The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: trefnantbach on May 12, 2010, 01:26:18 pm
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I'm hoping my first batch of goose eggs will hatch tomorrow (they will have been in the incubator for 28 days. I candled them last night and out of 6 eggs four have a distinctive clear air space at the non-pointy end whilst the rest of the egg is completely opaque. Two eggs appear no different to when I looked a few weeks ago, i.e. apart from a small dark shadow that stays at the top of the egg when I rotate it, the remainder of the egg appears clear - I assume that these two eggs have not been fertilised.
Anyway as this is my first time .... - how long should I leave them in the incubator once they hatch (ovital 24 from Ascott)? Should I leave them there for 24 hours? I have an insulated box and heat lamp ready for them as a brooder. Should I provide them with chick crumbs and water as soon as I move them into the brooder 24 hrs after hatching or should they be provided immediately in the incubator?
It was a pleasant suprise that 4 of the eggs have made it to this stage - I decided to leave the incubator to do all the work. Since yesterday I have switched off the moving floor and wet the eggs twice daily manually in addition to filling the well with water. Is there anything else I should be doing to increase their chance of sucess?
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Hi, geese eggs are 30 days incubation. As you know they can stay in the incubator for up to 24 hours but as soon as they are dried out and walking about it is safe to move them and give them crumb and water. Remember only shallow water container. My lot are now just over 3 weeks, and huge, they spend all day out in their secure run and don't have the heat lamp on at night at all now. Good luck.