SOS Incubating Eggs

[LisabethBrooke]

I just now discovered that something ate my female goose last night. While she was sitting on 7 eggs. Unfortunately with her it ate 2 of the eggs. And I now need to know how to incubate eggs without an incubator. For the time being I put the eggs in a cardboard box with a towel and a heating pad and shut the box lid. I'm really hoping that they didn't die last night during the thunderstorm we had, I'm not sure how chilly it got or how warm eggs need to be kept or how long they had been without their mother. Also, how do you know if there is anything in them? and if so.. if they're still alive? Is there anyway to check that. I do know that there should only be a couple more days until they were hatched, given the time I discovered the eggs to the 30ish days it takes for them to hatch. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[livininbrazil]

I just now discovered that something ate my female goose last night. While she was sitting on 7 eggs. Unfortunately with her it ate 2 of the eggs. And I now need to know how to incubate eggs without an incubator. For the time being I put the eggs in a cardboard box with a towel and a heating pad and shut the box lid. I'm really hoping that they didn't die last night during the thunderstorm we had, I'm not sure how chilly it got or how warm eggs need to be kept or how long they had been without their mother. Also, how do you know if there is anything in them? and if so.. if they're still alive? Is there anyway to check that. I do know that there should only be a couple more days until they were hatched, given the time I discovered the eggs to the 30ish days it takes for them to hatch. Any help would be appreciated.

Oh, that´s terrible! You never know, the babies may still be alive, as you said, depends on how long they were without the goose. Do you know how to candle? It´s quite easy. Dark room, bright torch, and shine into the air-cell end of the egg. If you see movement, then you´ve managed to save it. Of course, they do rest, so just because there´s no movement, doesn´t mean it´s dead either. The eggs need to be at 99º, and make sure there´s plenty of padding so the eggs don´t get too hot in one place, but not too much to keep the heat from them. Also, get a wet cloth spread out in there to add humidity. I´ve hatched eggs like this, without an incubator, it can be done at this stage. I hope they didn´t all die last night. You may even see rocking egg, or hear noises inside when they´ve broken through the membrane inside.

 

[LisabethBrooke]

I put them in a small card board box with a heating pad and a towel. Then after some research I inserted a regular thermometer under one of eggs and it reads at a steady 100 degrees F. I added the damp towel as soon as I read your comment. Last night I attempted to candle the eggs. Three of the eggs have just a dark mass in them and an air bubble and I can't see any movement - but I do know they weren't all layed on the same day. Is that normal? I couldn't say exactly when they were each layed, my geese aren't exactly cuddly. They're very convinced that half the time I'm intruding on their yard, and I've met watch dogs less protective then these two. But in the other two eggs there is a definite beak that wiggles around and you can feel the gosling wriggle through the egg while you hold it. And today I can hear them chirping when I talk to the eggs, or turn the light on in the bedroom. Is it possible the other three eggs are just not as far along in the incubation period - or is it more likely that these are dead birds in there? I've read some stuff online where people "piped"? the eggs? Do I have to do that or will they do it themselves? What do I do now?

 

[livininbrazil]

I put them in a small card board box with a heating pad and a towel. Then after some research I inserted a regular thermometer under one of eggs and it reads at a steady 100 degrees F. I added the damp towel as soon as I read your comment. Last night I attempted to candle the eggs. Three of the eggs have just a dark mass in them and an air bubble and I can't see any movement - but I do know they weren't all layed on the same day. Is that normal? I couldn't say exactly when they were each layed, my geese aren't exactly cuddly. They're very convinced that half the time I'm intruding on their yard, and I've met watch dogs less protective then these two. But in the other two eggs there is a definite beak that wiggles around and you can feel the gosling wriggle through the egg while you hold it. And today I can hear them chirping when I talk to the eggs, or turn the light on in the bedroom. Is it possible the other three eggs are just not as far along in the incubation period - or is it more likely that these are dead birds in there? I've read some stuff online where people "piped"? the eggs? Do I have to do that or will they do it themselves? What do I do now?

Hi. Sorry I didn´t see your reply.
sounds like you´ve saved, so far, 2 goslings. You´re doing great. It doesn´t matter when the goose lays the egg, it matters when she starts to incubate. Most likely she started to incubate them all at the same time, but sometimes a goose may lay another egg a couple of days into the incubation, which means that one or maybe two can be late. so, if the other eggs don´t stink yet, just leave them and see what they look like tomorrow..
the two that are talking to you have broken through the membrane inside, so usually after about 24 hours, they´ll pip the shell. Just keep an eye on them, as goslings take ages to hatch...from pipping inside, it can be 2 days or more to actually get out. As long as you keep the wet cloth down and keep the humidity up (you could even lightly spray the egg with warm water), they should be able to get out unaided. The important thing is, once they have pipped the shell, you need to keep an eye on the membrane that it doesn´t get dry and the baby can´t get out. You can spray the membrane to keep it damp.
While there are blood vessels to be seen in the membrane, do not try to help the baby out. OK?

 

[LisabethBrooke]

One of the two eggs that were chirping had several cracks in the egg when I woke up this morning. I turned all of them but that one. I wasn't sure if it still needed turned but figured if it was working on that part of the shell I shouldn't turn him anymore. Rewet my washcloth and left them alone - after checking the temp was still at 100 deg. F. At about lunch time when I turned the eggs again the second egg that chirped had a few cracks in his egg too. So I didn't turn him either. The first one is very chatty while the second one just wiggles around a lot. On the first one's egg at lunch a chunk around the cracked part had fallen off and the membrane there seems a little dry, and quit firm. should I wet it or just leave him be? I left all the eggs under the damp washcloth.

