Please help. Did my embryo die?

[WalnutHill]

Too high a humidity is my prime suspect in sticky hatches. Both too high and too low are problematic. Best is to follow the air cells against charts for the species you are hatching. The "right" amount tends to be lower than what the manual calls for. At hatch, though, from first pip to completing the zip, needs to be pretty high, 60-70% work best for me. The more eggs I have to hatch, the more I find the last to hatch that have been exposed to higher humidity for too long tend to be stickier than the first or middle of the hatch.

 

[Mary Coleman]

Interesting. I will have to read more on that before I hatch these other four goose eggs on my counter. He keeps trying to stand, but can't because the incubators too small. Should I move him into a box with a heat lamp or something or will he be fine until tomorrow evening?

 

[Ravynscroft]

I would leave him til tomorrow, just to be safe...

Question... did you mist your goose eggs at all?

 

[WalnutHill]

With the yolk like it is, it's probably best to keep him in restricted quarters. What say, @RavynFallen?

 

[Mary Coleman]

Yes I did mist the goose eggs every night.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Ok, was just checking...

I wonder though if misting while they're in the bator (since it's a small one that holds humidity well) caused any buildup of water keeping the humidity higher? I'm just wondering cuz a friend had that problem with duck eggs in a Brinsea 20...

Maybe next time try taking them out to mist, or wipe them with a wet sponge instead?

Just tossing up ideas...

 

[Mary Coleman]

I read in a thread here that goose eggs don't really require misting. It doesn't hurt to mist them, but it said not to worry about it too much. I'll try to find that thread...

 

[Mary Coleman]

Found it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/goose-egg-hatching

 

[Ravynscroft]

Hmmm... didn't think goose would be different from duck... I don't bother with the cooling bit, but after many, many very low hatch rates with my ducks I started misting them... the water evaporation off the egg helps pull more moisture out of the egg and increased my air cell sizes up properly... mine end up with very small air cells otherwise and most don't hatch... :/

 

[Mary Coleman]

I guess I will just have to experiment haha. Well the little guys tryin to walk as if his life depended on it. He seems pretty healthy. He's slowly lifting up his head for longer and longer. I think he will be okay.