Need expert advice incubating & hatching geese

[zekii]

Well I am totally stumped trying to incubate & hatch geese, I've been incubating & hatching chickens, ducks & turkeys and have
never experienced the issues I've been having trying to hatch out some geese. Maybe since my adult geese are only a year old their eggs aren't the hardiest? This is where I'm at, I've incubated two clutches of geese eggs, fertility is good, when I get to lock down I boost the humidity to 80 - 88 %, and drop the temp to 98-98.5F When the gosslings externally pip they make a big hole, but that is it, they don't seem to be able to spin around in the shell to zip the top off the egg. In about a day the membrane exposed at the hole starts to harden around the goosling, and soon they are in a mummified sheath. The first clutch I waited until day 33 to help, which was way too late they were dead, this present clutch today is day 32, so I started helping them zip the top off the egg. One gossling was pretty much encased in this thin internal membrane, and cecal poop, I had to extract that gossling from the shell and wash off under warm water to free up its legs & wings...what a mess! The second goosling was making better progress zipping, but I could tell the membrane was starting to toughen around it, no cecal poop noted, but I zipped the top of the egg off, and now it has started to push out of the shell. So I'm am looking to folks here that hatch out geese regularly to respond, and give me some pointers on what I might be doing wrong. Possibly the gosslings are too big, so that might be either too much humidity during incubation...what do you think? Or possibly since my adults are only 1 year old this month, their eggs aren't really up to hatching well? Thank you in advance for any and all advice & replies.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well I am totally stumped trying to incubate & hatch geese, I've been incubating & hatching chickens, ducks & turkeys and have
never experienced the issues I've been having trying to hatch out some geese. Maybe since my adult geese are only a year old their eggs aren't the hardiest? This is where I'm at, I've incubated two clutches of geese eggs, fertility is good, when I get to lock down I boost the humidity to 80 - 88 %, and drop the temp to 98-98.5F When the gosslings externally pip they make a big hole, but that is it, they don't seem to be able to spin around in the shell to zip the top off the egg. In about a day the membrane exposed at the hole starts to harden around the goosling, and soon they are in a mummified sheath. The first clutch I waited until day 33 to help, which was way too late they were dead, this present clutch today is day 32, so I started helping them zip the top off the egg. One gossling was pretty much encased in this thin internal membrane, and cecal poop, I had to extract that gossling from the shell and wash off under warm water to free up its legs & wings...what a mess! The second goosling was making better progress zipping, but I could tell the membrane was starting to toughen around it, no cecal poop noted, but I zipped the top of the egg off, and now it has started to push out of the shell. So I'm am looking to folks here that hatch out geese regularly to respond, and give me some pointers on what I might be doing wrong. Possibly the gosslings are too big, so that might be either too much humidity during incubation...what do you think? Or possibly since my adults are only 1 year old this month, their eggs aren't really up to hatching well? Thank you in advance for any and all advice & replies.

I don't know if you've read this before but most on here that hatch by incubator use Pete's guide. Hope your lil ones make it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-for-breeding-incubating-hatching-and-rearing

 

[zekii]

I don't know if you've read this before but most on here that hatch by incubator use Pete's guide. Hope your lil ones make it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-for-breeding-incubating-hatching-and-rearing

Ok...I've read Pete's guide, no mention there of drying membranes at hatch. I'm thinking the gosslings are too large, so that would mean too much humidity during incubation, but then when I'm seeing dried membranes at hatching time, this is what really has me stumped.
We'll try an do another clutch of geese eggs this season and try a different method of incubation. I'm sure eventually we'll figure our
issue out.

 

[RURU]

Ok...I've read Pete's guide, no mention there of drying membranes at hatch. I'm thinking the gosslings are too large, so that would mean too much humidity during incubation, but then when I'm seeing dried membranes at hatching time, this is what really has me stumped.
We'll try an do another clutch of geese eggs this season and try a different method of incubation. I'm sure eventually we'll figure our
issue out.

The best way with goose eggs is to run a dry incubator. That is what I do and you do not put the humidity high until after both internal pip and external pip. When the gosling has piped externally then you pump up the humidity to 85 percent to help keep the membrane somewhat moist to help the gosling hatch without being shrink wrapped. Which means the membrane is too dry and will shrink and the gosling can not get out. Then in that case is when you use the sterile warm water with a Q-tip to keep the membrane mist so the gosling can hatch it's self.

 

[zekii]

Quote:
If I can get some eggs to do another incubation, I'll run dry. For some reason to me running dry would lead to dryer membranes, but what I'm seeing is that having too much humidity during incubation lead to a larger gosling that cannot turn easily in the egg. Thank you

 

[zekii]

It looks like one of these goslings is thriving, eating & drinking the other can barely get up on its feet. From what I can determine gosling was way too large, so will have to not add any water to the incubator until lockdown next time and see if this will help the hatch.

 

[livininbrazil]

It looks like one of these goslings is thriving, eating & drinking the other can barely get up on its feet. From what I can determine gosling was way too large, so will have to not add any water to the incubator until lockdown next time and see if this will help the hatch.

The one that can´t get on its feet, is it because of spraddle-leg, or is it just really weak? You could hand-feed it some mushy food to help it along.

 

[zekii]

The one that can´t get on its feet, is it because of spraddle-leg, or is it just really weak? You could hand-feed it some mushy food to help it along.

Unfortunately looked like neurological problem, large head, the 2nd gossling is growing doing well, so we are learning just how hard it is to hatch geese, even our adults haven't been hatching any this year, we think they aren't old enough yet, possibly next year will be better.

 

[livininbrazil]

Unfortunately looked like neurological problem, large head, the 2nd gossling is growing doing well, so we are learning just how hard it is to hatch geese, even our adults haven't been hatching any this year, we think they aren't old enough yet, possibly next year will be better.

Sorry to hear about the gosling. Not a lot you could do, then. Is your other one keeping company with the adults?
I don´t breed my first-year geese (females). They do better second year.

 

[zekii]

Sorry to hear about the gosling. Not a lot you could do, then. Is your other one keeping company with the adults?
I don´t breed my first-year geese (females). They do better second year.

We have the one gossling by itself, it is lonely, but bonding with us more. We had put in some poults & chicks to keep it company but it was pulling at their wings...not good.
Another week and this gossling will be big enough go outside with our young duckling group. We have four more goose eggs, the last for this year that we put in the
incubator two days ago. So far this season none of her eggs have been fertile, but we are hoping these last 4 are.