Incubating goose eggs at a low temperature?

[Ebarnes-21]

Ok so I currently have my incubator set to 36C full of Emu eggs, who incubate at 35.5 - 36C. Goose eggs I'm told are best at and always have incubated at 37.3C, slightly cooler than chicken eggs but not much.

But I've got 4 goose eggs that have been abandoned that I put in the incubator yesterday. It's their only chance right now. They're at the top, and although it is fan forced, they are getting the hot air first and are warmer than the Emu.

The incubator is set to 36C at the top of the Emu eggs. The goose are on a rack above that right near the element and I think are closer to 36.5C. They feel good, but are undoubtedly nearly a degree cooler than ideal for them.

How good are their chances??

I hope/plan to have another incubator made within a couple of weeks ... just as soon as the parts arrive. It was intended to be a hatcher for the Emu eggs (which are at two different ages so will need one) but it could also be used to run a better temp for the goose eggs. It is possible a chicken may go broody before then too and I could pop the goose eggs under her, but that is sheer chance waiting on a chicken ...

 

[duluthralphie]

36 degrees C is 96.8 F....I need that to think about this..

I am guessing ifthey survive they will be weaker and maybe 3 days or so late. Just a guess,

I just heard from someone that had chicken eggs hatch 6 days late..So whatever you do,,,,do not give up on them too soon..

Cooler temps will extend the hatch time. it is anyone's guess by how much..Good luck

 

[Ebarnes-21]

Hm ... that was sort of my concern ... I am trying to get a second incubator sorted by mid term for them, but it doesn't look like it could be any earlier than that.

So far weight loss is good ... I'll candle them as soon as I could reasonably expect to see a difference.

 

[Ebarnes-21]

Well I have the goose eggs right up next to, almost touching, the element, and they are definitely warmer than the Emu eggs. I think the goose eggs are at least 36.5, possibly even near 37, but I won't be able to confirm that until my new Infra red ear thermometer arrives and I can actually check the shell temps, not just the air temp.

 

[Ebarnes-21]

Ok so I got a thermometer to sit in place (on top of) a goose egg, it says 36.6C.

Obviously better than 36.0, how does that improve their chances?

 

[duluthralphie]

I think it is better...
I am not sure though cause I use real degrees and not that C stuff..

I would think the closer you get to 37.6 ( is that right?) the better..

Good luck let me know what happens.

 

[Ebarnes-21]

37.6 is pretty normal yeah ... but, some people recommend 37.3 (for geese) ... I have had great success with that temperature. 36.6 is not so far from 37.3 ... but time will tell.

FYI ... 36.6C = 97.9F ... Lol.

And yes I had to look up a converter for that! I still don't get that F system ... I can handle "0 = Freezing, 100 = Boiling", but I'm still not getting the logic in the boiling point of water being 32!!

Put it this way ... if I was in those eggs' position, I'd take that against no chance at all!

 

[Ebarnes-21]

Ok so I got my ear thermometer in the mail today, it says (said) that the goose eggs are at 36.3.
Of course then it died ...... so now I'm looking for another thermometer

 

[duluthralphie]

I use basil (spelling) thermometers for my accurate check. They are the ones used to track the fertility cycle in women. They are cheap and accurate, you can get them from Amazon or any drug store. I think they are accurate to 1/10 of a degree.

 

[Ebarnes-21]

Basal. (I think). I'll check them out ... I got an ear thermometer because it is an infra red, so you can just point it at an egg and it gives you the shell temp itself.