The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-01-16
About Geese.


plete without its usual surroundings of
poultry in the background; and nice,
well-kept poultry is rather ornamental
than ofh:.rwise; and variety is the
charm, adding beauty and utility to the
surroundings. None of our domestic
birds are more hardy than the goose.
They are thoroughly aquatic birds, yet
they will thrive with only water suffi-
cient to drink. The goose will endure
almost any amount of cold without
suffering, and subsist on coarse diet,
such as hay, frost-bitten grass and. dis
carded vegetation, without injury,
whereas our hens and chicks would
perish. Still it is better to allow item
some shelter from the winters severity
and driving storms, and to give a hand
full of corn each daily. In summer
they will take care of themselves, and
should be allowed some waste place on
the farm-an unclaimed swamp or
Doggy marsh. In these places the
grass springs uIA early in the season,
and is fresh and Sender-just the food
desirable for youn4 goslings. Goslings
do not require much feeding if taken
from the nest early in the season, while
the grass is sweet and nourishing.
They, however, need a little start with
unsifted meal, moistened with water,
adding little salt. Goslings make
rapid growth, and consequently are
weak, and require protection from
pelting storms. A hard shower will
destroy q whole breed of q month or
six weeks growth, simply from the
beating of the rain on tho uncovered
backs. The wing feathers are slow in
coming, and when once fully matured,
entirely cover the back, the tenderest
portion of the goose.
From their peculiar habits, which
lead them to inhabit places that are
more or less subject to accidents from
the vermin which infest such grounds,
they Especially the young) are exposed
to much danger, and liable to injury, if
not total determination, by these enc
mics. If the birds are allowed to fire.
quent pond of water, the swapping
turtle also dwells there, and turks be-
meath the smooth surface of the water,
occasionally thrusting q head above.
The unsuspecting goslings launch on
the element, which they are SO well
fitted by Nature to navigate, and i'm
mediately, ten chances to one, q bird is
sized by the leg, which is either broken,
or, if the bird be young, it is swallowed
entire. Many young are lost in this
way, the prey of lurking enemies,
which do not trouble the full grown.
In order to be entirely successful with
goslings, they should be kept from such
places, and confined in grassy places or
Enclosures, and supplied with fresh
water daily. When limited in their
range, they must be fed. Give them .
coarse kind of feed, such ~ cold boiled
samp, cooked until tender and sailed.
They thrive better on coarse diet than
do chickens.
When full-grown, If the feathers be
regularly plucked throughout the sea-
SON. they should be given trough of
water to battle in. This practice of
plucking from the live birds may seem
cruel, yet it has been followed for many
years, and will continue TO be, SO long
as people enjoy tie luxury of feather
beds. If done by an expert and at .
certain time when the shaft is fully RI
pened, the plucking is rendered easy
for both. The breast feathers are the
principal ones desired, and these, on
our common gray geese, come readily.
If allowed to remain, they will fall of,
and thus be lost. Do not pluck the
feathers under the wings or many of
those coarse ones growing on the
thighs. They are of small value, yet
afford q support for the wings. In
wrenching away the quilts, draw only
the primaries and leave the second
aries, as they cover the back, while
the former fold under. Where there
is any wild blood intermixed, the feath-
ers come harder. AZ there II always .
certain knowledge to BE- required in
the performance Of any labor, 20 also
Il there : msthcd ID picking geese.