Trouble incubating goose eggs

[SarahIrl]

Ok, two seperate attempts - one last year around July. 0/8 hatched. One pipped, but died in shell. This year: set March 22. One pipped and hatched early hours of day 28. Two more pipped during day 28, got very stuck and had to be semi helped out (I enlarged pip and wet membranes, they did the rest) another pipped late day 31 and subsequently dies in shell. Four no pips. All eggs were live at day 26 when set for hatching. I incubated at 99.5F at 60% for first 26 days then upped to 70% for hatching, misting last few days before setting to hatch. Air cells were a little small on second try but not too small.

First one out was fine, other two recovered over 24 hours, all are now looking ok. The one that pipped and died in shell was massively swollen. Like it was pumped with water. I know it's a humidity issue, I just don't know how to correct it. If anyone can please help me out for next time I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Try running your humidity closer to 40% during incubation so they don't get as big.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
Yes, I do this too and sometimes even less. But after day 7 I cool the eggs for 15 minutes a day. I know they do this with duck eggs but I do it with the geese eggs also.

It simulates the mama goose getting off the eggs to eat and then coming back. Before I set them to cool, I run warm (not hot) water over them while gently turning in my hand. I do this for 30 seconds and then set it on a towel to cool.

Today # 6 hatched of my Pilgrim geese. Not sure why but I have 5 girls and only one boy. But it works because I already have two mated pair and these will fit in just wonderful.

 

[pete55]

Hi

Yes its too high a humidity. Run your incubator dry until external pipping, I've been running at 25% humidity. Also cool your eggs daily after day 5-6 for about 10 minutes and increase to 15 minutes daily after the half way mark.

Once externally pipped then into hatcher at high humidity.

Pete

 

[SarahIrl]

Thanks guys! I have my incubators in the kitchen, next to a cimney brest (silly, I know, but only plae for them) and the best one for geese is a large insulated incubator. However, it does run humidity a bit high with the size of resevoir in it. Might just put in a small lid from something next time, it can get very dry in there due to the solid fuel stove.

I'm not sure when I'll have a chance to incubate them again but I'll keep all your advice on board for next time. I might offer to do some for free next time just to test out running a dry hatch.

Cheers again guys! BYC is the worlds BEST place for getting advice!!!

 

[Balbinka]

Quote:
Repeating what everyone else said... keep that humidity down.
I made the same mistake this hatch and one of my chicks was born with a nasty navel- almost prolapsed.


But she is now recovering very well and healthy.
Hatching goose eggs is difficult (I don't know how goose mommies do it!). I got a 50% hatch rate and this is my first time hatching geese. This forum though, as been very helpful all the way through (though, I just recently became a member) and I trust their advice.

I am sorry about your chick deaths... hopefully, your luck will turn around soon.

 

[pete55]

Sarah - I would recommend a quiet and cool area for your incubator. The machine is then not subjected to disturbance, vibration andswings in room temp and humidity. This will help maintain stable conditions within your incubator. As your from the Emerald Isle Im going to assume that your atmospheric humidity is higher anyway, especially if you live in the south west known for heavy rainfall.

I would run completely dry and then measure what the humidity is in your machine - I dont like going over 30% relative humidity. My last Dewlaps were very hard to get adequate water loss from and I incubated dry throughout at 20-25% humidity.

Also you need a good turning regime in the first twenty days of incubation as the embryonic membranes are formed.

Pete

 

[SarahIrl]

Thanks for the great advice, guys. Pete55 - I will run that incubator dry when I have it sterilised and dried out (I run it after a hatch with vet theatre cleaning concentrate from my sister: a vet for two days before cleaning) and see what kind of humidity I get. I know it will alter slightly wit eggs added thereafter but not by a huge margin. I won't make the mistake of incubating goose and duck together again either, the conditions of my last attempt were ideal for the ducks (10/10, only lost the first two after hatch as were way too early) so will keep goose eggs on ther own. I ave an auto turner in the incubator (all mine do) but was giving them an additional 180' turn after I notice around day 7 that te vessel membrane wasn't spreading as far as I'd like, lost one embryo to this around day 11. I gave them the 180' hand turn every two or three days until day 26/27, the I let them sit naturally (ie let the air cell determine 'up')

No doubt I will be back on here next time I have some to hatch, looking for more advice and encouragement! Pete55 - I hope your hatch went really well, apologies if you are mid hatch/still waiting, I know you said you had some 'cooking'!!

 

[pete55]

Sarah - you're well on track with your techniques and I like the additional 180 degree turn which encourages even growth of the extra embryonic membranes. It's often the insufficient moisture loss that appears to cause such a high incidence of dead in shell.

We are busy but the 2 eggs on our Dewlap Incubation thread both hatched sucessfully and are thriving

Pete