In popularity, domestic geese in our country are practically not inferior to chickens. The thing is the unpretentiousness of these birds and their ability to gain weight very quickly. At the same time, there is no need for too much spending on feed. In summer, geese go mainly to pasture.
How to choose a breed
The ancestor of modern poultry is a wild gray goose, widespread in the Northern Hemisphere - America, Africa, Europe and Asia. This bird was domesticated for a very long time - initially in the Middle East and in China. At the moment, there is simply a huge number of geese breeds. Experienced farmers are advised to start breeding this bird with the most reliable and unpretentious old breeds. Such, for example, as Kholmogorsk or Chinese. But the best thing, of course, is to choose the breed that is most adapted to the feed and climate of this particular region.
What should be the premises for geese
Poultry geese, as already mentioned, are quite unpretentious. A shed for them can be built from almost any material - boards, timber, logs, clay, blocks, etc. It is important that the room is dry and without drafts. At least 1 m 2 of area should be per individual. The floor may be wooden or adobe. Litter must be placed on it (in winter - from straw, in summer - from sand and sawdust). Also in the goose shed, nests are installed with a length of 60 cm, a width of 40 cm and a height of half a meter. Their bottom is laid with clean straw. It is not recommended to hang the nests in brightly lit places, as well as too close to the walls in cold winters.
Domestic goose is a bird that needs a walk even in winter. Therefore, next to the shed, you need to arrange a small courtyard, in which you should put feeders, a drinking bowl and a large bathing tank - a trough or a bathtub, if there is no pond nearby.
Drinking bowls and feeders
Goose feeders make a nursery. They should be made of easily washable materials. Both an old enameled bucket and a cast-iron or basin are suitable for drinking. In winter, a water tank can be buried right in the barn in the litter. In this case, the water in it will not freeze.
Domestic geese content: what to feed
In the summer, the bird is kept on a walk. Additionally, it is fed only in the evening. At the same time, a mix of grain wastes is made. In the event that the grass on the goose "pasture" is small, additional morning feeding is introduced. In winter, geese are given crushed hay or hay dust. Also included in the diet are grain, concentrates and root crops. As an additive, it is necessary to use meat and bone meal. In the shed, you need to put a trough with water, in which domestic geese after washing will wash their beak. Feed the bird in the cold season three times a day. Potatoes will be best boiled. Grain is more useful than sprouted.
How to breed goslings
These birds carry eggs from around the end of February to July. If the barn will be warm (not less than +4 ... + 5 ), this process may begin earlier. But this will happen only if the light in the birdhouse will burn for at least 14 hours a day. Geese at home are usually hatched in an incubator. If this is not possible, the eggs are left under the goose. In the event that there is no reservoir in the area where the bird could bathe from time to time, they are moistened with warm water about once a week. This is necessary to open the pores in the shell.
If several geese incubate eggs, the nests should be placed away from each other and closed with partitions so that the birds do not see each other. Otherwise, they will behave uneasily and even begin to fight. In addition, after feeding the geese will confuse the nests. Also, in the process of incubation, you need to ensure that the eggs do not roll out to the edge of the nest.
Domestic geese eggs incubate for about 28-30 days. Chicks come out pretty easily. However, in the event that the caterpillar suddenly begins to break the shell from the sharp end, most likely, he will need a little help. Sometimes you have to remove from the fluff and dried pieces of shell.
The temperature in the goose during the hatching of the chicks should be approximately +28 degrees. During the first two days, goslings and a goose are not allowed to go outside, as the kids need to get stronger. The first week the lamps in the barn at night do not turn off. Further, the lighting time is reduced to 15 hours per day. By the second month of life, young animals can be reduced to 8 hours.
How to feed goslings
Little chicks are given boiled wheat porridge and a boiled egg. Starting from the third day, bran, crushed and greens can be added to the feed. Very well, small chicks also eat crumbs and small pieces of white bread. The goslings are watered only with clean water from well-washed drinkers. Once a day, a little potassium permanganate should be added to the water (to a very light pink color). If goslings are brought up without a mother, feeders and drinking bowls are placed near the source of heating.
Greens are prepared immediately before feeding, carefully chopping it. Root crops are introduced into the diet from a weekly age. Boiled potatoes can be given to five-day goslings. At the same time, cake is introduced into the diet.
The first three days of the chicks are fed 6-7 times a day. Food is given every 3-4 hours. Gradually, the number of feedings is reduced to 3-4 times a day. Goslings should not be given sticky mixes. The fact is that they clog nasal openings.
Plucking geese
Feather and fluff from a bird are removed during molting. It usually occurs in late May - early June. In warm regions, plucking can be done twice. The second time this procedure is performed in September - October.
With natural molting, plucking will be almost painless. Of course, you need to remove only the old pen. His skin is dry, transparent and does not contain blood.
Pinching is performed as follows:
- The geese is bound by paws and, sitting on a stool, put it on its back, with its feet away.
- The pen begins to be removed from the abdomen. This should be done carefully, without causing pain.
- Next, the domestic goose turns on its stomach.
- Then they begin to pluck the lower part of the neck so that bald patches do not work out.
When performing this procedure, the wings of the bird must be pressed firmly to the body. Otherwise, waving them, she may get hurt. First, the feather is removed, and then the fluff.
In the first few days after plucking, domestic geese are not too eager to go into the water. However, after this time they are completely mastered and bathed as before with pleasure.