262 



THE AMEK1CAN POULTEllER'S COMPANION. 



of the tardy brood still unhatched. After hav- 

 ing 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 

 )f 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 

 3xpose them to the scorching rays of the sun, 

 which might kill them. All authors seem to 

 :igree on the proper food to be given them, 

 which is coarse barley meal, bruised oats, bran, 

 irumbs 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 

 <>ur experience we have found it too laxative, 

 ind to counteract the effect we have moistened 

 it with boiled milk, and occasionally added 

 ihives chopped fine. It is our opinion, how- 

 jver, that more goslings are killed by over-feed- 

 ing 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 

 r'or themselves, if the pasture was good. We 

 :,ried a brood that way and succeeded well. 

 (Trass seems to be their natural food, and by 

 rbllowing 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, 

 ^ome of them squatting down and remaining at 

 ivening, and are seen no more. 



After the goslings are pretty well feathered 

 'hey are too large to be brooded under the 

 mother's wings, and will sleep in groups by her 

 ;ide, and must be supplied with good and re- 

 aevved straw to sit on, which will be converted 

 .nto excellent manure. Being now able to fre- 



quent 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 even- 

 ing, on their return, attaches them to their 

 home. 



There is one thing the author has learned by 

 sad experience, and that is, it will not answer to 

 confine goslings in a small yard ; they need ex- 

 ercise and a pasture to range in. We had a fine 

 brood of fourteen, nearly feathered, confined in 

 our poultry-yard with other fowls. We occa- 

 sionally found one sitting by or on the water, 

 stupefied, dumpish, with no inclination to eat or 

 stir, and would remain so for one or two days, 

 and then die. After losing three in this way, 

 we turned them out, and let them range over 

 the pasture and visit the pond, and never lost 

 one afterward. 



DISEASES. 



" 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 diarrhea, for which 

 Main recommends hot wine in which the par- 

 ings 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 relieved 

 in time. The remedy recommended by Main, 

 is to bleed the bird with a pin or needle, by 

 piercing a rather prominent vein situated under 

 the skin which separates the claws. 



Another scourge to goslings are little insects 

 which get into their ears and nostrils, which fa- 

 tigue and exhaust them; they then walk with 

 their wings hanging down, and shaking their 

 head. The relief proposed is to give them, on 



