Sebastopol Baby Pics Page 6!

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

We got our first geese last year, a lavender male and two white girls (i think). They are just 10 months old now. i shouldn't have been browsing the hatching eggs on ebay

but came across a woman selling Sebastopol eggs. She has some cool colors like buff, blue, and saddleback. i couldn't help myself!

So now 6 eggs are on their way and i am reading like crazy on how to incubate them. i hatched chickens, turkeys, ducks, and quail, but never geese. Have read through Pete's article (3x) in the sticky at the top of the section, and also have a good friend who has incubated many geese. With what these cost, i am hoping and praying for a good hatch! Will be posting more after they arrive, and i'm sure i will have lot's of questions. But if anyone wants to throw some advice my way, i'm all ears!

 

[littledear]

I bought my first goose eggs last year from e-bay and they all hatched but two out of twelve eggs. I used a forced air hovabator and hand turned five X's daily with misting at 99.5* F. I had no idea if I was doing everything right or not and that was before I joined the forum. Keep your humidity high at the end and they should do okay. Also lockdown is day 26 when you stop turning them and some of mine didn't get out of the shells until day 34.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. i will be using a Hovabator Genesis forced air with thermostat. My friend said he puts his eggs into a still air near hatch time as the forced air dries the eggs out too much. i have a still air so will be doing the same thing. And the misting sounds logical, as the mom goose would probably be getting off the nest to clean herself in the pond once a day then back on the nest damp, right?

The conflicting information between Pete's instructions and my friend, are that Pete does dry incubation. My friend says he fills up the water tray underneath and leaves the vent plugs out. So, still unsure on that one. What did you do with your humidity in the first 26 days, and where do you want it at hatch time?

 

[pete55]

Sebastopols should be a little easier to hatch but the key is the correct amount of moisture loss which can be measured by weighing and the humidity adjusted daily.

Best of luck with your eggs and very exciting times ahead

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

I think I fell for that same auction. Oops!

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

I think I fell for that same auction. Oops!

Really? Uh oh, we'll have to compare notes as we hatch along!

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Really? Uh oh, we'll have to compare notes as we hatch along!

That would be great except for mine are on day 8 with nothing. I want to know how yours do, cuz I might get more.

I have 2 more from another breeder doing great though! So there's a plus!

 

[thasista]

Sebastopols should be a little easier to hatch but the key is the correct amount of moisture loss which can be measured by weighing and the humidity adjusted daily.

Best of luck with your eggs and very exciting times ahead

I am also hatching geese for the first time. I have no water in my incubator and the humidity level reads slightly less than 30% until I mist then its a little over 40%. I am weighing everything (including chicken eggs) and everything is decreasing the appropriate amount. The air cells look good so far. I really appreciate your sticky, Pete. I printed it and it hangs over my incubators and hatcher. I have referred to it no less than 10 times in 10 days!

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Yes, Props to Pete. I'm a first time gooser too. I've read that sticky 3 times!

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Sebastopols should be a little easier to hatch but the key is the correct amount of moisture loss which can be measured by weighing and the humidity adjusted daily.

Best of luck with your eggs and very exciting times ahead

So glad you popped in here, Pete, as you seem to have a wealth of knowledge. Please be prepared for LOT'S of questions from me in the upcoming weeks.

To start with, i am assuming that after receiving these shipped eggs, i should let them rest for 24 hours, same as with chicken eggs. i won't be using an auto turner, so assume i should turn them 3-5 times a day? The humidity issue is a concern. i've never done dry hatching. But i have heard from others that it is very successful. Anyhow, i guess i need to find an accurate kitchen scale, and also where to get bleeding control spray, artificial skin spray, Inadine Dry Powder Spray (as you mentioned in your article). i also will need a dremel (is that what it's called, the thing that hand drills holes?). Getting very nervous here!