another goose question

I have a few more geese questions for you seasoned geese people. One of our geese started to lay in a shed that isn't varmint proof. Something has been getting her eggs so I started to collect them . I have five now. I saw her on the nest last night and she was there this morning when I went out. Is staying for longer periods of time an indicator that she may be getting broody? I am going to try to make the shed more secure before she starts sitting so I hope she gives us a few more days. The eggs are covered in mud is this normal and can they still hatch? Also I have heard that once they pick a nest site you can't persuade them to move like chickens but can you move the family once they have hatched? We have another one who has built her nest under the woodshed. It will be much more difficult to protect those ones.

The goose eggs will likely hatch even if they are dirty...though I wouldn't let her set on them if it's a muddy location and if it's not varmit proof as a coon can still take down a broody goose - they attack in groups those darned coons...I would figure out first what your egg predator was before making any decisions regarding a broody goose in a location...

Have a mentioned I have a big new bator that'd I'd love to hatch goose eggs for a friend?

Sounds so exciting baby geese...! Something I don't have yet.

I know when my geese sit on eggs quite often there are ones that explode, not sure if it's because they were too dirty or what but major stinky!   

Have had geese all that long, but from my experience, they seem to know when they have enough eggs in the nest to sit.
Not broody like a chicken but more like, "hey full nest, time to sit."

Dirty is one thing, but wet is another. If they are wet and yucky it's likely that bacteria will invade the egg and cause issues. Goose eggs though are much heavier than a chicken or a duck egg, so I would expect it takes some doing.

I have never been successful with the geese or the ducks moving a nest and then having them sit back on it.

I have let them sit on the eggs for most of the processing time, like up to day 25 or so and then I take them away and hatch them on the last bit in the incubator. I didn't have to worry about ground predators, but those dang ravens are awful. Not that I think they would take on the gander but still.

Of course it does mean you have to keep babies until they are big enough to be out on their own.