pilgrims

[Balbinka]

Quote:
Yay!
Keep it going.

Check that other egg at 10 Days or so if it doesn't start rotting.
In some of my goose eggs, I saw nothing but a floaty spot until 12 days!

 

[blefky]

Quote:
Yay!
Keep it going.

Check that other egg at 10 Days or so if it doesn't start rotting.
In some of my goose eggs, I saw nothing but a floaty spot until 12 days!

Oh, wow, thanks - that's good to know. Quite different from chicken eggs, then! Well, I guess we'll see. Guess I have to look at this one as a learning experience.

 

[blefky]

End of week one. Weighed them all and they are within the weight loss guidelines I've read, the temps and humidity have been stable. One, which had been developing, became a stinker in the last couple of days - I pulled it out this morning, don't want to chance an explosion. There's one other that is looking iffy, and the other three are still going strong at this point. May's gonna be a long month!

 

[pete55]

Hi

Well so far so good. Thats good that you removed the bad egg. I use forced air incubators but still cool the eggs daily as I believe it improves the health of the embryos and promotes moisture loss.

A month's incubation seems forever but after a couple weeks it soon comes along with all the additional anxieties of hatching

Pete

 

[blefky]

oops, sorry, repost.

 

[blefky]

I've been looking into starter feed (optimistic of me, right?

), and it doesn't appear that there is anything sold locally which really fits the bill for goslings. Does anyone have an opinion on using this chick starter for goslings:


Product Description
Brown's Chick Starter Chicken Feed uses natural plant proteins and only the freshest wholesome sun-ripened grains that your chicks will love to eat! Our diet is free of animal proteins and fats. Plus, we use only the highest quality ingredients for optimum growth, development and appearance. Contains 20% protein for optimum muscle development and weight gain. Brown's Chick Starter Chicken Feed helps develop an active immune system and produce strong, healthy beautifully colored birds. Fortified with calcium, vitamins and minerals.
Important Information
Ingredients
Corn, Soybean Meal, Wheat Middlings, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Soybean Oil, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate , Salt, DL-Methionine, L-lysine, Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract Dehydrated, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Casei, Bifidobacterium Thermophilum, Enterococcus Faecium, Choline Chloride, Naicin Supplement, Roughage Products, Vitamin A-Acetate, Vitamin D3 supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavini Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic

Also, if I'm fortunate enough to have all three of the eggs hatch, how much starter do you think I need to purchase to get me through til I switch them to grower? Thanks for the advice.

Becky

 

[blefky]

Hello everyone! I thought I'd check in with an update and a question. I'm on day 23, and still have three eggs developing. I've been trying not to get too attached to the idea of these guys actually hatching as I've read so many posts about the problems people encounter, but who am I kidding - I'm getting really nervous! Question, Pete says, "By the 24th to 27th day of incubation (depending on breed) the egg should have lost approx. 13% of its weight and the air cell should be of a good size. The air cell should be slightly slanting downwards. At this point the eggs should be candled daily to determine their progress. Within a 24 hour period the air cell appears to suddenly dip downwards and appears to have grown noticeably in size. It often takes up a distinctive ‘dipped’ shape and becomes easily recognisable." As of last Saturday my eggs had lost approx. 10 to 11% of their original weight. Am I on track? Should I be cutting back on the humidity a bit? I've held it at about 40% give or take a percent or two either way. The air cells look comparable to Pete's late stage egg pics, but are so solid that I can no longer see anything at all through them other than the air cells - they're as bad as my marans eggs! Also, as Pilgrims are medium sized geese, what should I be looking for as far as a time line? more toward the 24th day or the 27th day to achieve that weight loss? I thought I had this under control, but I feel the anxiety starting to rise.

Ok, deep breath. Any opinions, advice........Pete, you out there?

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
That sounds like a decent starter for geese. If you want you should be able to buy a vitimin/mineral package to add to their water. if you go that way a small amount of sugar or hunny will offset its taste. I always dump water with this mix after no more than 2 hours because it goes bad fast! If you can't change the water often you will be better off with straight water. Usually the smallest bag of starter you can buy is 25 pounds this will be enough to get three goslings off to a good start. Do not try to save any for next year since age will make it worse than useless. I always mix the starter in with the grower since geese get upset with a quick complete change of ration and have been known to refuse the new ration. Get them out on grass after the first week if the weather will allow. Good Luck with the hatch! ~gd

 

[blefky]

Quote:
That sounds like a decent starter for geese. If you want you should be able to buy a vitimin/mineral package to add to their water. if you go that way a small amount of sugar or hunny will offset its taste. I always dump water with this mix after no more than 2 hours because it goes bad fast! If you can't change the water often you will be better off with straight water. Usually the smallest bag of starter you can buy is 25 pounds this will be enough to get three goslings off to a good start. Do not try to save any for next year since age will make it worse than useless. I always mix the starter in with the grower since geese get upset with a quick complete change of ration and have been known to refuse the new ration. Get them out on grass after the first week if the weather will allow. Good Luck with the hatch! ~gd

Thank you! I really appreciate the advice.

 

[blefky]

I found a place, locally, that carries gamebird starter. It has 22% protein - is that a good choice for the first few weeks, or is that too high?
Also, for those of you who hatch pilgrims - what's a good average for hatch day? Temps have been steady at about 99.2 - 4F, humidity has been mid 40's.
Thanks for any advice.