Ok, so I'm on my second round of goose egg incubation. The pic above is me in a dark tiny closet, holding a small maglite to an internally pipped egg. That little peak is the beak! Internal pipping is where the gosling/chick/keet/whathaveyou breaks through the membrane inside the egg, allowing access to the large air cell at the big end of the egg. Within a day or so, I should see an external pip, where the baby breaks through the shell so it can access outside air. Shortly after that, baby will "unzip" the egg, breaking the shell in a circular manner so it can get free of the egg.
In the pic above, I think something is wrong with the egg. See how there's a lighter area under the air cell, unlike the first pic? Perhaps a ruptured air cell? I dunno. In any case, the gosling is moving around in there, so hopefully it can proceed to external pip.
This is my last round of incubator eggs this season, and it has been an incredible experience! The geese are done laying, and our second and last round of chicks are due naturally-incubated under Jerky Pecking $&@#% Hen next week. (Not every hen can be as sweet as Bellina, you know). I'm hoping to foster these new goose babies (if they make it through hatching) with Affie. Sooooo much easier when the geese raise them, as I don't have to feed and water them separately, and I also don't get ATTACHED to meat birds... sigh... We'll see how it goes. Wish me luck!
5 comments:
Good luck. I hope they all hatch. I have my last eggs in the incubator, pheasant eggs. I'm kind of tired of hatching birds myself too. It's time to put the incubator away for the season. Maybe next year I'll try some goose eggs since you're so entertained by them.
I've seen a lot of people having problems hatching eggs this year, whether guineas or chickens, so I think you've done great!
Congratulations and good luck!
When I first read this I was thinking you were going to have one of the HENS raise the little geese hatchlings! I figured it out after I read it again, although that would have been a sight to see.
So awesome! You got some great shots, I'm impressed! You taught me more of the process and I'm rooting for the one that has the internal chamber that's willy-wonka! I can't imagine the excitement you must feel. In these ways, I really do think that farming allows the kid in us to always remain nearby!!! Love it!
Lana
sorry I missed this last night- good luck!!
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