Help - hatching goslings for the first time.....

[Hatty1]

The eggs are 34 days today! She had broke the shell herself, but wasn't getting anywhere but I did candle the eggs the night before she broke and the air pocket was huge,so i thought then that we may have had a humidity problem (would that be right?)

I have helped her a little today but not much, when you say use a qtip between the baby and the membrane does that mean that i would be wetting her as well on the inside?? The blood under her chin is from much earlier, some of the membrane was stuck to her so I wet it down to get it soft again - not too sure if I did the right thing.

I have another egg in the incubator it has internally pipped but no sign of cracking the outer shell, I can hear it but how long to you wait?

Sorry for so many questions, I know it can be trail and error but I don't deal well with errors

Thanks again

Hatty

 

[Iain Utah]

34 days is a long time. How long ago did she break the shell?

I wet down the edges, then slide qtip between baby body and membrane to unstick.

In my experience, goslings typically take 24 hours between breaking into air cell and breaking the shell. Then they rest for another 24 hours while the yolk sack and veins recede into body, although they will be chipping away at the initial crack. Then they take 1-2 hours to rotate and zip.

If it has been more than 24 hours since the other baby broke into air cell, I would make a small hole on upper side of air cell end and peek to see if baby is stuck.

 

[Hatty1]

I've just been back to them, shes still lively and wriggling / pushing I keep seeing a foot appear above / behind her head. I've wet down where I can keeping away from her beak.

The second egg has a crack on the ouside forming so would you say that looks promising? its on the upper side of the egg roughly where egg 1 started to crack.

We were expecting them on Sunday! could it be because they are crosses that the are late?

Thanks, Hatty

 

[Iain Utah]

Fantastic news on the 2nd egg breaking shell. Yup, that is the best location to see a crack. It means that baby is also in proper position. Keep an eye for now on both eggs. Watch for 1st baby trying to tuck her head back inside shell, which would mean she is going into the zipping stage.

Chances are your temps were on the low side, making it take longer. I have grey dewlap toulouse eggs beginning hatching process now. They twice went through a temperature drop during incubation and as a result are over a day behind schedule, but otherwise doing quite well.

 

[Hatty1]

Hi,

When you say zipping what do you mean?

At the moment she has got 1 of her wings out but it looks like shes trying to slide her head back as the bottom/ back comes out does that make sence?

I will also google gosling zipping now to try and find out more. Its quite nerve racking this hatching stuff, think we may just get another coop and have silkies / bantams for looking after eggs

 

[kandyg_99]

I have a pic of my gosling starting his zipping now would you like me to post?

 

[Iain Utah]

Hattie, makes perfect sense and is what I meant about her beginning zipping stage. Zipping is where they will rotate in a counterclockwise direction about 80% around the egg, breaking the shell as they go along, to uncap the fat end. Then they will push out. Give your baby some more time to see if she can get out without help. Otherwise, you may need to chip away the shell both next to her head as well as at bottom.

 

[Hatty1]

I have a pic of my gosling starting his zipping now would you like me to post?

Any pictures would be fab. I am new to this, Iain has been a STAR.

 

[kandyg_99]

Here You Go...He started this morning he's gotton a bit further...

 

[Iain Utah]

Kandy, your egg is looking good, but not in zipping mode yet. Here is an egg before zipping and then 10 minutes after commencing zipping.