260 Farm Poultry 



nary conditions, a goose will lay from twelve to 

 twenty eggs before incubation. If the eggs be 

 removed from the nest, two or three sittings of 

 eggs may be produced by one female before in- 

 cubation will be persisted in. Usually it is rec- 

 ommended not to attempt to secure more than 

 three sittings from one female before she is per- 

 mitted to incubate. In practice, the first eggs 

 are usually set under hens, the goose hatching- 

 the eggs that are laid last. 



Geese frequently begin laying early in the 

 spring, sometimes as early as February. Many 

 instances have been noted where the laying com- 

 menced in the late fall or early winter, but would 

 not continue through the winter. In such in- 

 stances the laying would begin again in the 

 spring. 



The period of incubation is stated by various 

 authors to be from twenty -eight to thirty -one 

 days, which without doubt will represent the limits 

 under ordinary conditions. When eggs are placed 

 under hens they are not covered quite so well as 

 when placed under the mother goose, and incuba- 

 tion therefore may be delayed a little. 



