 17 , my pair are approx 10 months old, I have seen the male treading for some time now, only problem is the egg is very small , only just a little bigger than a duck egg, so will have to turn it into an omlette :lol:
Regards
Sue

 

[Davidd]

Hi, I have one old goose laying so far...they are very late this year :shock:
regards, David

 

[Tim]

Strange that David as I have heard from others theirs are early, perhaps due to the cold weather we had early on..

 

[pete55]

Our older goose showed all the signs of being about to lay for a few days with lots of active nest building then nothing. Looked a little unhappy with slightly arched back and dropped tail though eating and preening as normal.

Yesterday looked in the nest and she'd passed an intact egg membrane about 20 inches long and looked a little unpleasant 03



Spoke to David (Moderator) yesterday and he described it as a 'Lash'. Apparently more common in chickens. She still looks off colour today but drinking well and statrting to nibble her food again. Looked very unwell yesterday morning.

 

[dorinda]

My geese have just started laying - 1st egg was laid then a three day interval.. the same for the next two eggs, then another one day later.. is this normal.. and why when they have a lovely hide do they lay in the most exposed part of the run in the fresh snow??? also will she just start to sit when she feels she has enough eggs in the clutch, never had geese before

 

[Davidd]

Hello Dorinda, they should lay every 36-40 hours- roughly lay one day miss the next then lay- having said that if they are just first season birds it may take a week or two to settle down. One of my old geese has laid two eggs and seems to have stopped for some reason :shock: The weather has been a bit up and down which doesn't help them either.
They normally make a nest and cover the eggs with straw. Are yours locked in at night?
As to sitting some breeds are very prone to go broody others will not go broody at all and individual geese vary as well- most of mine go broody but i have one who doesnt. What breed are yours?
regards, David

 

[pete55]

Update. After passing a Lash 2 days ago thats pictured above the goose seems a little brighter. Preening, drinking and nibbling the grass. However went inside the greenhouse to find another 'Lash' has been passed. This one was roughly the size of an egg but mixed with what appeared to be plaster of paris 03

I think its another 'egg' but this time her oviduct is trying to coat it with calcium.

 

[pete55]

After a few weeks of settling down and regaining her appetite the Toulouse passed another membrane into the straw of her bedding then laid this soft shelled egg on the grass this afternoon! 03