Goslings of 2014 Hatch-a-long

[Dawnrenae]

I mist our eggs two times a day after first letting them cool down.  I  literally open the incubator up for aboiut 15 mminutes.  Now I ONLY do this system if there are ALL waterfowl in the incubator (stryofoam) ....If they are in the cabinet, I pull the tray out.   This has really helped our eggs and I mist heavily, as momma goose will often go to the pool and come back very wet.   I used to worry about misting with warm water and I just use tap now  BUT what I do differently is Cool off first and then mist because that's momma goose's pattern. When hubby hatches geese eggs, mine are always a better hatch because he's not a big mister.   Well lol, he is actually because he's 6 feet talk !

This is the first time I have tried incubation. Should I wait and do geese and chickens separately?

 

[Dawnrenae]

I don't actually have geese yet/anymore. I used to several years ago. But it was an inherited flock, and they all passed away over time. Pretty sure they were all mixed breeds, but I know there was some Toulouse in there and some Embdens. I'm getting back in to it though by getting hatching eggs - all sebbies! The first set was shipped, and has detached air cells, so I'm not very hopefully on those. They are developing (thus my red spiders) but I'm worried about pipping and all. The next set will be local and should be ready any day, and I'll have MUCH more hope with those!

You say ready? As in laid and ready to pick up, or is there a process to making eggs ready for incubation?

 

[Dawnrenae]

Read the "goose incubation and hatching guide" by Pete, it´s very good and informative.

Where can I find this guide?

 

[ChickDancer]

Where can I find this guide?

Do a search for "Pete's Guide" and it will come up

 

[Miss HennyPenny]

One EGG PIPPED! It has a black beakXD

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I've been in work since 6.30 this morning (it's now coming up for 9pm) I rang the OH on my break and made him sit on the floor and stare at Eggbert to see if it was moving!
I will be home before 10 to take my post by the incubator with my boy, Moose and a jug of coffee!

 

[Iain Utah]

Here's my incubator.

 

[ChickDancer]

I've been in work since 6.30 this morning (it's now coming up for 9pm) I rang the OH on my break and made him sit on the floor and stare at Eggbert to see if it was moving!

I will be home before 10 to take my post by the incubator with my boy, Moose and a jug of coffee!

I have to work tomorrow
I will be sitting by the incubator for every minute outside of work though! THEY BETTER NOT HATCH EARLY! Saturday is my only actual work day, but they aren't due until Sunday. So they had BETTER take their time!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here's my incubator.

She looks like she means business....

 

[Dawnrenae]

This one is Definitely fertile! Im thinking the first one i broke might not have been because she wasnt getting attention from any gander, and now since she is penned with a younger full of himself gander

How can you tell by the egg if they are fertile? And is there a way to tell if the egg is fertilized before incubation?

 

[ChickDancer]

How can you tell by the egg if they are fertile? And is there a way to tell if the egg is fertilized before incubation?

You can tell the egg in that photo is fertile because the white dot has a "bullseye" look to it. It just looks like a target with a white dot in the center, and yellow and white rings around it. An infertile egg will just be a white dot - no rings.

As for determining fertility before incubation - not really. You can crack them open like 8Geese did and check, but then obviously the egg is no good for hatching. If you want to incubate them, it's best to just toss them in the incubator and see if they develop. Around the 5th or 6th day, you should see the "red spider" that looks like this: