Hi Everyone,
I had 4 goose eggs under a broody hen because my goose did not go broody. This hen did a reasonably good job except she pooped on the eggs in week 2. I very carefully cleaned the eggs but it was a big mess and I knew that this had compromised the eggs by blocking oxygen to the growing gosling. I did not have high aspirations for this clutch after this happened. I thought at one point a week ago that I saw something moving inside one of the eggs but the poop smears really made candeling difficult and I could not be sure.
Yesterday was day 32 with nothing happening. Nothing at all. My neighbor came over late in the day and advised me to throw the eggs away or risk them exploding (this happened to her on day 33 a few weeks ago and was a massive mess) so she and I proceeded to candle (we saw nothing), then open each egg carefully to check at what point they had stopped developing. Lo and behold one of them was alive. The other three were nothing but black goo. She carefully cracked at the air gap and saw the gosling move in the direction of the hole. It had been malpositioned and never would have been able to pip. It's head was folded under itself. There was no blood visible. She carefully pulled it's head out of the hole and for the most part it looks normal. It was peeping lightly but not energetic. So I put it back under the hen for the night in hopes it will get the strength to work itself out of the egg. Only it's head was sticking out of the shell.
This morning at first light I ran out to see if it had survived the night and it did. But it is not any further out of the egg and not much more energetic. Momma hen is being patient and keeping it warm and waiting.
I've read so many step-by-step about assisted hatch but the only ones I've found involve an incubator which I don't have. Incubators seem easier because you can look in to see progress and also adjust temp and humidity to help the struggling chick. I've got to move a somewhat angry and protective hen every time I need to peek in.
Can anyone tell me the next steps I should take here? It's now day 33 and 18 hours after we opened the shell. I don't want to interfere too much but I'd like to do the right thing if I can save this little thing.
@casportpony
Thank you all so much!
IronEagle
PS. I do not have pictures because it was too dark this morning and I don't want to go out again and jostle it too much.
I had 4 goose eggs under a broody hen because my goose did not go broody. This hen did a reasonably good job except she pooped on the eggs in week 2. I very carefully cleaned the eggs but it was a big mess and I knew that this had compromised the eggs by blocking oxygen to the growing gosling. I did not have high aspirations for this clutch after this happened. I thought at one point a week ago that I saw something moving inside one of the eggs but the poop smears really made candeling difficult and I could not be sure.
Yesterday was day 32 with nothing happening. Nothing at all. My neighbor came over late in the day and advised me to throw the eggs away or risk them exploding (this happened to her on day 33 a few weeks ago and was a massive mess) so she and I proceeded to candle (we saw nothing), then open each egg carefully to check at what point they had stopped developing. Lo and behold one of them was alive. The other three were nothing but black goo. She carefully cracked at the air gap and saw the gosling move in the direction of the hole. It had been malpositioned and never would have been able to pip. It's head was folded under itself. There was no blood visible. She carefully pulled it's head out of the hole and for the most part it looks normal. It was peeping lightly but not energetic. So I put it back under the hen for the night in hopes it will get the strength to work itself out of the egg. Only it's head was sticking out of the shell.
This morning at first light I ran out to see if it had survived the night and it did. But it is not any further out of the egg and not much more energetic. Momma hen is being patient and keeping it warm and waiting.
I've read so many step-by-step about assisted hatch but the only ones I've found involve an incubator which I don't have. Incubators seem easier because you can look in to see progress and also adjust temp and humidity to help the struggling chick. I've got to move a somewhat angry and protective hen every time I need to peek in.
Can anyone tell me the next steps I should take here? It's now day 33 and 18 hours after we opened the shell. I don't want to interfere too much but I'd like to do the right thing if I can save this little thing.
@casportpony
Thank you all so much!
IronEagle
PS. I do not have pictures because it was too dark this morning and I don't want to go out again and jostle it too much.
