Let's have a gosling hatchalong!

[r4eboxer]

Does anyone use a still air incubator? I've been reading Stories Guide to Ducks and DH says to not put the thermometer on top of the eggs due to the embryos throwing off heat, my incubator says to put the thermometer on the top of the eggs. I figure DH knows more than the manufacturor of my bator, so I moved the thermometer to the bottom of the bator floor and the readings are way different like 8-10 degrees. What does everyone else do? I know the bottom will be cooler than the top and a forced air will take care of those fluctuations but I don't have fans on any of my bators and now I'm worried about my eggs. I've got a ton of eggs in all my bators. I've had good hatches but I'm confused anyway. I've got 16 goose eggs in one bator and it's day 31 eggs are rocking (well one so far) but no pips. Did I overload my incubator??

Now in another bator I set 22 goose eggs yesterday, Is that too many for a 1602n still air? That's what I set in the one that has 16 eggs (tossed some due to infertility of a yearling pair) Am I overloading and if so what is the recommended amount for the bator I have, no auto turner btw.

Gosh that is a mouth full I know, thanks to anyone who can help.

 

[pete55]

As the machine is still air you will have variation in temperature from both bottom to top and side to side.

Essentially you've got to create average conditions and when you turn try to mix those eggs from the perimeter back towards the middle so its an average you are trying to achieve.

Only by trial and error will you find what your overall average readings are and this will take time and various placements of the thermometer bulb BEFORE setting any eggs.

Once you locate your 'average sweet spot' then the height for the incubator bulb should be level with the centre of your eggs and recording approx. 37.2C.

Pete

 

[r4eboxer]

Thank you Pete, I did not rotate my eggs and will do so on the eggs I set yesterday. I know my sweet spot is in the middle now that you explain it that way. I will rotate my eggs so I have all of them there off and on. I'm also going to go price fans for my bators

The eggs that are in and on day 31 how many days should I give them before tossing? I see development, the air cells are starting to dip but on last candle I did not see shadowing for internal. pip

 

[DaisyMeadow]

Sebastopol/Tufted Romans started externally pipping and I finally heard peeping yesterday. They were probably peeping before that, but since I have so many other babies brooding in the house, it's hard to hear anything else.

I hope for goslings later today. Looks like 8/12 are probable hatching candidates.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Good luck with your hatch!

 

[RURU]

Hi Pete!!!!

Guess what I finally learned how to use that reptopro (spelled wrong) right.... I run it with a tiny small bowl of water but keep it running dry as possible. I hatched 8 goslings from that incubator. So right now have a lot of eggs in it and only one egg in the R-com to hatch. I looked in at the single egg and it jumped and rolled around. That just tickled me to see the egg do that. It is on day 29 and has not externally pipped yet. That is when I will turn the humidity up to 70 degrees.

After this egg hatches will clean the R-com up again and start it up for the next batch that is due. I will take them out of the repto and put in the R-com to finish their time. Will keep doing that until all the eggs are hatched.
At least this year I have beaten last years hatch of one to 12 so far this year all THANKS to you Pete and you hatching directions!!!!!

 

[refamat]

Just set 9 goose eggs in my brinsea. Had just enough room for 9 ameraucana eggs too. The chicken eggs will get moved to a hatching bator on day 18. But, it'll be a May hatching event I hope. Since my goose isn't sitting on her eggs and it doesn't look like she will, I snatched 4 and a friend brought 5 of her goose eggs over.

 

[mominoz]

Thank you Mr. Pete.
On the sad side I woke this morning to find the Shetland goose had pipped the wrong end and after checking, she was dead. I opened the egg....fully formed female Dang it. 2 more Hookbills one, hasn't progressed much in over 24 hours so may be assisting. I had to last year too, a few couldn't zip all way around and after 2 died in shell I helped the others per instructions here. ( I read they seem to have some difficulty hatching)...but seem pretty tough little birds. I have 5 silky ducks I am not sure of, and another internally pipped. My temp dropped a bit the last couple days and that may have slowed things I have plugs out and humidity around 75%.

