- Apr 11, 2009
- 494
- 8
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So I have hatched chickens and ducks out for years with good success rates but am suddenly in unknown territory.
We moved to a new house recently, and 3 geese were included in the deal (!). I think they are grey back geese, though one is white. 2 females, one male.
I was told that the eggs should be incubated for 28 days, like ducks, so put them in the incubator with that in mind with some other eggs.
When I candled them today (day 24) they are nowhere near ready - eggs are maybe 3/4 full, moving nicely but I'd say they have another 6 or 7 days maybe until hatching, just going by embryo size :/ so I did some quick searches but can't seem to get a conclusive answer - anywhere from 28 to 34 days seems to be listed online. So when do you put goose eggs into lockdown?
Also their air cells aren't big enough yet - they've only lost about 10% weight, though the duck eggs in with them are right on target for weight loss.
Half the duck eggs are moving into the hatcher bator for lockdown tomorrow, so if I reduce the humidity for a few days for the goose eggs (and the muscovies that will also still be in there) can I play catch up with the air cell, or will drying things out a bit be a problem? When should they be in lockdown? I don't want to reduce humidity to increase the air cell and then find they were about to pip!!!
Also, while I'm here, what is standard incubation for mallard ducks? I have only ever hatched cayugas, khaki-camobells, Saxony and pekin ducks. Are mallards 28 days too, because I've read they can be sooner, but again the guidelines for their incubation period are vague - ???
Thanks!
We moved to a new house recently, and 3 geese were included in the deal (!). I think they are grey back geese, though one is white. 2 females, one male.
I was told that the eggs should be incubated for 28 days, like ducks, so put them in the incubator with that in mind with some other eggs.
When I candled them today (day 24) they are nowhere near ready - eggs are maybe 3/4 full, moving nicely but I'd say they have another 6 or 7 days maybe until hatching, just going by embryo size :/ so I did some quick searches but can't seem to get a conclusive answer - anywhere from 28 to 34 days seems to be listed online. So when do you put goose eggs into lockdown?
Also their air cells aren't big enough yet - they've only lost about 10% weight, though the duck eggs in with them are right on target for weight loss.
Half the duck eggs are moving into the hatcher bator for lockdown tomorrow, so if I reduce the humidity for a few days for the goose eggs (and the muscovies that will also still be in there) can I play catch up with the air cell, or will drying things out a bit be a problem? When should they be in lockdown? I don't want to reduce humidity to increase the air cell and then find they were about to pip!!!
Also, while I'm here, what is standard incubation for mallard ducks? I have only ever hatched cayugas, khaki-camobells, Saxony and pekin ducks. Are mallards 28 days too, because I've read they can be sooner, but again the guidelines for their incubation period are vague - ???
Thanks!
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