88 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 



tardy brood still unhatched. After having separated them from her, they 

 must be kept in a basket, lined with wool and covered with cloth ; and 

 when the whole of the eggs are hatched, may be returned to the mother. 

 The male seems to evince the same solicitude for the young as the mother, 

 and will lead and take equal care of them. We once had a gander of the 

 Chinese variety that actually took a brood of goslings from under a common 

 goose, and brought them up with equal care. 



ON THE SECOND DAY AFTER THEY ARE HATCHED 



they may be let out after the dew is off, if the weather is warm, but care 

 must be taken not to expose them to the scorching rays of the sun, which 

 might kill them. All authors seem to agree on the proper food to be given 

 them, which is coarse barley meal, bruised oats, bran, crumbs of bread 

 soaked in milk or curdled milk, lettuce leaves chopped fine, or crusts of 

 bread boiled in milk. In this country Indian meal moistened with water is 

 generally given ; but in our experience we have found it too laxative, and to 

 counteract the effect we have moistened it with boiled milk, and occasionally 

 added chives chopped fine. . It is our opinion, however, that more goslings 

 are killed by over-feeding than by starving. A person who is curious in 

 these affairs informed us that he had been most successful when he let the 

 goslings shift for themselves, if the pasture was good. We tried a brood 

 that way and succeeded well. Grass seems to be their natural food, and by 

 following nature in all cases with animals, and more especially with fowls, 

 we have generally succeeded best. 



AFTER THEY ARE THREE OR FOUR WEEKS OLD 



they may be turned out in a field or lane containing water. If their range is 

 extensive they must be looked after, as the goose is apt to drag the goslings 

 until they become cramped or tired, some of them squatting down and re- 

 maining at evening, and are seen no more. After the goslings are pretty 

 well feathered they are too large to be brooded under the mother's wings, 

 and will sleep in groups by her side, and must be supplied with good and 

 renewed straw to sit on, which will be converted into excellent manure. 

 Being now able to frequent the pond and range the common at large, the 

 young geese will obtain their own living ; and if favorably situated, nothing 

 more need be allowed them excepting the vegetable produce of the garden. 

 We have, however, found it a good practice to feed a moderate quantity of 

 solid food to the young and store geese, by which means they are kept in a 

 growing and fleshy state, and attain a larger size ; the young ones are also 

 forward and valuable for breeding stock. Besides, feeding them, especially 

 in the evening, on their return, attaches them to their home. 



DISEASES TO WHICH THEY ARE SUBJECT. 



" ' Prevention is better than cure ;' so says the proverb. Colds and fogs 

 are extremely against geese ; therefore, when young, care should be taken 



