Help** Goose egg hatching and in trouble?

[greenacresinNE]

Hi, I have several goose eggs in the incubator and one started hatching early yesterday morning -- no other eggs have pipped. There is a hole about the size of a sunflower seed and you can see the gosling moving and breathing. There is a loud occasional chirp. My question is, there has been NO progression since yesterday afternoon -- at what point, if ever, do I intervene? I am thinking this might be my only gosling in the batch. The hole in the egg is at the small end and you can see the beak. Humidity is at 75% in the incubator and the temp is just over 99*. This is the first time I've tried goose eggs, but I had a very successful Silver Appleyard duck hatch in the same incubator last year. Thanks

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[ecse129]

What does the membrane look like? Does it look white and opaque? With some of my duck eggs I had to help out a little lightly chipping away some of the shell around the hole and putting a warm wet paper towel around it at the bottom to help soften up the membrane. They were then able to get out. I don't know about goose eggs but they say ducks can take up to 48 hours to hatch.

 

[greenacresinNE]

Yes, the membrane is white and thick, almost leathery.

 

[ecse129]

Now here is what I would do, but maybe someone else will pipe in. I would try to moisten the membrane a little with warm water (being careful not to get water in the egg for fear of drowning the gosling) and carefully chip a way a little of the shell around to give the gosling a head start. I would then get paper towels soaking wet and put them as a donut around the bottom of that egg (and I would go ahead and do your others while you are in there since opening the incubator will decrease humidity. The donut "cradle" will help soften the membrane and let the gosling get out easier. If after twelve hours or so there is still no progress I would personally start trying to help him out even more. Carefully chipping away and pulling the membrane off. Just remember if you see blood then stop. However if you see progress after upping the humidity I would just let it go. All 9 of my ducklings came out and I just had to help start a few of them. They took it from there. Good luck!

 

[greenacresinNE]

Thanks! I will try it....I REALLY want at least one gosling from this hatch....they are Sebastopols and Lavender Ice/Blue geese

 

[Serina81]

I break mine out all the time. If it started hatching yesterday morning, I say it's time to get it out.

 

[birdygirl123]

Pulling for the little one

You can do it!..

You can do it!!

 

[birdygirl123]

Off Topic, but I shared Tanks story on my FB.. Hope it helps.. what a trooper! I am a former Deputy and SAR handler, however my lab was hit by a car before we could do our certification..

I walked away from my career when I found out I was expecting. (something they never said could happen) .. I hope Tank is doing well. He is in my thoughts and prayers.. .. <3

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[jvls1942]

If it is as you originally described, leave it alone.. geese can take 3 days from that tiny hole to zip and hatch.. do not mess with it..

 

[greenacresinNE]

Thanks for everyone's advice-- I ended up picking off some shell and helping unzip the membranes a little, and I have a gosling!!

I just hope some more eggs pip or else this is going to be one lonely goose. Is the fact that the incubator was opened and shut a few times going to be a problem if there are no other pipped eggs yet? It is a staggered hatch by a few days.