POULTRY FOR PROFIT 223 



known to attain the age of forty years, while they 

 frequently reach fifteen and twenty years. On this 

 account it pays to secure good stock at the start. 

 Geese are valuable as breeders as long as they live, 

 but ganders should not be kept for breeding after 

 three years of age. 



Mating and Hatching 



Geese are usually mated in trios or pairs. Breed- 

 ing stock should be two years old and fully matured. 

 The stock should be purchased in the fall so that the 

 birds may become accustomed to their new surround- 

 ings before the breeding season begins, and should 

 be turned out to pasture until it is nearly time for 

 the season to begin. If they have plenty of forage 

 they will need no other feed except perhaps a little 

 grain. A little before they are to be bred they may 

 be given the following ration : Equal parts by mea- 

 sure of bran, middlings and corn meal, with five 

 per cent beef scrap added. They should have a light 

 feed of this ration in the morning, with cracked 

 corn at night. Ten per cent of the bulk of the daily 

 ration should be green feed and cooked vegetables. 



The breeding season begins about February 1, 

 though some geese begin laying earlier. They make 

 their own nests and will lay from twelve to twenty 

 eggs before becoming broody. As soon as the goos 

 shows an inclination to sit, place her in a dark box 

 or small coop and keep her there two or three day.": 

 with water but no food. She will then begin laying 

 again. The first and second clutches of eggs should 

 be set under hens, but the goose should be permitted 

 to hatch the third clutch. Goose eggs require thirty 

 days for incubation. It is recommended that after 

 the eggs have been sat upon for twenty-five days 



