670 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



provided with shade. For green fodder, 

 geese prefer oats to either rye or peas. 

 Turnips, beets, windfall apples, rape and 

 cabbage are all eaten greedily by the 

 goslings, and Dwarf Essex rape is espe- 

 cially valuable for summer and fall 

 pasture. 



The average gains of a number of 

 breeds at the Ehode Island station for 

 the first 35 days varied from 1.3 to 2.3 

 ounces a day, and for the next 20 days 

 from 2.9 to 3.8 ounces a day. When the 

 goslings were about 10 weeks old, those 

 of the African Toulouse cross weighed 

 about 11.2 pounds and after three weeks 

 more fattening about 15.3 pounds each. 



FATTENING GEESE 



Geese when fattened should be con- 

 fined in comparatively small, well- 

 drained yards and provided with shade. 

 They fatten most rapidly in cool weather. 

 Green geese are ready for fattening 

 when the large feathers of the wing 

 reach the tail. For the first few days 

 they should have a little green food and 

 the usual grain, after which they may 

 be given a scalded mash made up largely 

 of corn meal with about 10 per cent beef 

 scraps, mixed to a crumbly consistency. 

 Water must be provided for drinking 

 purposes in abundance, also grit. 



Flagg recommends that mornings they 

 be given all they wi'l eat of this mix- 

 ture in an hour. At noon, whole corn 

 may be fed and at night a considerable 

 quantity of mash, since they will eat it 

 a good deal during the night, especially 

 in warm weather. About twice a week 

 a little powdered charcoal should be 

 mixed with the dough. It is believed 

 that white flint corn gives the flesh a 

 whiter appearance, and it is more desir- 

 able than yellow corn. Oats and barley 

 mixed with milk have a similar effect. 

 N"o green food is given after the first 

 day or so, but gravel and ground oyster 

 shells should be provided in abundance. 



Killing and picking—Geese should be 

 fasted about 12 hours before killing. 

 The birds are killed by cutting across 

 the upper and back part of the mouth 

 and then stunning by a sharp blow on 

 the head. The down and breast feath- 

 ers are saved. The feathers on the two- 

 thirds of the neck next to the head, as 

 well as the wing feathers beyond the 

 first joint and the tail feathers of mon- 

 grel geese, are left unpicked. Black pin 

 feathers must be removed entirely, while 

 white ones can often be shaved off. Dry 



picked birds are preferred in most mar- 

 kets. When dry picked they should be 

 marketed before cold weather sets in, 

 as after that the feathers set and are 

 difficult to pull without tearing the skin. 

 If scalded, it may be necessary to wrap 

 the birds in blankets after scalding to 

 keep the steam in and make the pick- 

 ing easier. Scald in the manner recom- 

 mended for chickens. After picking, 

 the blood is rinsed from the mouth of 

 the bird and the feet cleaned, the wings 

 pressed firmly against the sides of the 

 body and tied with a string. In the 

 case of the green geese, marketed in 

 summer, they are kept for an hour or 



Fig. 426 GEESE DRESSED FOR MARKET 



two in ice water until sent to market 

 and shipped in barrels in alternate lay- 

 ers with ice, placing ice first on the bot- 

 tom and finally a generous layer on top. 

 The top is then covered over with bur- 

 lap. Green goslings are not drawn for 

 market, nor are usually the old birds. 



Feathers — Good, clean, white feath- 

 ers sell for 50 co 60 cents a pound, gray 

 feathers 40 to 45, and good, long quill 

 feathers, for about 15 cents a pound. 

 Geese should not be picked for feathers 

 during the breeding season, nor in cold 

 weather. They are ripe for plucking 

 when there is no blood in the ends of the 

 quills. 



TURKEYS 



The turkey is native to America. It 

 is still found wild in many states and 

 the wild gobbler is frequently used for 

 infusing new blood and hardiness into 

 the domesticated varieties. See Fig. 27. 

 page 41 for illustration of a wild tur- 



