Goose Incubation & Hatching Guide - Completed!!!!

[Cyndaleana]

WOW, Thank you! My first ever gosling hatching under my American Buff female who is the sweetest goose ever. I learned so much from you!

 

[Michal2016]

Hi. I have homemade incubator. 14 young gosling were hatching in it . But many died at the end of incubation or during hatch. I have 37.7 C and about 60% humidity. Humidity is controlled automatically. Should I spray water on eggs or in the air?

 

[Shannonmeans]

What a great and comprehensive article! I have a question. We live in an urban area where there are a lot of wild geese. A while ago we spotted a goose sitting on a nest on the banks of a man-made lake in an industrial park, near a busy road. I've visited a few times just to watch Mother Goose on the nest (with Father Goose close by keeping me a good distance away). I last drove by (but didn't stop) this past Friday and saw her still sitting. Today I drove by again and didn't see her. So I pulled in and parked the car and walked over. The entire nest was gone. All the geese were gone from the lake, and there was an eviscerated goose lying on the lawn. There were two empty eggshells and one intact egg. I don't know why, but I really felt the need to "rescue" that egg, even though I'm assuming it's past saving. I currently have the egg in a dishtowel nest in my mudroom, under an incandescent light. How can I tell if this egg is viable? Is there any way to know if the chick inside is still alive? I know this is a long shot, but I just can't bring myself to abandon this egg if there's any hope at all. Thanks.

Did you get any answers?

 

[bgill1215]

so I know this post says to do incubation humidity at 20-25% but with no water added my humidity is at 40% is that okay? or how do I decrease? I live in PA so its been raining a lot lately.

during the 3 day lock down what do I increase the humidity to? I've read 75% a few places but that seems like a huge jump from 20%.

 

[Phillyndilly]

so I know this post says to do incubation humidity at 20-25% but with no water added my humidity is at 40% is that okay? or how do I decrease? I live in PA so its been raining a lot lately.

during the 3 day lock down what do I increase the humidity to? I've read 75% a few places but that seems like a huge jump from 20%.

Hello I just incubated chicks and goslings it was my first time and although everywhere I looked I was recommended a dry incubation it didn’t work well for my chicks. Many died fully formed in the shell... and my goslings were due a little bit after chicks ( they are currently hatching/ in lock down these last few days) and I thought they were screwed. So my humidity was about 20 the whole time and I blame the low humidity for my chicks dying. So I hiked the goslings humidity up to 75% in lockdown and already 3 of my 5 have hatched and the 4th is on the way. They have all had perfect hatches so far. I think it’s important to put the humidity up especially at the end because the goose eggs are so damn hard shelled.
Also like I said I didn’t like doing the dry hatch and I just put some more chick eggs in and am incubating at 40-50.
A lot of people told me AFTER I had a bad experience that dry incubation is a bit more difficult for beginners. So I think 40 will be good.
Like I said though my geese were incubated at 20 ( sometimes lower) the whole incubation and just turned up really high to 75 or higher during lockdown but I might’ve just gotten lucky. The really dry didn’t work out well for my chicks and I wouldn’t do it that low for geese or ducks in the future. Also I’m in New York State. Here’s my cuties! There’s one more now

 

[bgill1215]

Hello I just incubated chicks and goslings it was my first time and although everywhere I looked I was recommended a dry incubation it didn’t work well for my chicks. Many died fully formed in the shell... and my goslings were due a little bit after chicks ( they are currently hatching/ in lock down these last few days) and I thought they were screwed. So my humidity was about 20 the whole time and I blame the low humidity for my chicks dying. So I hiked the goslings humidity up to 75% in lockdown and already 3 of my 5 have hatched and the 4th is on the way. They have all had perfect hatches so far. I think it’s important to put the humidity up especially at the end because the goose eggs are so damn hard shelled.
Also like I said I didn’t like doing the dry hatch and I just put some more chick eggs in and am incubating at 40-50.
A lot of people told me AFTER I had a bad experience that dry incubation is a bit more difficult for beginners. So I think 40 will be good.
Like I said though my geese were incubated at 20 ( sometimes lower) the whole incubation and just turned up really high to 75 or higher during lockdown but I might’ve just gotten lucky. The really dry didn’t work out well for my chicks and I wouldn’t do it that low for geese or ducks in the future. Also I’m in New York State. Here’s my cuties! There’s one more now

that's odd you had such a bad experience with the chickens. I've always done dry hatch with chicks and never had issues. I think I'll keep humidity around 50 and raise it t o 75 during lock down and see how my hatch rate does.

