Show GROWING GEESE GEESE GROWING CROWING IS PROFITABLE Good Gr Grazing zing Supplemented With Light Feeds Keep Fowls in Good Condition QUITE FR FREE E FROM DISEASE Body of Water Is Considered Essential During Breeding Breeding Season Seas Some Season Some n-Some Some Kind Kind of Shelt Shelter r Is Necessary for the Goslings Geese can be be rals raised d in small numbers numbers num num- bers successfully successfully and at nt a profit on farms farms and In localities where there Is low rough pasture pastureland land and a natural natural natural natu natu- ral supply of water Grass makes up the bulk of the feed fero for geese and itis it itIs itIs Is doubtful say poultry specialists of the United States department of agriculture agriculture agri agri- culture culture whether It pays to raise them unless good grazing range Is available Geese are good grazers and except during the winter r months usually pickup pick pickup pickup up most o of their living Their pasture may be supplemented with light feeds of the common or home-grown home grains or wet m mash sh dally daily th the necessity and quantity of 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 nU Insect pests but occasionally occasionally oc oc- oc- oc caslo lly they are affected ted by s some me of the diseases common to poultry A body of water where they can swim swims Is s considered essential during the breeding season and Is a good feature during the rest of the year The Th market market market mar mar- ket for geese Is not so general as for chickens kens and this should be taken under under under un un- der consideration before embarking In n geese raising In the South many geese are kept for the production of feathers rather than for their flesh and find many cotton growers keep them to kill the weeds In their cotton fields Houses for Geese Except In winter or during stormy weather when some protection should be provided mature matute ge geese se do not need needa 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 andis is used by man many In the South Coops barrels or some other dry shelter should be provided for young goslings It Is important that the houses should be kept clean and that the floors be provided with plenty of clean straw 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 res results I therefore breeding stock should be bought In the fall Goose are I lot not changed fr from m year to year unless the results are nrc unsatisfactory A Ander gander may be mated with from one oue oneto oneto to 10 geese four-geese but pair or trio usually give the best results The wild gander usually mates with only one goose When mated geese are ire allowed to run In flocks From 4 to 25 geese may be kept on on an acre of I land and under most conditions ten Is Isa isa isa isI I a fair average Incubation Geese are fed a ration to produce eggs during the latter part of the inter winter wino win in ter about February 1 0 or so that the goslings will be hatched by the time there Is good grass pasture They f a fe e a allowed ed to make nests on the floor the or-the house or large boxes barrels or shelters are provided for for that pur pur- 11 pose The eggs should be be collected ally fally and kept In a cool place where the contents will not evaporate too freely treely if kept for some time they may maybe maybe maybe be st stored red In loose Bran The first eggs are usually set under hens while the thelast thelast thelast last ones which the goose lays may maybe maybe mayhe be he hatched either under hens ns or under the goose if she goes broody If th the eggs are not removed from the nest In la which the goose Is laying she will Usually stop laying sooner than If it they are taken away Some breeders preer prefer pre pre- fer er to raise false all the goslings under hens as geese sometimes become dIfficult to manage when allowed to toI I batch atch and rear their young Hens I used for hatching goose eggs must be he dusted with insect powder and have nave good attention as it the case of geese the period of Ine Incubation bation Is longer long tong er than In that of fowls Goose eggs may be hatched In Incubators and the goslings successfully raised in brooders although this Is not a common com come mon man practice The period of incubation of goose eggs varies from 28 to iJO days Moisture Moisture Mois Mois- ture should be added to to the eggs eggs after after aft aft- er the first week If f set under lander hens hens or orin orin orIn in Incubators this is Ia usually done tone by sprinkling sprinkling- the eggs or the thel nest with warm water Fou Font Fouy to six eggs set are under a hen and 1 to 13 under undera a goose They may be te tested ted about the tenth day and those which are Infertile infertile In in- fertile or contain dead g germs should be removed They hatch slowly especially especially especially espe espe- under hens and the goslings are usually removed as ns soon as M hatched and kept In a warm plAt place u until the process Is is' is over when they are put back iback under the hen of or goose Some breeders who h hatch with both geese and hens give all the goslings to the geese Hens with w go goslings lIngs ma may ma mabe be confined to the coop ad the goslings allowed to range Th lat latter er specially If the weather U I cold are not usually allowed to go into water until they are several days old In mild weather the hens are allowed to brood the goslings for from semen sev se en to ten days when the latter nr are able to take care of themselves Good sized growing coops with board floors should be provided provided pro pro- vided for the goslings and nd they must be protected from fr m theft enemies s and given some attention hen alien len on n range |