After the first batch of eggs died in the shell after an completely uneventful incubation I gave up hope on my other eggs. I kept them in the incubator just because I felt I owed it to them to let the 28 days pass. I was very sure they would not make it or had already died.
Sunday was day 28. I could see no movement at all. I put them back in the incubator anyway. Wednesday (day 31) I decided time was up and I was cleaning out the incubator and going to toss the eggs. Something made me candle them. Movement in all 4. Holy smokes!
It is always hard to know when to intervene and when to let nature have her own but for some reason I had this sudden urge not to quit without a real fight.
Day 32 I pipped the eggs. #1 dead. #2 pipped inner cell and died. #3 pipped inner cell and alive! #4 pipped inner cell and alive!
I peeled back a bit of shell so I could see. No blood. Peeled back a bit more - blood filled veins! I stopped with both eggs. Wrapped them in warm wet paper towels then wrapped those in warm wet thick towels for insulation. Waited until late last night to check any further. Blood had receeded. Peeled back a little more. Gosling began to push and unfold.
Oh, no. A huge yolk sac on both of them but their lower body was still in the shell and they were not trying to push out any farther.
I wrapped them in fresh papertowels and warm thick towels I nestled the warm bundles into a box and put them in the warmest part of the incubator - up to where the water tray goes. I figured if they made it to morning they were fighters.
6am. Both goslings are alive. Peeping then sleeping. I wrapped them in fresh towels and back in the bator.
Later in the morning when I checked the girl had started pushing out of her shell. The yolk sac was visible about the size of a nickle. The same for the boy. Maybe more.
Again, if they made it to tomorrow I might have a gosling.
Imagine my surprise when I did my routine 4:15 check.
Both hatched themselves. No sign of yolk sac. Drying, peeping, sleeping colored sebbies. A grey girl and a splash boy.
These eggs were given to me by Banter. I cannot thank you enough! Something special is coming your way soon!
I do not advocate helping goslings to hatch. Usually everything goes wrong in an instant and they die quickly. You have no idea how amazed and excited I am and how incredible strong these 2 babies are. On day 35 it was a long shot. It rarely turns out this way.
Sunday was day 28. I could see no movement at all. I put them back in the incubator anyway. Wednesday (day 31) I decided time was up and I was cleaning out the incubator and going to toss the eggs. Something made me candle them. Movement in all 4. Holy smokes!
It is always hard to know when to intervene and when to let nature have her own but for some reason I had this sudden urge not to quit without a real fight.
Day 32 I pipped the eggs. #1 dead. #2 pipped inner cell and died. #3 pipped inner cell and alive! #4 pipped inner cell and alive!
I peeled back a bit of shell so I could see. No blood. Peeled back a bit more - blood filled veins! I stopped with both eggs. Wrapped them in warm wet paper towels then wrapped those in warm wet thick towels for insulation. Waited until late last night to check any further. Blood had receeded. Peeled back a little more. Gosling began to push and unfold.
Oh, no. A huge yolk sac on both of them but their lower body was still in the shell and they were not trying to push out any farther.
I wrapped them in fresh papertowels and warm thick towels I nestled the warm bundles into a box and put them in the warmest part of the incubator - up to where the water tray goes. I figured if they made it to morning they were fighters.
6am. Both goslings are alive. Peeping then sleeping. I wrapped them in fresh towels and back in the bator.
Later in the morning when I checked the girl had started pushing out of her shell. The yolk sac was visible about the size of a nickle. The same for the boy. Maybe more.
Again, if they made it to tomorrow I might have a gosling.
Imagine my surprise when I did my routine 4:15 check.
Both hatched themselves. No sign of yolk sac. Drying, peeping, sleeping colored sebbies. A grey girl and a splash boy.
These eggs were given to me by Banter. I cannot thank you enough! Something special is coming your way soon!
I do not advocate helping goslings to hatch. Usually everything goes wrong in an instant and they die quickly. You have no idea how amazed and excited I am and how incredible strong these 2 babies are. On day 35 it was a long shot. It rarely turns out this way.
