The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-02-08
GEESE GROWING
is PROFITABLE
Good Grazing Supplemented With
Light Feeds Keep Fowls IN
Good Condition.
Quite FREE FROM DISEASE
Body of Water Is Considered Essential
During Breeding Season-Some
Kind of Shelter Is Necessary
for the Gosiings.

Geese can be raised in small num-
bers successfully and at a profit on
farms and in localities where there
is low rough pasture land and natu-
raj supply of water. Grass makes up
the bulk of the feed for geese, and it
is doubtful, say poultry specialists of
the United States department of agri-
culture. whether it pays to raise them
! unless good grazing range is available.
Geese are good grazers and, except
during the winter months, usually pick
up most of their living. Their pasture
may be supplemented with light feeds
of the common or homegrown grains
| or wet mash daily, the necessity and
quantity of this feed depending on the
amount of pasture available
One advantage in raising geese is
that they are generally quite free from
| disease and all insect pests, but oc
| casionally they are affected by some
of the diseases common TO poultry.
A body of water where they can swim
| is considered essential during the
breeding season and is a good feature
during the rest of the year. The mar
| ket for geese is not so general as for
chickens, and this should be taken I'M
| der consideration before embracing
/ in geese raising. In the South many
| geese are kept for the production of
| feathers rather than for their flesh.
and many cotton growers keep them
to kin the weeds in their cotton fields.
/ e.
Except in winter or during stormy
weather when some protection should
be provided. mature geese do not need
a house. Some kind of shelter, such
as a shed open on the south side, Il.
4 poultry house, or barn is usually
provided by breeders in fhe North and
is used by many in the South. CoopS,
barrels, or some other dry shelter
should be provided for young goslings.
1t is important that the houses should
be Kept clean and that the floors be
provided with plenty of clean straw.
i Geese, like other kinds of poultry
should be selected for size prolificacy,
and vitality. They should be mated
several months prior to the breeding
season to obtain the best results !;
therefore breeding stock should be
bought in the fall. Goose matings are
not changed from year to year unless
the results are unsatisfactory. A
gander may be mated with from one
to four geese. but pair or trio matings
! usually give the best results. The
f wild gander usually mates with only
II
allowed to run in f1ocks. From
to % geese may be kept on an acre of
land, and under most conditions ten is
a fair average.
Incubation.
5 Geese are fed ration to produce
eggs during the latter part of the win
: ter (about February u, or so that
e the goslings will be Matched by the
. time there is good grass pasture. They
are allowed TO make nests on the floor
of the house, or large boxes, barrels
I or shelters are provided for thai pur
). pose, The eggs should be, collected
81 daily and kept in cool place where
a the contents will not evaporate tor
freely if kept for some time they may
!. he stored in loose bran. The FIRST egg
n are usually set under hens. while ths
last ones which the goose lays ma,
$ be Matched either under hens or under
= the goose if she goes broody If tn,
. eggs are not removed from the mes
s in which the goose is laying. she vii
|. usually stop laying sooner than if the.
d are taken away. Some breeders pre-
n fer to raise all the goslings unde
d hens, as geese sometimes become
y difficult to manage when allowed t,
hatch and rear their young. Hen