The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1898-05-07
DAIRY AND POULTRY.
INTERESTING CHAPTERS FOR
OUR RURAL READERS.
How Successful Farmers Operate This
Department of the Farm A Few
Hints as to the Care of Live Stock
and Poultry.
Fodder Crops for Geese.

Rhode Island Experiment Station:
Geese will consume a great variety OF
food, probably a greater variety thar
any other class of poultry. In a wild
state they do not usually stray far
from some body of water. except in
their migratory journeys, and Their
some lake, pond or river is selected
as a place of rest from fight and to
obtain food. Aquatic plants and roots,
with worms and insects dug out of the
mud in shallow waters, and probably
some tender heritage growing along
the shores, constitute the food of the
wild goose. 1t can hardly be said to
suDslst by grazing, as it depends large
ly upon water for both food and pro-
lection. The domestic goose, however,
like the sheep, is an epicure respecting
tender grasses and juicy fodder
plants. After the breeding season is
past, the old stock, which only re-
quires to be kept in good store on
dition until the approach of another
breeding season, can be economically
kept by combining them to a pasture,
where they can easily obtain most Of
their living by grazing. They should
nave access to water at all times, and
a little dry corn occasionally is &C
ceptable. If the supply of grass is
scanty, more grain should be fed, or,
better, they may be supplied with
greenfoods, cultivated for the purpose,
after the of growing soiling
crops for feeding cattle. By this method
people with comparatively small areas
OF lane may grow large flocks of gos-
l1ngs, combining them upon a limited
area, and cultivating fodder crops to
be cut and fed to them day by day. Or
they can be confined upon the grow
ing crops by the use of movable fences.
When the crop is eaten sufficiently
close the fence is moved to a new
area, and the vacated lot allowed to
grow up for a second feeding, or the
land plowed and planted to a new
crop.
As almost no ground was available
for ~pasturage near the poultry yards,
preparations were made early in the
spring for growing some fodder crops
as green food for the g%oslins. Oats, both
with and without Canada peas, were
sown as early as possible, at the rate
of about four bushels of oats and one
of peas per acre, so as to get a thick
stand. When the grain was three or
four inches high the goslings were
hurdled upon it, using at first wire
netting one foot high, held in place by
iron rods to confine them. Water and
sharp sand, thoroughly wet, were kept
constantly by them, and they were fed
soaked cracked corn, at intervals of
two hours, when quite small, and less
frequently as they grew older. The
oats were always before the peas, and
unless the crop was fed very closely
the peas would remain untouched.
When the oats are young the goslings
should be changed from place to place
frequently, SO that roots of the
oats will not be killed by too close
feeding. A succession of oats can be
had by making several sowings at in
tervals of a week. Green oats are ca
gerly eaten by large goslings or old
geese, as long as the stems have not
turned yellow and grown fibrous and
tough.
The first green food in the spring
can be supplied by fall sown rye, but
grass seems to be preferred by Cos
lings if obtainable. Sown after rye
begins to joint or send up seed stalks,
1t becomes hard and tough, and is not
relished. Cabbage, turnips and sweet
corn are excellent soiling crops for
geese. Sweet corn, sufficiently ad-
vanced to be in the roasting ear stage,
will be almost or quite devoured when
fed at night to geese in pens. Only
small pieces of the largest and hard
est butts will remain uneaten. Hun
garian grass or millet was tried, but
it did lot appear to be relished at any
stage of its growth. The very salts
factory plants used were sorghum and
Essex rape. as r.
The young goslings eagerly ate the
leaves of the Dwarf Essex rape and
made excellent growth when hurdled
Upon it. AS soon as the gos-
lings are removed to another place the
rape plants begin Immediately to grow
a new supply of leaves, and thus the
crop can be repeatedly grazed, if the
hurdling is properly done.
A wire fence two feet high, held in
place by double pointed iron rods,
made in the shape of the letter h, with
the top portion much higher, is used
for combining the ~goslings. The two
points of the rod are about ten inches
long, and are thrust into the ground,
the point of the tall portion being
thrust through the lower edge of the
wire fencing, while the upper edge is
held by a notch in the top of the rod.
OF course, different lengths of rods
must be used for different widths of
fencing.
Cabbages make excellent food for
geese. and are especially adapted for
winter use, particularly during the
breeding season, when a greater va
riety of food is desired to stimulate
the production of fertile eggs. Beets,
turnips, carrots and potatoes will also
prove acceptable, both raw and cooked
and in moderate quantities may be
p~roftably fed. Geese are fond of ap-
pies, and when confined in an orchard
will consume the imperfect fruit that
drops from day to day as completely
as sheep or hogs,