The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Carey boy on April 14, 2015, 10:09:34 am
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Hi,
Now it's the middle of April, my two geese have laid about twenty eggs each neither show any sings of going broody.
Should I buy an incubator?. If they should stop laying now I will only have about eight eggs I could use.
Any help please
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I've found goose eggs to be really difficult to hatch in an incubator (any hints welcome, as I keep messing up with one thing or another).
Likewise though, most geese don't have a great reputation as mothers, so that may not be the no-brainer that it initially seems, even if one of yours does go broody.
Do you have a broody hen you could use as a stopgap? You'd need to turn the eggs for her, but I know people who have done this successfully in the past.
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I have hatched in the inccy..... the hatch rates aren't good but you do get some. I found dry incubation was best. They need a little careful help once they have pipped as the shell are so thick, but take it very slowly so there is no bleeding. If you only hatch one put it with some ducklings or it will imprint on you
If the geese do sit and hatch I found it best to take the goslings away as they are rubbish mothers and take the little ones out in all weathers never bothering if they get soaked.
Apparently the best broodies for geese eggs are Muscovies
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Apparently the best broodies for geese eggs are Muscovies
I can see that, mine is an awesome broody.
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I take all the eggs from our Embdens until about mid april, then just leave them to it. They usually lay about another 7 or 8 then sit. They've been pretty successful at hatching so I just leave them to it. They know what to do and when to do it.
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I took eggs up until last week and I have one that's gone broody now, can't get near the shed now in fear of being attacked!