Let's have a gosling hatchalong!

[kuntrygirl]

I messed up!!! I took my eggs out to cool and mist last night. Well, I did mist the eggs and placed them on the table to cool. I layed down to wait for the end of the cooling period. Well, when I woke up at 5:00 AM thing morning (7 hours later), I jumped up because I realized that I fell asleep. I left those eggs out ALL NIGHT !!!!!! I'm sure I messed them up but I put them back in the incubator anyway. I am sooooooooooooo upset.

 

[pete55]

Oh No!!!

However not all may be lost so stop panicking as that certainly wont change the outcome!

Just a few questions first;

What breed are the eggs from? What stage of incubation are they at?

 

[pete55]

In many eggs the further they are into incubation then the longer they can withstand extremes of cooling. Also larger eggs hold their heat for longer periods as they have the greater mass. Watching birds in the wild you'd be amazed at the periods of absences that eggs can be left for by the parent bird and guess what they almost always invariably hatch.

I've seen plovers and avocets apparently almost desert their clutch or remaining eggs for hours (4-5 hours in one case) and still healthy young hatched but in fairness it was in the final week of incubation.

Indeed the incubator manufacturer Brinsea now offer their Advance series of incubators with an optional cooling mechanism daily ranging from 60 to 360 minutes following observation and research (fancy that)! Indeed the feature can be set automatically to come on every 24 hours for the selected period and the heater and alarms cut off (the fans still continue). Once the period passes then the incubator switches the heater and thermostat back on (very cool if you'll excuse the pun)

In these cases I've also got distracted and forgotten eggs and then rushed back without adverse effect. last year a friend left their eggs to cool in the morning and then went out until teatime and only realised on their return. I think those eggs were about halfway but they did hatch

For those without advanced machines that feature cooling cycles I find the best thing is to always set the alarm on my mobile phone as soon as I take the eggs out. As I'm never without my mobile for long it serves as a great back-up to my memory and prompts me to return them to the incubator. I'm always amazed how easily I can be distracted by something else and then hear my alarm go off and think 'Oh time to return the eggs'.

Just my opinions but hope it offers insights and ideas

Pete

 

[Iain Utah]

Well, I lost one in the shell, but it wasn't the one I was worried about. That one finished hatching himself. His umbilical looks a little swollen, but I think he'll be ok. I don't think my eggs lost enough moisture.

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Congrats on the adorable babies!!

Just hatched 14 Saddleback Poms. today. Two eggs left are pipped and still viable. Well satisfied as I put 24 eggs in incubator and some had some age on them as I was waiting to fill a tray. Girls are still laying and one has gone broody and setting on twelve eggs. I have 5 more under a Muscovy hen. Don't know what I am going to do with all these geese, but thought I would hatch them and hope there is a market for them. I f not they are still enjoyable to hatch and raise. I will try to post some pictures tomorrow.

Congrats! That's a lot of goslings!

I messed up!!!

I took my eggs out to cool and mist last night. Well, I did mist the eggs and placed them on the table to cool. I layed down to wait for the end of the cooling period. Well, when I woke up at 5:00 AM thing morning (7 hours later), I jumped up because I realized that I fell asleep. I left those eggs out ALL NIGHT !!!!!!

I'm sure I messed them up but I put them back in the incubator anyway. I am sooooooooooooo upset.

Yikes! I lost power a couple of weeks ago and lost 1/2 of the eggs I had set a few days prior to power loss, but all of the eggs that were over 10 days into cooking are still doing well.

they are ok!!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Oh No!!! 

However not all may be lost so stop panicking as that certainly wont change the outcome!

Just a few questions first;

What breed are the eggs from?  What stage of incubation are they at?

I have Emden and Chinese. Lock down was scheduled for the 27th.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Iain Utah, I am literally sick. I could PUKE right now. I'm trying not to get too sick about this but I am. The cooling and misting is so stressful and time consuming for me but I know it has to be done. I have been so diligent about doing it but last night I was so tired, I feel asleep. I can only hope for the best. :/

 

[pete55]

Iain Utah, I am literally sick. I could PUKE right now. I'm trying not to get too sick about this but I am.

The cooling and misting is so stressful and time consuming for me but I know it has to be done. I have been so diligent about doing it but last night I was so tired, I feel asleep. I can only hope for the best.

Oh dear I can guess how you're feeling but was your home so cold overnight?

Now Emdens and Chinese are tough critters and usually incubate well, even better these eggs were over the halfway stage at about Day 18. With those facts established there every reason to hope things will be ok. As Iain said those eggs over 10 days continued to develop.

For today leave well alone and miss this evening's cooling. Instead relax and get some well earned rest as it'll do you and the eggs more good!!! Just maintain stable conditions over the next 36 hours. If a quick candling tonight would reassure you they're alive then go ahead but keep it brief.

Wishing you the best of luck with this batch.

Pete

 

[kuntrygirl]

Iain Utah, I am literally sick. I could PUKE right now. I'm trying not to get too sick about this but I am. The cooling and misting is so stressful and time consuming for me but I know it has to be done. I have been so diligent about doing it but last night I was so tired, I feel asleep. I can only hope for the best. :/

Oh dear I can guess how you're feeling but was your home so cold overnight?

Now Emdens and Chinese are tough critters and usually incubate well, even better these eggs were over the halfway stage at about Day 18.  With those facts established there every reason to hope things will be ok.  As Iain said those eggs over 10 days continued to develop.

For today leave well alone and miss this evening's cooling. Instead relax and get some well earned rest as it'll do you and the eggs more good!!!  Just maintain stable conditions over the next 36 hours.  If a quick candling tonight would reassure you they're alive then go ahead but keep it brief.

Wishing you the best of luck with this batch.

Pete

The temps stay at 60 at night when I sleep.

I wish my home made wine was done fermenting. I sure could use some tonight.

I will try not to worry. I will do what you have suggested and just wait.

It's my own fault. I have been putting off to buy a timer that will ring when cooling is over but I have not gotten it. That is the first thing that I will buy when I get off from work. I should have followed my first mind and bought that timer. I would have heard it go off. But I can't beat myself up. It's done and I can't go back and take it back.

Lesson learned. My poor babies. Out of the 9 eggs, 7 were fertile.

Thanks for the well wishes everyone.

 

[Iain Utah]

kuntry, listen to Pete. He is very experienced and wise. It does no good to panic. We all go through mishaps at some point and we all lose some eggs due to our own fault. But you'd be surprised how strong other eggs are and will hatch against all odds. I have hope you have some eggs that will still hatch despite the extended cooling.

 

[pete55]

Well an overnight temp of 60 is not too bad. Don't beat yourself up anymore as you've now learnt a valuable lesson to help you in the future. Anyway all's not lost so lets be optimistic until we know otherwise.

If I were you I'd be at that unfermented wine - ready or not. It'll soon knock you out but cant guarantee what time you'll get up tomorrow!

Best wishes - Pete