 

[mominoz]

R4Eboxer.....................
I have the same ones. I was following Storeys guide too. I had some problems last year, mostly 3 power outages, not raising humidity at hatch, and low incubation temp. I use 3 thermometers and my husband meter and the accurite temp/hygrometers are correct for me. I am not getting 8-10 differences between top and bottom. First we hd to find out where the accurites intakes were (where they were pulling in temp). One is newer and has its intake grill near top, the other has it on wholeside. So I placed them on a plastic spool so the intakes were at top of eggs. I then try for 101-102 at top of eggs. (I am incubating duck and goose eggs together). I have discovered 2 important Stablizing facts for my Hovabators. 1) fill with eggs or put in jars of water same temp as "heat storage units" 2) keep room above 70 away from vents, doors etc.
I just read about dry incubating ...but am in the middle....so not sure I want to mess with this group. I do wash my eggs, and am misting some...both of which Holderreads says seem to help with dyhydration....
At this point , I am contemplating getting another bator with fan and turner....or building my own....For backup I do have a 2 yr. old goose setting 3 eggs (not hers, ones I wanted)... and 3 silky ducks sitting theirs and a runner or hookbill egg, (put what I had clean under them, as they are less than a year old).
I lost a Shetland baby this morning , pipped wrong end...dead...It's my yearling geese eggs so was just trying

 

[Iain Utah]

Sebastopol/Tufted Romans started externally pipping and I finally heard peeping yesterday. They were probably peeping before that, but since I have so many other babies brooding in the house, it's hard to hear anything else. I hope for goslings later today. Looks like 8/12 are probable hatching candidates.

Hi Pete!!!!

Guess what I finally learned how to use that reptopro (spelled wrong) right.... I run it with a tiny small bowl of water but keep it running dry as possible. I hatched 8 goslings from that incubator. So right now have a lot of eggs in it and only one egg in the R-com to hatch. I looked in at the single egg and it jumped and rolled around. That just tickled me to see the egg do that. It is on day 29 and has not externally pipped yet. That is when I will turn the humidity up to 70 degrees.

After this egg hatches will clean the R-com up again and start it up for the next batch that is due. I will take them out of the repto and put in the R-com to finish their time. Will keep doing that until all the eggs are hatched.
At least this year I have beaten last years hatch of one to 12 so far this year all THANKS to you Pete and you hatching directions!!!!!

Congrats!

Just set 9 goose eggs in my brinsea. Had just enough room for 9 ameraucana eggs too. The chicken eggs will get moved to a hatching bator on day 18. But, it'll be a May hatching event I hope. Since my goose isn't sitting on her eggs and it doesn't look like she will, I snatched 4 and a friend brought 5 of her goose eggs over.

Best of luck with your eggs!

R4Eboxer.....................
I have the same ones. I was following Storeys guide too. I had some problems last year, mostly 3 power outages, not raising humidity at hatch, and low incubation temp. I use 3 thermometers and my husband meter and the accurite temp/hygrometers are correct for me. I am not getting 8-10 differences between top and bottom. First we hd to find out where the accurites intakes were (where they were pulling in temp). One is newer and has its intake grill near top, the other has it on wholeside. So I placed them on a plastic spool so the intakes were at top of eggs. I then try for 101-102 at top of eggs. (I am incubating duck and goose eggs together). I have discovered 2 important Stablizing facts for my Hovabators. 1) fill with eggs or put in jars of water same temp as "heat storage units" 2) keep room above 70 away from vents, doors etc.
I just read about dry incubating ...but am in the middle....so not sure I want to mess with this group. I do wash my eggs, and am misting some...both of which Holderreads says seem to help with dyhydration....
At this point , I am contemplating getting another bator with fan and turner....or building my own....For backup I do have a 2 yr. old goose setting 3 eggs (not hers, ones I wanted)... and 3 silky ducks sitting theirs and a runner or hookbill egg, (put what I had clean under them, as they are less than a year old).
I lost a Shetland baby this morning , pipped wrong end...dead...It's my yearling geese eggs so was just trying

Very sorry for your loss.