I read that geese bred in water. We've had a thaw, their pond filled with water, then it got cold and froze. Most of the time it would thaw enough by afternoon that their weight would break it. The other day they bred while on the ice! I had been thinking that they wouldn't breed until ther weight broke the ice in the morning. If their timetable is the same as the chickens, she'll start laying in a couple of weeks.
I don't think the "breed on water" thing is strictly correct. Maybe they most often breed on water, surely they're glad to breed on water, but in my experience they don't have to breed on water. That, or mine snuck out to the pond last year when I wasn't looking. I watched two of mine (at least attempt to) breed in the gravel driveway a couple weeks ago, though, granted, there was a small puddle in the vicinity.
My one female has seven eggs collected so far; I'm waiting for her to decide it's time to sit, so I can stop digging through to collect the eggs the chickens also lay in that nest! Last year my first goose started sitting Feb 25th, but oddly they're later this year, even with the bizarrely warm temps we've been having.
You're right. It seems like water that's anywhere around will "get them in the mood", even if it's frozen.
She hasn't even built her nest yet, but since the forsythia hasn't bloomed yet, winter's not over.
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