Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1904-07-16
Summer Care Of Geese.

They should have access to plenty OF |
green forage, plenty of water to drink. |
The adult birds need no shelter, and |
can live on grass alone, but they rel
ish little grain and should be fed |
small quantity at least once a day.
At night is good time, after the
chickens and turkeys have sought
their perches. In late summer or
early fall IL the drouth dries up the
grass geese need a little more grain.
One must gauge the feed by the quaint
ity and succulency of the forage.
Whole corn will do very well for the
grain; that is all we use.
An adult goose seldom dies of any
sickness. True, the very old birds
drop off, but the per cent of loss is re-
markably small with any reasonable
care. The flock must be fed grain
and vegetables, clover or fodder dur
ing the winter and early spring, be
fore there is green forage The breed
Ing birds should be mated, one male
to from one to three females. We
put the different matings in separate
lots, but they will do very well in
fiocks of ten to fifteen birds. 1t is
natural for geese to choose but one
mate, hence we must not attempt to
make one male take too many females
or we will not get the best results.
Geese (our experience has been alto.
gether with the pure bred Toulousel
commence to lay early in March in
our climate, time depending on
weather conditions. A little straw
thrown around in odd corners will
furnish nesting for the geese. The
female makes no attempt to hide her
nest or stink away to it; she sits on
1t in full view, but she covers up the
eggs. Robbing her nest has no effect
on her, she will not change; she lays
about every SO hours. The eggs
should be gathered soon after laying
early in the season, or they will get
chilled. Set them on end in a box of
sawdust or excelsior in the cellar, or
some cool place mot too cold), and
keep till ready to set Some turn the
eggs daily, but we do not If they are
to be kept only a reasonable time We
set them under chicken hens and rear
the goslings with same hens. They
hatch in % to 30 days; IL eggs are
kept warm enough 20 days is sufn.
cient. The little goslings should not
be fed till they are AZ to 70 hours old;
1t is no harm to let them nip little
grass or green vegetable tops earlier
as this will not hurt them. For tn,
first week or two feed three or -four
timec a day on a little corn bread
soaked and crumbled, or a little chick
food made into a mash same as for
young chicks. AT first they are very
dainty and eat very little, but in
two or three weeks they are quite
ravenous. Always give plenty of
drinking water, but not to swim in.
Keep them dry; see that they have a
good warm coop with a dry board
floor and that they are shut up warm
and snug at night. After they are ten
days old they can be let range about
on grass with their mother whether
she be goose or hem or they can be
raised in small board pens by moving
them when forage becomes short
After about three weeks a mash of
corn meal, small quantity of mid.
dlings or bran or both is a good add.
tion to the meal and will make a
good grain food; feeding two or three
times a day, according to size ana
the ability of the gosling to get for
age. Remember gosling is helpless
and tender till 1t gets its feathers,
but with good care and feed every lit.
tie downy bird can be raised, and.
after they are three or four weeks
old, one can feed them and rush
growth to his hearts content, provid.
ing water, forage and grit are at all
times accessible.
A good Toulouse gosling will weigh
or pounds. while a chick of the
same age will weigh from to 2
pounds. No wonder the gosling eats.
We have had them gain two pounds
each in their ninth week 1t is best
to get the goslings Matched as early
as there is grass for them, as they
are safe from the hot dry weather OF
summer and tough grass; but early
birds require attention and must not
be exposed to the cold spring rains.
We often have the kitchen full of the
little fellows in low fiat boxes when
it rains all day or for two or three
days, and then a good tame chicken
hen is the most desirable mother
They require lots of care, but when
we get gosling on its feet (they
can't walk for about "a hours after
hatching) we count on fine lusty
! goose the coming fall, and we seldom
miss our count. We feed them all
through the summer at least once a
day. BY Christmas they weigh: te-
males Is to 20 pounds; males, Is to
i II IL