How often do geese lay eggs?

Set realistic expectations for goose egg output: most backyard breeds produce 20 to 60 eggs per goose per year. This is far below the 250+ eggs a commercial chicken lays, so plan usage accordingly.

Gather goose eggs every morning during the laying season, ideally before 9 AM when most geese have finished laying. Place eggs in a clean container and move them to cool storage (around 13°C / 55°F) promptly.

Switch geese to a waterfowl layer feed (16-18% protein) starting 2-4 weeks before the expected laying season. Supplement with crushed oyster shell for calcium and ensure access to natural daylight for at least 10 hours per day.

Plan your egg collection around the natural goose laying season, which runs from February through June in the Northern Hemisphere. Unlike chickens, geese do not lay year-round. Most breeds begin when daylight reaches 10+ hours and taper off by early summer.

Watch for broodiness signs: a goose sitting tightly on the nest, refusing to leave, hissing when approached, and plucking breast feathers to line the nest. If you do not want goslings, intervene promptly by collecting eggs daily and removing the goose from the nest 2-3 times per day.

Set up ground-level nesting spots inside the goose shelter using simple wooden frames or partitioned corners, each roughly 60 cm x 60 cm. Line them with 10-15 cm of clean straw and place them in quiet, dimly lit areas away from high-traffic zones.