Jontie W. Aldrich

Method for Transporting Incubated Giant Canada Goose Eggs

We transported 2,220 giant Canada goose (Branta canadensis maxima) eggs by small aircraft from Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, to EI Reno, Oklahoma, from 1986 through 1989. Stages of incubation ranged from 3 to 27 days. Eggs were covered with goose down and shipped in domestic turkey egg transport containers made of corrugated cardboard. Two techniques were used to maintain temperatures between 24 and 38 C. In 1986 and 1989, no attempt was made to heat the eggs other than from the aircraft cabin temperature. In 1987 and 1988, we used supplemental heat in an attempt to maintain egg temperature...