Interrupted Incubation for Goose -- how long can eggs remain viable?

[BettyGoosie]

I'm monitoring a wild Canada Goose nest. Unfortunately, the other day something disturbed her so that there was an interruption in her incubation.

I checked on her in the morning, all was well, then came back 4.5 hours later to find her standing over her eggs. Something disturbed her that I was able to fix and she sat back on the eggs immediately.

She was into the 17th day of incubation. The air temp was 77 degrees, breezy, but the nest is in a planter, so it's recessed in the planter and probably sheltered from the breeze. The longest she could've been standing there was 4.5 hours, but it was probably less.

I touched the eggs and they were warm, but not super warm. I touched them later that night when she had been sitting for hours and they felt warmer than the first time, but the air temp at night was only 55 and my hands were exposed to the cold air for a couple of minutes before touching them, so the eggs could've felt warmer due to this temperature differential.

Any chance these eggs are still viable? I watch an owl cam where the owl left the eggs totally exposed in her owl box (no nesting materials around them) in 50-55 degrees for almost 2 hours about a week away from hatching and the babies hatched OK. I'm hoping the same could be true here, too.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm monitoring a wild Canada Goose nest. Unfortunately, the other day something disturbed her so that there was an interruption in her incubation.

I checked on her in the morning, all was well, then came back 4.5 hours later to find her standing over her eggs. Something disturbed her that I was able to fix and she sat back on the eggs immediately.

She was into the 17th day of incubation. The air temp was 77 degrees, breezy, but the nest is in a planter, so it's recessed in the planter and probably sheltered from the breeze. The longest she could've been standing there was 4.5 hours, but it was probably less.

I touched the eggs and they were warm, but not super warm. I touched them later that night when she had been sitting for hours and they felt warmer than the first time, but the air temp at night was only 55 and my hands were exposed to the cold air for a couple of minutes before touching them, so the eggs could've felt warmer due to this temperature differential.

Any chance these eggs are still viable? I watch an owl cam where the owl left the eggs totally exposed in her owl box (no nesting materials around them) in 50-55 degrees for almost 2 hours about a week away from hatching and the babies hatched OK. I'm hoping the same could be true here, too.

Thanks for any feedback.

She may have just been cooling her eggs too, that is part of incubation. they should be fine. and

 

[BettyGoosie]

She definitely had a problem that caused her to be standing up -- something was stuck on her that she couldn't get off, and I unstuck it. Then she sat down. So I'm thinking she might've been standing up for awhile due to this interference.

If you think that a few hours like that is no problem, then I will certainly stop worrying.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[jak2002003]

How does the 'wild goose' let you touch her eggs and get things off her that are stuck to her?

What was stuck to her?

Why are you interfering with a wild birds nest?

 

[pete55]

I'm monitoring a wild Canada Goose nest. Unfortunately, the other day something disturbed her so that there was an interruption in her incubation.

I checked on her in the morning, all was well, then came back 4.5 hours later to find her standing over her eggs. Something disturbed her that I was able to fix and she sat back on the eggs immediately.

She was into the 17th day of incubation. The air temp was 77 degrees, breezy, but the nest is in a planter, so it's recessed in the planter and probably sheltered from the breeze. The longest she could've been standing there was 4.5 hours, but it was probably less.

I touched the eggs and they were warm, but not super warm. I touched them later that night when she had been sitting for hours and they felt warmer than the first time, but the air temp at night was only 55 and my hands were exposed to the cold air for a couple of minutes before touching them, so the eggs could've felt warmer due to this temperature differential.

Any chance these eggs are still viable? I watch an owl cam where the owl left the eggs totally exposed in her owl box (no nesting materials around them) in 50-55 degrees for almost 2 hours about a week away from hatching and the babies hatched OK. I'm hoping the same could be true here, too.

Thanks for any feedback.

I wouldn't worry too much and Miss Lydia has given you reassurance that cooling is a natural part of the incubation process. Indeed you have observed this on an 'Owl cam'so you have witnessed this for yourself.

