Easter Eggs

I have decided to stop collecting the goose eggs as of today. I think that Easter is a good day for that. The Africans have never successfully hatched out any eggs. That is not for lack of trying. Both have tried with all of their might...to their own detriment I think. I hate to see them sitting there for so many weeks, barely coming out to eat. They do come out and browse some, but I can't imagine that it would be enough time to nourish themselves. My two females share a nest which has actually worked out. With two nesting spots available last year, they both still wanted the same one. They ended up taking turns laying eggs. One would lay one day and the other would lay the next. When it was time to set, however; it was another story. The younger one (actually a daughter of the African gander at least) was hatched out by our Toulouse goose which we no longer have. She seems to be more dominant over the older one and 'wins' the preferred nest when it is time to set. So each had their turn setting for weeks on end, each on their own nest...only to eventually start breaking rotten egg after egg and finally giving up. I knew that when I saw them browsing all day that it was over.

So I decided to let them keep their eggs starting earlier in the year while it was still cool. Maybe this will make a difference. I'm not sure if the Africans are just not as good at incubating the eggs as Toulouse or what. Maybe they don't keep them turned as they should. I don't know if there is something else I should be doing for them. I do know that the gander covered all of the geese on a regular basis (And darn PROUD of it, too!) so infertile eggs would not be the problem.

Our goslings ordered from the hatchery will be delivered sometime this week. Maybe this will get them in the mothering mood.