274 



POULTRY— DISEASES AND REMEDIES. 



and even toward the end of February. 

 The period of laying may be perceived in 

 the circumstance that the goose at that 

 time carries about straws in its bill, 

 prompted by the development of the ma- 

 ternal instinct to prepare a nest. When 

 this practice is observed it will be found 

 prudent to confine the bird, providng her 

 with a nest for laying and hatching in, 

 which should be made of straw lined 

 with hay, and so formed that the eggs 

 will not readily fall out, especially when 

 the bird turns them. Fifteen eggs will be 

 sufficient to place under even a large bird. 

 The period of incubation is a month, but 

 some of the goslings may be hatched a 

 day or two before this time; it is desira- 

 ble, however, that all the young birds be 

 hatched about the same time, and to this 

 end as much care as is practicable should 

 be taken to have all the eggs equally 

 fresh. When the brood are hatched they 

 ought to be turned out into a sunny 

 place, sheltered alike from cold winds 

 and bad weather; but it is not only un- 

 necessary, but prejudicial, to feed them 

 for twelve hours or so. Their earliest 

 food ought to be bread soaked in milk, 

 curds, porridge, boiled greens, boiled po- 

 tatoes mixed with bran; and such food 

 ought to be given them at a moderate 

 temperature, so as to avoid the entrance 

 of heat or cold, and for a couple of days 

 at least after being hatched the goslings 

 ought not to be allowed access to cold 

 water, which often gives them cramp. 



As a general rule, geese ought to be 

 confined as little as possible. If they are 

 allowed to run about the fields, ditches 

 and streams of water, they will forage for 

 themselves very successfully. Grass and 

 water are essential to their comfort and 

 well-being, such grass especially as may 

 be found on damp and swampy soil, and 

 which, however rank or coarse it may be, 

 is well adapted to them. In harvest time 

 the stubble fields are an excellent pas- 

 turage for them ; they can there pick up 

 no small supply of corn, and which would 

 otherwise be lost, and they obtain abund- 

 ance of young grass and other herbage. 

 The advantages of a stubble field, how- 

 ever, are not always to be had, but 

 where this occurs the kitchen garden may 

 be made available. In autumn the geese 



may be turned into it without the danger 

 of their doing any serious damage; but 

 they ought to be fed occasionally on boil- 

 ed potatoes, bruised up with bran, or the 

 result of their foraging for themselves 

 will not be productive of any advantage. 



Goslings in June and July will fatten 

 without any food beyond what they can 

 gather for themselves in the stubble 

 fields ; but if it be necessary to hasten the 

 process they must be supplied with addi- 

 tional nutriment for that purpose, such as 

 potatoes and turnips bruised with meal, 

 and they should thus be fed once a day. 

 There are various methods of fattening 

 geese, but the simplest and best is nutri- 

 tive food, and in abundance. 



GEESE, Diseases of. — "Prevention is 

 better than cure;" so says the proverb. 

 Colds and fogs are extremely against 

 geese ; therefore, when young, care should 

 be taken not to let them out but in fair 

 weather, when they can go to their food 

 without a leader. 



They are particularly subject to two 

 diseases; the first a looseness, or diar- 

 rhoea, for which Main recommends hot 

 wine, in which the parings of quinces, 

 acorns, or juniper berries are boiled. The 

 second is like a giddiness, which makes 

 them turn round for some time; they 

 then fall down and die, if they are not re- 

 lieved in time. The remedy recommend- 

 ed by Main, is to bleed the bird with a 

 pin or needle, piercing a very prominent 

 vein situated under the skin which sepa- 

 rates the claws. 



Another scourge to goslings are little 

 insects which get into their ears and nos- 

 trils, which fatigue and exhaust them; 

 they then walk with their wings hanging 

 down, and shaking their head. The re- 

 lief proposed is to give them, on their re- 

 turn from the fields, some corn at the bot- 

 tom of a vessel filled with clear water; 

 in order to eat it, they are obliged to 

 plunge their heads in the water, which 

 compels the insects to fly and leave their 

 prey. 



GEESE, Glanders, Roup and Gargle 

 in. — A saturated solution of common 

 salt; medium dose, half a teaspoonful. 

 Antimonial powder, one grain, with 

 sopped bread, twice a day. 



