Goose Eggs

I had a friend asked me today, "How large is a goose egg?"  This is an egg from a Pomeranian goose.  As you can see, it is huge!

Goose eggs are similar to chicken eggs on the inside.  They have a yolk and white, there is just more of it, as the goslings are larger than chickens at hatch, and take longer to grow.  The shells of the eggs are very hard.  A goose can weigh 20 pounds and has sharp claws, so a tough outer shell is necessary to protect the growing gosling.

A goose will lay many eggs before staying on the nest full-time.  A friend just had a goose lay 32 eggs, but that is very unusual.  Most of my geese lay around 10-15 eggs.  Until she settles on the nest, a goose will bury the eggs in the nesting materials during the day.  She will adjust the covering of the eggs according to the outside temperature.

The male geese, ganders, are very protective of the nest, and the goose laying the eggs.  If you have had a bad encounter with a goose, it was probably during the breeding season, and there was a female, or nest, nearby.

Goose eggs can be eaten, and are especially good used for baking.  Traditionally, blown-out goose eggs are used for decorating and carving due to their hard shells.