INCUBATION 



hen and the goose. Incubators may also be used but 

 do not as a rule seem to give as good results as they 

 do with hen or duck eggs. Turkey hens may also be 

 utilized for this purpose but are not commonly avail- 

 able although they make good mothers. Probably 

 the most common method of hatching is the use of 

 chicken hens. Next common is to allow the goose 

 to hatch her own eggs. Goose eggs hatch well under 

 hens or geese. During the height of the season 

 nearly every fertile egg should hatch if the breed- 

 ing geese are managed and fed so that they are in 

 good condition. Early in the season the eggs may 

 not run as fertile or hatch as well as later. 



Period of Incubation. The period of incubation of 

 goose eggs is approximately 30 days, but may vary 

 from 28 to 33 or occasionally even 35 days. 



Hatching with Chicken Hens. Chicken hens are 

 used very commonly to hatch goose eggs both be- 

 cause they give good results and are readily avail- 

 able and also because it is desirable to take the first 

 eggs laid by the geese away and not to let them get 

 broody and sit so that they will lay more eggs. For 

 the latter reason practically all the eggs laid early 

 in the season are hatched by chicken hens. 



The nest can be prepared for the hen either in a 

 suitable place in a poultry house or in a shed or 

 other building or in a box or barrel on the ground. 

 As soon as the hen shows that she is ready to sit by 

 stajring on the nest, in which has been placed a nest 

 egg or two, for a couple of nights in succession, she 



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