Need a little incubating advice

[Goose and Fig]

I've just put 16 goose eggs in a still air bator that I usually use as a hatcher. I have no idea how old some of them are- I have a broody, but 2 other geese have been laying under her.I finally had some help to keep the others at bay and take some out. She's got about 9 left that she can cover and I marked them.
Anyway- can someone please verify the correct humidity level I should have? I don't think I'll really be doing a "lockdown" seen as how I don't know how old they are or how far along. Going to candle them tonight to see if any are developing. Thanks!

 

[Emmalion]

I just went through the same problem with not knowing Check out my thread here https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=472571

 

[Goose and Fig]

Thanks! So hoping we get some babies. Can you add goslings like you do chicks to a broody?

 

[Emmalion]

Quote:
That I don't know this will be my first time with them. My hens have never been broody. I need to get a broody breed for sure.

 

[Goose and Fig]

This is my Toulouse first year laying- so happy to have a broody. I can't get the other girls to lay anywhere else except under her, though.
One of the boys is trying to give me some lovin every time I go outside. It's cute- but those little claws! Ouch!

I have been finding different info on what would be a good middle-of-the-road humidity since I don't know how old they are. (or they are all different ages). It would be so nice to get some babies- gotta love the wee-wee-weeps.

 

[Goose and Fig]

The broody is the one on the left- moving over to allow another egg delivery.

 

[Emmalion]

I really hope mine egg hatches. Looking at all these pics makes me really want it now. I never even thought of having geese before.

Those are just too cute

 

[banter]

Here is some info I posted on a Seb forum. Please note Seb eggs are often smaller than other goose breeds and this can possibly make a difference.
After A LOT of incubation of Seb eggs over the last six years my opinion is to let the eggs dry down for the first few days (7-10) depending on the weather and your climate. If the humidity is 32-40% that is fine. I add no water to my incubator if it is a still air, and only sprinkle a little warm water on the eggs and blot them dry, when I cool them down, and turn them. If you have a forced air incubator you may have to monitor the humidity closer, and you may have to add a damp sponge. I candle the eggs often to see how the air space progresses. You want to see a large air space by day 21 (almost a third). The gosling needs room and air to hatch successfully. After day 21 you may have to add a damp sponge to a still air incubator if the humidity is under 45- 50%. Three or four days before hatch you want to get the humidity 80% or more and quit turning the eggs, so the gosling can break through the (hopefully elastic enough) membrane. If the egg did not dry down, and there is too much liquid in the egg at hatch, the gosling can drown: if the humidity is too low the membrane might be too difficult to break. To raise the humidity at hatch, a humidifier is the easiest way to go, along with a clean damp sponge in the incubator.
It is well worth your while to by a Hygrometer/Temperature device. I find goose eggs much harder to hatch artificially than chicken or duck eggs. They often "quit" a few days before hatch. Even under the goose there are usually at least third of the eggs that are duds. My geese have historically decided to sit when they have at least 12-13 eggs, and hatch out 6-8 gosling (which is the norm). My theory is that under the goose, the more eggs she can cover the better the "mass" will be to hold warmth.