seem to be having lots of early death with goose egg incubation

[josiegirl]

Oh and what is salt testing? How could I do that?

 

[Kiki]

Yes with goose eggs everything I've read says you will massively improve hatch rates by misting and cooling for around 5-15 minutes per day. There are some very good threads on here about that. But like that article said, hatcheries don't do that they just wash with hydrogen peroxide. That's why they suspect misting and cooling is effective because it degrades the cuticle.

I bought a new thermometer/hygrometer just for the incubator, my kitchen thermometer matches up. I've moved it around to check for hot spots and it seems stable. Been keeping humidity at around 30-34. They seem to be losing weight at the right rate.

Did you calibrate any of the thermometers?



https://www.neptunecigar.com/tips/h...hould should read,much your hygrometer is off.

 

[josiegirl]

Didn't calibrate just tested against my kitchen thermometer. Is calibration different?

 

[Mellowmalt]

right skimming over this I think it has gone a bit off topic, I believe in calibrating but I also believe not to fix something that aint broke.

Lets put it into context, 2 eggs out of 32 didn't make it in the incubator that were fertile. Ok that is the background and we know they were scrubbed with hydrogen peroxide and were dirt contaminated.

So just thought it is worth pointing that out.

I also have heard about spraying duck eggs, but since the protective coating was scrubbed off srayng with water is probably a bad idea.

 

[josiegirl]

Oh yes maybe I should clarify. I've got two different batches going so I'll use the first batch as an example. I set 13 eggs a bunch were blank I expected that, and I ended up with around 9 that were developing veins. 3 of them stopped developing veins then the veins receded so I removed them after a few days. Since I could start seeing movement within the egg I've now lost 2 more. They stopped moving and I removed them after not seeing movement after a few days. So I'm left with 4 out of 13 of the first hatch.

I think I need to add fresh hay to their nest every day or something they were quite filthy but I had read don't wash them. Upon further reading these eggs were just too dirty to hatch!

I think with this new batch I may not mist and cool, or if I do it will be with hydrogen peroxide. First year is always an experiment I guess. The geese refused to sit anyway so it's not like they would've ever been hatched anyway. I do hope I figure it out tho, I love goslings.

 

[Pyxis]

I would double check your thermometers and hygrometers, maybe give the incubator a good cleaning too, in case it's bacteria in the incubator or something. Also check for hot spots and cold spots in the incubator, since you think it's a still air.

 

[josiegirl]

I will do that for sure. I did spray down the incubator with hydrogen peroxide as well.

Now that they were washed, do you guys think I should mist and cool them?

 

[Kiki]

I will do that for sure. I did spray down the incubator with hydrogen peroxide as well.

Now that they were washed, do you guys think I should mist and cool them?

I have not incubated geese eggs yet but I can tell you that when I do incubate them I will not mist them.
@RoosterML is hatching some right now.
His first two have already made it out of the shell and I can tell you that he did not mist his eggs one time.

I believe that people do things differently and it can work so you're going to have to do what you think is best.... But you have been misting your eggs right?
There are too many variables to determine which one of the things you are doing is causing your eggs to die.

 

[Kiki]

Didn't calibrate just tested against my kitchen thermometer. Is calibration different?

Did you calibrate your kitchen thermometer?

 

[Kiki]

right skimming over this I think it has gone a bit off topic, I believe in calibrating but I also believe not to fix something that aint broke.

Lets put it into context, 2 eggs out of 32 didn't make it in the incubator that were fertile. Ok that is the background and we know they were scrubbed with hydrogen peroxide and were dirt contaminated.

So just thought it is worth pointing that out.

I also have heard about spraying duck eggs, but since the protective coating was scrubbed off srayng with water is probably a bad idea.

What are you talking about only two eggs didn't make in it? Are you talking about your own hatch?