Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1919 — GEESE GROWING IS PROFITABLE [ARTICLE]

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 Goslings. > Geese can be raised in small numbers successfully and at a profit on farms and In localities where there Is tow rough pasture land and a natu- j ral 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 agriculture. whether it pays to raise them unles#rgbb<l“gf a zing range Tsa va llabl e. Geese are good grazers and. except during the winter months, usually pick up most of their 11 ving. Their pasture may be supplemented with light feeds of the common or home-grown grains or wet mash daily, the necessity and quantity of this feed depending qn the amount of pasture available. One advantage in raising geese is thatJhey are generally quite free from disease ami all insect pests, but octhey 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 feaiture during the rest of the year. The tnar- • ket for geese is not so general as for chickens, and this should be taken under consideration before embarking 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 kill the weeds!n their cotton fields. Houses for Geese. weather be provided, mature geese do not need a house Some kind of shelter, such . as a shed open on the south side, a poultry- house, or a barn is usually provided by breeders In the North and is used by many in the South. Coops, barrels, or some other dry shelter should be provided for young goslings. It is important that the houses should/' lie kept clean nntl that the floors be provided with plenty of clean straw. Geese, like,other kinds of poultry, should bd 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 j bought in the fall. Goose matings are not changed from year to year unless the results are unsatisfactory. A gander may lie mated with from one to four geese, but pair or trio matings usually give the best results. The —wild-gander-ttsuftliy- mates with only one goose. When mated, geese are allow4*(l\ to run “in flocks. From 4 to 25 geese may be kept on an acre of land, and under most conditions ten is a fair average. . Incubation. Geese are fed a ration to produce eggs during the Inf tor part of th e winter (about February D. or so that the goslings will be hatched by the time there is good grass pasture. They are allowed to make nests on the floor of the house, or large boxes, barrels, or shelters are provided for that purpose. The eggs should be collected daily and kept in a cool place where the contents will not evaporate too freely: if kept for some time they may ,be stored in loose bran. The first eggs are usually set under hens, while the last ones which the goose lays may be hatched either under hens or under the goose if she goes broody. If the eggs are not removed from the nest In which the goose is laying she will usually stop laying sooner than if they are taken away. Some breeders prefer to raise all the goslings under hens, as geese sometimes become difflmlt to manage when allowed to hatch and rear their young. Hens

used for hatching goose eggs must be dusted with insect powder and have good attention, as. in the case of geese, the period of Incubation is longer than in that of fowls. Goose eggs may be hatched in incubators j-tmvHthw ya'dtmrs'.Sucressfirfty raised in ; brooders, although this is not a common practice. The period of imulmtion of goose eggs varies from —S to 30 days. Mols- - lure should l>e Added to tin* eggs' after the first week if set under hens or iin incubators; this is usually done by sprinkling the eggs or the nest with warm water. Four to six eggs are set under a hen and 10 to 13 under a goose. They may be tested about the tenth day. and those which are infertile or contain dead germs should be removed. They hatch slowly, especially under hens, and the goslings are usually removed as soon as hatched and kept in a warm place until the I process is over, ‘When they are put back under the hen or goose. Some breeders who hatch with both geese and hens give ail the goslings to the geese. Hens with goslings may be confined to the coop and the goslings allowed to range. The latter, especially if the weather is cold, are not usHally allowefl to go lnte water until they are several days old. In mild weather the hens are allowed to brood the goslings for from seven to ten days, when the latter are able to take care of themselves. Good-sized growing coops, with board floors, should he.provided for the goslings, and they must be protected from their enemies, and given some attention when on range.

Preparing Geese for Market. , Before marketing the young geese the average farmer can feed advantageously a fattening ration either while the geese are on grass range or confined to small yards, but It is doubtful whether it would pay him to confine them to individual or small pens and make a specialty of fattening unless he has a speciatTnafker or retail trade for well-fattened stock. Geese are usually killed and picked In the same manner as other kinds of poultry. Some markets prefer drypicked geese, while in other markets no difference is made In the price of scalded or dry-picked geese. When feathers are to be saved fowls should not be scalded, but should be picked dry before or after steaming. On most farms where geese are raised the feathers are glucked from the live fowls at some time prior to molting. About one and one-tenth pounds per goose Is the average yield of feathers. Feathers are worth from 30 cents lo $1 a pound, and the picking cost per goose is about 11 cents. Houses Face. South. , In most localities the poultry house should face the south, as this Insures the. greatest amount of sunlight during the winter. Proper ventilation and sunlight mean a dry house and healthy birds.'