Advice for late hatching geese eggs

[Goose in the snake room]

I’m currently in lockdown with 2 white Chinese geese on day 32. Before I put them in lockdown I noticed their air pockets were a little smaller than I would have liked to see. Now I’m worried they won’t have enough oxygen from their internal pip to their external. So far no visible movement or sounds from the incubator (no stink either thankfully), it seems like they haven’t even internally pipped yet. As each day passes I get more worried and question wether or not I should intervene at some point. I want to candle one and see if its internally pipped or not but I’ve never opened the incubator during lockdown and I’m not sure how to go about it. Some say do some say don’t, I’m torn between just waiting or checking. I’ve hatched geese before and i have never had a goose take this long to pip (I know they can take 35 days). Is there a way I can check on them safely during lockdown? Or any words of encouragement? Thanks

 

[Goose in the snake room]

Update: I purchased a flexible flashlight to candle the eggs inside the incubator. One has internally pipped and is moving around inside, no sounds or rocking yet, and the second one has not internally pipped but I could see some movement. This has definitely calmed my nerves.

 

[Loudiesel]

Update: I purchased a flexible flashlight to candle the eggs inside the incubator. One has internally pipped and is moving around inside, no sounds or rocking yet, and the second one has not internally pipped but I could see some movement. This has definitely calmed my nerves.

My goose is on day 28 on the nest , there are a few duck eggs in there to. I hope to see something by the weekend.

 

[Happy Hill Farmstead]

Update: I purchased a flexible flashlight to candle the eggs inside the incubator. One has internally pipped and is moving around inside, no sounds or rocking yet, and the second one has not internally pipped but I could see some movement. This has definitely calmed my nerves.

How did it go?

 

[Goose in the snake room]

How did it go?

I noticed the air sacs being behind about a week before lockdown and dropped the humidity to 35-40. Once lockdown hit I upped the humidity to about 70. I got a flexible flashlight I could candle them with through the incubator during lockdown and the air sac caught up to where it was supposed to be. They hatched 2 days past the expected hatch date and with some complications regarding the yolk. Both perfectly healthy now and 16 days old! I believe I had the humidity set too high during the first half of the incubation (around 50-55) that caused the late hatch and hatching complications.

 

[Happy Hill Farmstead]

I noticed the air sacs being behind about a week before lockdown and dropped the humidity to 35-40. Once lockdown hit I upped the humidity to about 70. I got a flexible flashlight I could candle them with through the incubator during lockdown and the air sac caught up to where it was supposed to be. They hatched 2 days past the expected hatch date and with some complications regarding the yolk. Both perfectly healthy now and 16 days old! I believe I had the humidity set too high during the first half of the incubation (around 45-50) that caused the late hatch and hatching complications.

Glad to hear they're doing well now. I am having some difficulties hatching ducklings regarding humidity right now; I get anxious about adjusting it, but my most recent hatches haven't gone so well because the air sacs haven't decreased as much as they should've.

 

[Goose in the snake room]

Glad to hear they're doing well now. I am having some difficulties hatching ducklings regarding humidity right now; I get anxious about adjusting it, but my most recent hatches haven't gone so well because the air sacs haven't decreased as much as they should've.

Have you been cooling and misting them daily? (After the 8th day it’s recommended to open the incubator for 10 minutes and spray them, and between days 15-21 for 15 minutes, days 22-25 for 20 minutes, for geese at least). I live in SC and found 55% humidity was way too much. But if the air sacs are developing too slow it’s usually because the humidity is too high.

 

[Happy Hill Farmstead]

I have not been cooling and misting them daily. I will try that on the next hatch. I did that when hatching geese for the first time, but I hadn't done it with the ducks. I live in western NC. So do you think I should try dropping my humidity to 40 to 50 % or even lower? for the first weeks?

 

[Goose in the snake room]

I have not been cooling and misting them daily. I will try that on the next hatch. I did that when hatching geese for the first time, but I hadn't done it with the ducks. I live in western NC. So do you think I should try dropping my humidity to 40 to 50 % or even lower? for the first weeks?

40-50% is a good start but might end up dropping it lower. Try 40-50 with the cooling and misting and candle them frequently to see if they’re on track with their air sacs. If the air sac is too small the humidity needs to go down, if it’s too big then it needs to go up. Also temperature is the “more” important aspect of hatching and you have some wiggle room with humidity. It’s okay to make mistakes and correct them during incubation, just not during lockdown.

 

[Happy Hill Farmstead]

Ok, what temp do you suggest during hatching and lockdown as well as what humidity during lockdown? I know it's variable, I am just struggling with where to go from what I am currently doing. Thank you!