 

[LisabethBrooke]

Last night while showing my 3 year old sun the candle-ing of the eggs, and that you can see and hear the goslings in the we noticed that one more of the 5 eggs seemed to have a tad bit of movement in it. I'm very hopeful that I will have at least saved 3 of the 5 eggs. I'd love it if all 5 survive and aren't deformed in any way, but I'd still be very pleased with having three healthy just hatched goslings. None of the eggs stink yet. How long does it take an egg to smell before you can tell if its a ad egg or not? In the mean time I'll keep turning the other three and keep them all under a damp washcloth. Hopefully - but impatiently - waiting.

 

[livininbrazil]

Last night while showing my 3 year old sun the candle-ing of the eggs, and that you can see and hear the goslings in the we noticed that one more of the 5 eggs seemed to have a tad bit of movement in it. I'm very hopeful that I will have at least saved 3 of the 5 eggs. I'd love it if all 5 survive and aren't deformed in any way, but I'd still be very pleased with having three healthy just hatched goslings. None of the eggs stink yet. How long does it take an egg to smell before you can tell if its a ad egg or not? In the mean time I'll keep turning the other three and keep them all under a damp washcloth. Hopefully - but impatiently - waiting.

Great that you may have saved 3, but the hatching can be quite a challenge, too! I wodered if you had any smelly eggs, as that would show for sure that it was bad, and they can explode. So, hopefully, they may be ok.
Make sure the damp cloth doesn´t chill the eggs, use warm water. Most folks don´t lay it on the eggs, they lay it on the floor of the incubator. Having said that, I´ve successfully hatched a gosling using a damp piece of kitchen paper wrapped around it to keep the membrane moist. I hope all goes well.

 

[LisabethBrooke]

Great that you may have saved 3, but the hatching can be quite a challenge, too! I wodered if you had any smelly eggs, as that would show for sure that it was bad, and they can explode. So, hopefully, they may be ok.
Make sure the damp cloth doesn´t chill the eggs, use warm water. Most folks don´t lay it on the eggs, they lay it on the floor of the incubator. Having said that, I´ve successfully hatched a gosling using a damp piece of kitchen paper wrapped around it to keep the membrane moist. I hope all goes well.

As far as I can tell none of the eggs stink. But when I candle them one just looks like it has an air pocket and a shadowed area, and I can't ever see anything different in that one. The other you can see what may be a wing or a beak or some part of a bird, but it never moves. The other three I'm happy to report are slowly breaking out, and chirped all night long. There are little bits of egg shells all over inside the box. One is just working on the same spot he started on, but turned about 1 or 2 millimeters, the other turned itself in almost 180 deg. and is working on cracking the entire top part off of his egg. The third, has still just a few cracks in it's shell, but when you pick it up it sure wiggles. I have yet to hear the third one chirp. So I hope that means that he is just naturally quieter than the other two. I'll try to post pictures later. I'm awfully excited about getting three freshly hatched goslings.

 

[LisabethBrooke]

I took some pictures just now. This is what I saw.


This is the first little guy that broke out. And peeps up a storm. He is a regular old chatter box. I'm guessing he will look more like the Toulouse Goose - Daddy goose.


This is the second little guy who broke through, I'm guessing he will look more along the lines of the Ebden Goose - Which was his momma.




This is the little guy who doesn't ever peep, but he can sure wiggle around. And when he hears the other two peeping he starts poking his beak through the tiny opening.




This is one of the eggs I'm not very sure about. It doesn't look as though there is anything in there now. Might have been at one point, but I'm not sure. Maybe its still developing? No idea



This is another angle of the previous egg. I don't see anything in it at all. But it still doesn't stink. Or maybe it does and my allergies are keeping me from smelling it. Maybe I should have someone else smell it.




This is the last egg. When I move it around it looks like it kind of .... sloshes? and bubbles move around in there. So I'm assuming there isn't anything alive in this egg either. You can see one of the bubbles on the edge of the air pocket in this picture.





I'm awfully excited about these little guys.

 

[livininbrazil]

I took some pictures just now. This is what I saw.


This is the first little guy that broke out. And peeps up a storm. He is a regular old chatter box. I'm guessing he will look more like the Toulouse Goose - Daddy goose.


This is the second little guy who broke through, I'm guessing he will look more along the lines of the Ebden Goose - Which was his momma.




This is the little guy who doesn't ever peep, but he can sure wiggle around. And when he hears the other two peeping he starts poking his beak through the tiny opening.




This is one of the eggs I'm not very sure about. It doesn't look as though there is anything in there now. Might have been at one point, but I'm not sure. Maybe its still developing? No idea



This is another angle of the previous egg. I don't see anything in it at all. But it still doesn't stink. Or maybe it does and my allergies are keeping me from smelling it. Maybe I should have someone else smell it.




This is the last egg. When I move it around it looks like it kind of .... sloshes? and bubbles move around in there. So I'm assuming there isn't anything alive in this egg either. You can see one of the bubbles on the edge of the air pocket in this picture.





I'm awfully excited about these little guys.

Wow, you´ve done so well, congrats! Enjoy your 3 babies there. Looking forward to pics when they´re running about.