Help - Dead Momma during incubation/hatching time

[LisabethBrooke]

I discovered my female goose was eaten today - while her 5 eggs went without the warmth. I'm not sure at what time she was eaten or how long it was that the eggs were left uncovered. two were removed from the nest, while another two (of the total 7) were eaten. I brought the remaining 5 in and put them in a towel on top of a heating pad on the lowest setting - I'd hate to actually cook them. But I don't know what to do now. They should be at about day 27 so should hatch any day. Will the cold from last night (maybe lows in the 50s or 60s) have hurt them? How do I tell if they're alive?

 

[sumi]

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. Try to keep them at a temperature of 99-100*F and high humidity (place a damp towel over them). To check if they are still alive you can candle them. Find a dark spot and hold the eggs snug over a flashlight, so the light shines through the egg. You won't be able to see much in most of the egg if it's filled up with gosling, so look at the fat end of the egg, where the air cell is. If you see movement in the air cell, that means the goslings have pipped internally. Don't worry if you don't see movement yet, just keep them warm and check again in a few hours. The cool down period shouldn't have done them any harm at this late stage. Good luck!

 

[LisabethBrooke]

I put them in a small card board box with a heating pad and a towel. Then after some research I inserted a regular thermometer under one of eggs and it reads at a steady 100 degrees F. I added the damp towel as soon as I read your comment. Last night I attempted to candle the eggs. Three of the eggs have just a dark mass in them and an air bubble and I can't see any movement - but I do know they weren't all layed on the same day. Is that normal? I couldn't say exactly when they were each layed, my geese aren't exactly cuddly. They're very convinced that half the time I'm intruding on their yard, and I've met watch dogs less protective then these two. But in the other two eggs there is a definite beak that wiggles around and you can feel the gosling wriggle through the egg while you hold it. And today I can hear them chirping when I talk to the eggs, or turn the light on in the bedroom. Is it possible the other three eggs are just not as far along in the incubation period - or is it more likely that these are dead birds in there? I've read some stuff online where people "piped"? the eggs? Do I have to do that or will they do it themselves? What do I do now?

 

[gander007]

One hatched out today one yesterday the other last week
there are two more outside waiting for momma to finish ....


Now you can not expect all of them to pop out at the same time ..

Keep temps at 100 F degrees and the egg's need to breath as
they are alive and keep the towel damp with worm water ...


I momma willing to take the egg's back ????

 

[sumi]

I put them in a small card board box with a heating pad and a towel. Then after some research I inserted a regular thermometer under one of eggs and it reads at a steady 100 degrees F. I added the damp towel as soon as I read your comment. Last night I attempted to candle the eggs. Three of the eggs have just a dark mass in them and an air bubble and I can't see any movement - but I do know they weren't all layed on the same day. Is that normal? I couldn't say exactly when they were each layed, my geese aren't exactly cuddly. They're very convinced that half the time I'm intruding on their yard, and I've met watch dogs less protective then these two. But in the other two eggs there is a definite beak that wiggles around and you can feel the gosling wriggle through the egg while you hold it. And today I can hear them chirping when I talk to the eggs, or turn the light on in the bedroom. Is it possible the other three eggs are just not as far along in the incubation period - or is it more likely that these are dead birds in there? I've read some stuff online where people "piped"? the eggs? Do I have to do that or will they do it themselves? What do I do now?

Goslings can take 2-3 days to complete a hatch from start to finish. There is a good guide on hatching them here, with some illustrations:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/491013/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed/0_30

In my experience the eggs never start hatching on the same day even if you set them all at once. They usually spread out over 2, sometimes 3 days and a few occasions I've had a late bloomer pop out a full 4 days after hatching started! So give them time, keep them warm and humid and fingers crossed

And please keep us posted!

 

[LisabethBrooke]

One hatched out today one yesterday the other last week
there are two more outside waiting for momma to finish ....


Now you can not expect all of them to pop out at the same time ..

Keep temps at 100 F degrees and the egg's need to breath as
they are alive and keep the towel damp with worm water ...


I momma willing to take the egg's back ????

I didn't know there was so much of a difference between the just hatched and a day old gosling. And Apparently a huge difference between a fresh hatched and a week old gosling. I'm excited for them to hatch. To feed them do I have to do anything special for a newly hatched gosling?

Unfortunately the momma was eaten just outside of the nest, along with two of the 7 eggs. And My male goose, I read online once that the male and female will take turns sitting on the eggs, but sometimes I think my male goose is convinced he is a Rottweiler and not a goose. He doesn't want anything to do with the eggs, or the other two goslings we bought from the farm store. He is quite convinced that they are all invading HIS yard. But he is also convinced that I'm an invader and he will only tolerate me because I provide fresh water and feed.

 

[LisabethBrooke]

I have two eggs that are currently attempting to hatch. One started this morning and the other after lunch. The one that started this morning has a piece missing off of his shell and the white fleshy part seems quit firm but I wasn't sure if I should do anything so I left him be. I keep turning the other three several times a day and making sure the temp is at 100 deg. F. and that the washcloth is damp. Last night I was showing my three year old son the candle-ing and that you can "see" the goslings in the eggs. And one more of the eggs had slight movement in it. So I'm very hopeful that there are three goslings alive. And hopefully they will all hatch without any problems. I'm slightly worried still about the other two eggs though. Nothing seems to be moving in them, but they don't smell either. So fingers crossed.

 

[sumi]

 

[gander007]

Quote:

So sorry about your Goose as it takes so long to raise them ...

Yes some males will sit on egg's from start to finish and most will only do guard duty ...

If you have an incubator put the other egg's in and keep the temp at 99.5 and humidity as high as you can get it even if you need to put wet hand towels in the incubator to get the humidity where you want it and I try to get 70% or better humidity to hatch ...

Care of baby Goslings is much like anything else with the brooder at 95 F degrees and plenty of room to move fresh water and feed but the biggest thing I have noticed in close to 20 years of dealing with Geese is the little guys are a bit bulky and clumsy to boot so I dip their beaks in water several times a day just to make sure they get some water and every hour at least check on them as they can not be allowed to get on their backs or stuck in and tight places like between the water bottle and the wall ......


Best of luck with your Baby's

 

[LisabethBrooke]

Thank you! I'm really hopeful at least three of them will make it. Unfortunately we don't have an incubator nor do we have a brooder. When I discovered that the female goose had been eaten I gathered up all the remaining eggs in and around the nest and tried to get the male to sit on them but he wouldn't have anything to do with them. So apparently who he protected was his female while she sat on the nest. So I brought them in and put them in a box with a towel and a heating pad on the lowest setting, then read online they need to bee at a steady 100 deg. F so I put a standard Thermometer in there with them, and check each egg several times a day. I was told about the humidity the next day so I put the damp washcloth right on top of the eggs and keep having to rewet it. And with the damp cloth in there I have to leave the box open otherwise they get too hot. But we now have three little geese attempting to break out of their shells.