You'll have to keep a discreet observation and let us know if the goslings hatch successfully.

Pete

 

[BettyGoosie]

Jak,

I am not "interfering" with a wild goose nest. I am trying to prevent someone from illegally oiling it, which has happened in the past to this goose.

The owner of the property requested my help in keeping on eye on the situation. I work with wildlife rescue, and work quite often with monitoring goose nests on parking garages and other not-so-ideal places. I am not doing anything to harm the nest.

Please, have some manners, I don't appreciate your rude accusations. Maybe a better way to ask that question was, "What exactly are you doing with this nest," rather than, "Why are you interfering."

Even though we're anonymous to each other, we should all have some manners online.

 

[pete55]

BettyGoosie

My thoughts exactly about being pleasant and well mannered. There's always a way to ask a question without tending towards being rude.

Please keep us posted how the nest progresses. The cooling theory is relatively new so your observations are valuable.

Well done on your rescue work and what do you mean by 'oiling birds'??? Not heard of this in the UK except in cases of oil spillages where seabirds become contaminated.

Pete

 

[jak2002003]

Jak,

I am not "interfering" with a wild goose nest. I am trying to prevent someone from illegally oiling it, which has happened in the past to this goose.

The owner of the property requested my help in keeping on eye on the situation. I work with wildlife rescue, and work quite often with monitoring goose nests on parking garages and other not-so-ideal places. I am not doing anything to harm the nest.

Please, have some manners, I don't appreciate your rude accusations. Maybe a better way to ask that question was, "What exactly are you doing with this nest," rather than, "Why are you interfering."

Even though we're anonymous to each other, we should all have some manners online.

Oh, sorry - my question did seem a bit rude....it was not intended to be.

I just got shocked when I read you were handling eggs and the goose and they were a 'wild' nest.

If you had mentioned what you were doing I would not have made that mistake. It is so easy for people to misunderstand things that are written down rather than spoken to each other face to face.

Good work with the goose. Hope the eggs hatch!

How horrid that someone would oil the nest! Why do they do that? Also you are very brave to handle the eggs from the wild goose - I thought they would go crazy and attack you.

 

[tamthnguyen]

Hi,

Near where I work, we have a mother goose sitting on her eggs in front of a storage company. I try to provide food for her every day on my lunch break. It has been more than a month and her eggs have not hatched. I am beginning to think that the eggs are not viable. When I asked the girl at the front desk, she sadly told me that the other day, the own came in; chased the mother goose away and took the eggs and shook them with the intent to kill the chicks inside. This confirms my suspicion that the the eggs are no longer viable. I have two questions:

1. How can we help the mother goose to end this suffering for her. She looks very sad and worried. She seems to be very worn out.

2. How can I report this act of cruelty. I know there is a law in Canada that we are not to kill or capture wild life.

I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Thanks.. Tam,

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi,

Near where I work, we have a mother goose sitting on her eggs in front of a storage company. I try to provide food for her every day on my lunch break. It has been more than a month and her eggs have not hatched. I am beginning to think that the eggs are not viable. When I asked the girl at the front desk, she sadly told me that the other day, the own came in; chased the mother goose away and took the eggs and shook them with the intent to kill the chicks inside. This confirms my suspicion that the the eggs are no longer viable. I have two questions:

1. How can we help the mother goose to end this suffering for her. She looks very sad and worried. She seems to be very worn out.

2. How can I report this act of cruelty. I know there is a law in Canada that we are not to kill or capture wild life.

I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Thanks.. Tam,

Wild life authority may help what he did is inhumane she needs to get off the nest now and get her health back. I'd wait till you hear from the proper authorities before doing anything though or you may get into trouble.Look up your Provence and see who to contact in wild life management. Very sorry for you and mama goose.or go to Where am i where are you here on BYC and look up Toronto Canada talk to others who live in your area.