Ok, thus far I have hatched out chickens, but since I own ducks I thought I would try my hand at geese, so I have some eggs coming from another BYC'er and she will be sending some instructions with the eggs, but I figure, it can't hurt to get ready before the eggs arrive, plus I have questions so that I don't mess up the hatch. Here are some of questions:
1.) How many days do geese eggs take to hatch?
2.) Lockdown occurs for geese 3 days befor hatch too, right?
3.) I know humidity has to be higher for waterfowl, but how high should I have it at?
4.) Any tips for raising that humidity and keeping it high through the hatch?
5.) I hear that I should mist the eggs each day. How many times should I do that? Water should be purified and warm, right?
6.) How many times a day do I turn the eggs, and they hatch better if turned by hand, right?
7.) What temp should I have the bator at during incubation?
8.) Can they be sexed early on? If not, how DO you sex them? Is it only by watching to see who mounts who, or by DNA testing?
9.) Oh, and I almost forgot, what is the average life span of a goose?
10.) Are there any other instructions or tips I should follow?
I am getting Brown Chinse geese. I don't know if different geese breeds hatch differently, but I figure I'm better off being prepared and as knowledgable as possible BEFORE they get here rather than sitting and trying to read through her instructions and tips before they get here and just kind of winging it. I'd like to have the bator cleaned, running, and at a stable temp before the eggs arrive. I have a batch of chicks in there right now, but I should have them out tomorrow, and I'll clean the entire bator out to get it ready for the geese.
Can anyone that owns Brown Chinese tell me what their personalities are like, and what are your personal experiences owning them? I'm hoping for a pleasant experience. I adore my ducks and chickens, and I'm really looking forward to owning geese too. I'd like to later try my hand at turkeys too, but that'll be further down the road. For now, I want to master geese! Any help or tips offered would be very much appreciated. Thanks!
1.) How many days do geese eggs take to hatch?
2.) Lockdown occurs for geese 3 days befor hatch too, right?
3.) I know humidity has to be higher for waterfowl, but how high should I have it at?
4.) Any tips for raising that humidity and keeping it high through the hatch?
5.) I hear that I should mist the eggs each day. How many times should I do that? Water should be purified and warm, right?
6.) How many times a day do I turn the eggs, and they hatch better if turned by hand, right?
7.) What temp should I have the bator at during incubation?
8.) Can they be sexed early on? If not, how DO you sex them? Is it only by watching to see who mounts who, or by DNA testing?
9.) Oh, and I almost forgot, what is the average life span of a goose?
10.) Are there any other instructions or tips I should follow?
I am getting Brown Chinse geese. I don't know if different geese breeds hatch differently, but I figure I'm better off being prepared and as knowledgable as possible BEFORE they get here rather than sitting and trying to read through her instructions and tips before they get here and just kind of winging it. I'd like to have the bator cleaned, running, and at a stable temp before the eggs arrive. I have a batch of chicks in there right now, but I should have them out tomorrow, and I'll clean the entire bator out to get it ready for the geese.
Can anyone that owns Brown Chinese tell me what their personalities are like, and what are your personal experiences owning them? I'm hoping for a pleasant experience. I adore my ducks and chickens, and I'm really looking forward to owning geese too. I'd like to later try my hand at turkeys too, but that'll be further down the road. For now, I want to master geese! Any help or tips offered would be very much appreciated. Thanks!
