GOOSE BREEDING THREAD - for breeding, incubating, hatching and rearing.

[texasturtle]

For those getting /wanting Egyptian geese please please do not place them with other birds. I am talking from experience. I hand raised 7 orphaned Egyptian gees with 3 Rouen ducklings. Everything was fine until the geese started selecting mates. Then they turned on the ducks. Killing one and almost killed another. Be careful.

 

[kimberly35042]

It's true. Egyptian Geese are VERY aggressive. A shame since they are so beautiful!

 

[denasfarm]

I started 25 goose eggs on March 11 in a 1588 genesis incubator. I have hatched hundreds of chicks and Poults but never geese.
I have had Geese for 7 years. This current group has 5 geese and 3 ganders ages 1 -3 yo. They are sex linked but I don't think they are pilgrim although they look similar. They came from a friends line that they have had and bred for 20 years without new blood.

In 2013 mine laid 15 eggs, two hatched and one lived. In 2014 they laid 19 eggs, 3 hatched, two lived. SO I figure I could not do much worse than they have. They still seem to be laying since I took the eggs for myself. I am going to let them try to hatch what they lay from now on this season.

Now I have found a lot of differing info on the internet on hatching geese in an incubator.
Temps, Humidity, spraying, cooling, dunking, turning etc...

I am using a 1588 Forced air incubator. It is staying right at 100 but the humidity is fluxuating from 40% to 60%
I though about adding a washcloth to hold more moisture. I am turning three times a day so it ends on the opposite turn of the night before.

What are your settings? and what kind of luck have you had hatching goslings.
I will Candle them at the one week mark and see what is alive.







This is Isabella and she has three eggs in my Rosemary. So If I fail I may still have goslings.

 

[Hungarylife]

I'm trying to hatch 3 goose eggs in my forced air incubator too. Like you I am having problems with the humidity, so I have started spraying water. Couple of times a day, a quick mist and still turning 3 or 4 times a day.

I candled last night and saw movement in all 3 eggs. I am at day 17 now.

Fingers crossed

 

[sferle]

I have 2 sebbies in lockdown 99 and 65% humidity and advice

 

[8GeeseALaying]

To keep humidity up lay a warm wet cloth or paper towel over each egg. This will help them stay moist while hatching. Be sure not to cover the pip hole with them and keep the lid shut after placing the cloth or paper towel on. Once in lockdown only open the bator if its an emergency or taking out a gosling. Good luck!! Also it takes 24-48 hrs for a gosling to hatch once it pips externally so just try to stay calm and patient.

 

[8GeeseALaying]

I started 25 goose eggs on March 11 in a 1588 genesis incubator. I have hatched hundreds of chicks and Poults but never geese. I have had Geese for 7 years. This current group has 5 geese and 3 ganders ages 1 -3 yo. They are sex linked but I don't think they are pilgrim although they look similar. They came from a friends line that they have had and bred for 20 years without new blood. In 2013 mine laid 15 eggs, two hatched and one lived. In 2014 they laid 19 eggs, 3 hatched, two lived. SO I figure I could not do much worse than they have. They still seem to be laying since I took the eggs for myself. I am going to let them try to hatch what they lay from now on this season. Now I have found a lot of differing info on the internet on hatching geese in an incubator. Temps, Humidity, spraying, cooling, dunking, turning etc... I am using a 1588 Forced air incubator. It is staying right at 100 but the humidity is fluxuating from 40% to 60% I though about adding a washcloth to hold more moisture. I am turning three times a day so it ends on the opposite turn of the night before. What are your settings? and what kind of luck have you had hatching goslings. I will Candle them at the one week mark and see what is alive. This is Isabella and she has three eggs in my Rosemary. So If I fail I may still have goslings.

To increase humidity you can add a small cup of water, placed inside the incubator. This will help along with the misting and dunking that you are already doing. Only use the warm wet wash cloth in lockdown once the eggs have pipped externally. If added now the clothe would breed bacteria and possibly killed the embryos.

 

[...chickenlover3...]

I am thinking of starting up my incubator up with geese eggs. Last year i have 12 eggs and most hatched but only 3 lived. Would anyone mind selling me some extra eggs. I figured out what went wrong and want to try again.

 

[gander007]

Quote:
Oh Isabella, looks so content ,,,,,,,, Good Luck on your Hatch

 

[8GeeseALaying]

I'm trying to hatch 3 goose eggs in my forced air incubator too. Like you I am having problems with the humidity, so I have started spraying water. Couple of times a day, a quick mist and still turning 3 or 4 times a day.

I candled last night and saw movement in all 3 eggs. I am at day 17 now.

Fingers crossed 

Try the same thing i mentioned to denasfarm above. Forced air incubators are tougher to keep humidity just right in. I use one myself and know what you are going through.