How to Incubate Goose Eggs

Geese are wonderful additions to small farms. Raising geese from eggs is just as easy as buying hatchlings or adult geese. Using an incubator increases the odds of successfully hatching the egg. Incubators come in different sizes and can be adjusted to handle different sized eggs. Look for an incubator with a fan, as these are better able to maintain an exact temperature. Geese hatch in 30 to 34 days depending on the breed. Goose eggs need to be incubated at a temperature of 99 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity of 86 percent.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Goose egg
• Incubator large enough for goose egg
• Permanent marker
• Thermometer

1. Store goose eggs intended for incubation at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. They can be held at this temperature for five to seven days without decreasing the odds of hatching.

2. Set up the incubator according to manufacturer's instructions.

3. Make a mark with a permanent marker on one side of the goose egg. This will help you keep track of which side should be up when turning the egg.

4. Turn the egg every four hours during the day. Start with the marked side up and then make a half turn so the marked side is now down. Turning keeps the albumin from sticking to the inside of the shell. Turn the egg an odd number of times during the day. This ensures that the egg will not be in the same position every night.

5. Check the temperature inside the incubator using a thermometer. For the most accurate temperature measure the temp half-way up the side of the egg. If the incubator is over 99.0 degrees Fahrenheit leave the lid off for 15 minutes than measure the temperature again.

6. Leave the egg alone when the gosling begins to hatch. Turning the egg or excessive handling may cause injury to the emerging hatchling.

Tips & Warnings

• You can increase humidity inside your incubator by misting the eggs or placing a small dish of water inside the incubator.
• Allowing the egg to become too hot or too cold may cause the embryo to die.

References

• Incubating and hatching ducks and geese
• Farming friends; incubating egyptian goose eggs

Resources

• Strombergs chickens; incubators for sale