Laying and Incubation 279 



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 incubation will be persisted in. 

 Usually it is recommended not to attempt to secure 

 more than three sittings from one female before she 

 is permitted 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 commenced in 

 in the late fall or early winter, but would not con- 

 tinue through the winter. In such instances 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. 



