How to Tell If a Goose Egg Is Alive

If you are trying to determine if a goose egg is alive, you will need to candle it. In order to candle an egg, you need a dark room and a flashlight. For best results, use a strong flashlight with a narrow beam. If you are incubating the eggs, you can remove the eggs from the incubator for up to 30 minutes without harming them. What you will see depends on the age of the egg.

Things You'll Need

  • Flashlight
  • Dark room
  • Goose egg
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Instructions

    • 1

      Wait until the goose egg has been incubated for at least seven days.

    • 2

      Wash your hands thoroughly.

    • 3

      Gather a flashlight and find a dark room (or wait until it is night).

    • 4

      Hold the flashlight so it is shining into the large end of the egg.

    • 5

      Slowly turn the egg until you can see inside it.

    • 6

      Look for the blood vessels around the egg or for the embryo to move. These are both signs that the egg is still alive.

    • 7

      Repeat Steps 1 through 6 for several days in a row with any eggs where you did not see signs of movement. If you have candled the egg for at least six days in a row and seen no sign of development in the egg or movement, it should be considered nonviable.