 

[Phillisy]

Hello I just incubated chicks and goslings it was my first time and although everywhere I looked I was recommended a dry incubation it didn’t work well for my chicks. Many died fully formed in the shell... and my goslings were due a little bit after chicks ( they are currently hatching/ in lock down these last few days) and I thought they were screwed. So my humidity was about 20 the whole time and I blame the low humidity for my chicks dying. So I hiked the goslings humidity up to 75% in lockdown and already 3 of my 5 have hatched and the 4th is on the way. They have all had perfect hatches so far. I think it’s important to put the humidity up especially at the end because the goose eggs are so damn hard shelled.
Also like I said I didn’t like doing the dry hatch and I just put some more chick eggs in and am incubating at 40-50.
A lot of people told me AFTER I had a bad experience that dry incubation is a bit more difficult for beginners. So I think 40 will be good.
Like I said though my geese were incubated at 20 ( sometimes lower) the whole incubation and just turned up really high to 75 or higher during lockdown but I might’ve just gotten lucky. The really dry didn’t work out well for my chicks and I wouldn’t do it that low for geese or ducks in the future. Also I’m in New York State. Here’s my cuties! There’s one more now

that's odd you had such a bad experience with the chickens. I've always done dry hatch with chicks and never had issues. I think I'll keep humidity around 50 and raise it t o 75 during lock down and see how my hatch rate does.

“Dry” hatches are different for everyone, depending on the relative humidity of the area where you live. For example, dry where I live is 18-23% in my Hovabator, and even lower than that in my mini bator (it’s a small off brand Chinese made 9 egg one, that I use for quail or as a NICU). I ALWAYS use externally calibrated instruments, that I calibrate every year, to test my temp and humidity because lots of the built in ones on incubators are incorrect.

For me personally, dry (meaning I add no water at all) is too low. I’ve found a humidity of 35-45% works best for me, and I don’t bump it any higher during lock down (the humidity will naturally spike as chicks/ducklings/goslings hatch). Doing it this way I’ve had the cleanest and quickest hatches I’ve ever experienced, and also the healthiest.
IF I do bump the humidity, because I can see the membrane drying (they will change from white to a yellow colour, and eventually brown), I just put a damp cloth under that specific egg, as well as mist it and any of the other eggs that are externally pipped while I have the incubator open. I like to leave a small spray bottle in the incubator for this, to keep the water warm.

Not bumping the humidity terrified me, because it wasn’t what I was “supposed” to do, until I accidentally (then intentionally) tried it - long story short, I bought eggs that unbeknownst to me had already been under a broody, and after sitting in a basement two days, being on my counter a day, and then in the incubator with lower humidity and while still being turned for a week, it hatched... her name is now Lazarus lol. I experimented after that and didn’t bump humidity on the next full hatch, or the 3 after that... now I will never do it any other way. My logic then became that their mum doesn’t change the humidity while they’re hatching, she just stays sitting on them and holds the heat and humidity in.

However, all that said, incubation is a bit of trial and error, so what works for some may not work for all. Don’t be afraid to do a bit of experimenting to find what works best for you.

 

[Phillyndilly]

“Dry” hatches are different for everyone, depending on the relative humidity of the area where you live. For example, dry where I live is 18-23% in my Hovabator, and even lower than that in my mini bator (it’s a small off brand Chinese made 9 egg one, that I use for quail or as a NICU). I ALWAYS use externally calibrated instruments, that I calibrate every year, to test my temp and humidity because lots of the built in ones on incubators are incorrect.

For me personally, dry (meaning I add no water at all) is too low. I’ve found a humidity of 35-45% works best for me, and I don’t bump it any higher during lock down (the humidity will naturally spike as chicks/ducklings/goslings hatch). Doing it this way I’ve had the cleanest and quickest hatches I’ve ever experienced, and also the healthiest.
IF I do bump the humidity, because I can see the membrane drying (they will change from white to a yellow colour, and eventually brown), I just put a damp cloth under that specific egg, as well as mist it and any of the other eggs that are externally pipped while I have the incubator open. I like to leave a small spray bottle in the incubator for this, to keep the water warm.

Not bumping the humidity terrified me, because it wasn’t what I was “supposed” to do, until I accidentally (then intentionally) tried it - long story short, I bought eggs that unbeknownst to me had already been under a broody, and after sitting in a basement two days, being on my counter a day, and then in the incubator with lower humidity and while still being turned for a week, it hatched... her name is now Lazarus lol. I experimented after that and didn’t bump humidity on the next full hatch, or the 3 after that... now I will never do it any other way. My logic then became that their mum doesn’t change the humidity while they’re hatching, she just stays sitting on them and holds the heat and humidity in.

However, all that said, incubation is a bit of trial and error, so what works for some may not work for all. Don’t be afraid to do a bit of experimenting to find what works best for you.

Wow that’s really interesting. I was honestly amazed at how quickly and clean the goslings hatched. I’m confused now though because I’m not sure what part was responsible for the great hatch. I’m not going to hatch goslings for a while because I sold these and I’m really upset about it. It’s what I planned to do but they imprinted on me and it was just so hard.

I missed a bunch of days misting, put the eggs in lockdown a day too late and idk it just all worked out so who knows really lol.

 

[Chicken George 2]

I have 5 fertile emden goose eggs in my bator. it's coming upto 21 days. when do i turn the cradle off and lock down?
Thanks in advanced

 

[Chicken George 2]

Quote:

For mine, the noticeable dip happened on Day 27 (hardly any fluid could be seen within the egg), all veining had disappeared and the line between the chick and the air cell "formed" into the shape of the chick, creating a more uneven line (unlike the even ones you see during earlier incubation).

I am horrible at explaining this, I am so sorry LOL

My eggs pipped on Day 29. One hatched on Day 29, the other hatched on Day 30.

when did you lock down and remove the cradle? Thanks