Q&A for How to Breed Geese

Incubation period for goose eggs is 32-36 days, about 36 and 1/2 days tops. If they are still not hatched by this time, they are infertile and will likely not hatch.

Most geese are semi-difficult to sex because the ganders and geese have very similar appearances. Usually, behavior is a strong indication of their sex, with males being loud and more assertive than females. With larger breeds, you generally have to wait until you get an egg or see them breeding to tell.

No, if aggressive to anything or anyone, it would be humans. Geese are normally excellent parents and the gander takes it as his personal responsibility to guard the goslings with his life.

Most geese are like that. That's pretty much their natural behavior. If it bothers you, consider keeping a different bird or a calmer goose breed, like American Buff. You can also try culling the most aggressive geese from the flock and see if things improve.

They usually make a nest in March, April or May. They usually lay five to six eggs every two to six years.

Mating is something geese are born knowing how to do. If a gander isn't mating, a lack of knowledge isn't the cause.

They might not like each other. Try a different breed that the female will like better than your gander.

A male goose has more distinct and colorful markings to show off to the girls, and females have bland markings to blend into nature and protect their eggs.

Yes.

Geese mate for life.

No.

Not in my experience of having geese for at least thirty years. Some people report fall nesting but I have never had this happen either. I have never heard of summer laying but it is very hot during summer here.

I have seventeen geese together all year round with a pond and green grass all year. Winter rye grass for the cold months and a mixture for warm months. I add laying mash to the scratch for strong eggs that we not break when the female sits on them. I use the pellets for laying mash since I have automatic feeders tossing the scratch out.

It depends. First year geese often will not. Sometimes, more than one goose will lay eggs in the same nest, this doubles the chances of a goose incubating them. It can get interesting sometimes if both want to be on the nest at the same time. If the goose is older and more experienced, it might incubate them; it's just a risk you'll have to take.

With Pilgrim geese, if the female gets off the eggs that she is brooding, the male will honk loudly until she gets back on. If that is "helping," then yes, but otherwise, no.

Yes, cross-breeding breeds of geese is possible and is commonly done. Many chicken and geese species are created by cross-breeding breeds.

Actually, your duck may be trying to transition to a male. Female poultry can convert to the male gender as far as physical features are concerned, although they remain female genetically. Males cannot.

Not exactly. Birds mate slightly differently from most other animals. See the "Birds" section of the Wikipedia article "Cloaca."