DUCKS AND GEESE 439 



in a warm place. The.y should I)e kept away from the nest 

 until the yomigest goslings are several hours old, when tliey 

 may be given back to the hen. If this is not done the hen 

 is likely to become restless and leave the nest with the older 

 goslings before the late ones are strong enough. 



They should l^e closel>' confined with their mother until 

 they are three or four days old, after which they may be 

 allowed at liberty with their mother in a grassy pasture. 



Most successful goose raisers make a practice of not allow- 

 ing the goslings in the water until they are full-feathered on 

 their breasts. Until they are fairly fully feathered they 

 should be sheltered on rainy days. If they are thorouglily 

 wet through and chilled before growing their feathers it is 

 likely to prove disastrous. 



Feeding Mature Geese. — When, because of drouth in the 

 summer or during the winter, it becomes necessary to feed 

 mature geese, they should be fed such feeds as mangels, 

 turnips, steamed clover and the like, supplemented by a 

 mash of ecjual parts of corn meal, bran, and ground oats. 

 Owing in part, perhaps, to the limited development of the 

 crop, the goose is not able to make very satisfactory use of 

 dry whole or cracked grains. In furnishing any feed to young 

 or old stock there must always be an abundance of drinking 

 water at hand at the place of feeding. Grit, bone, and char- 

 coal should also always be available. 



Breeding geese should not be very fat. For this reason 

 geese do better on pasture with stock than about the troughs 

 of the feeding lot. They should be fed grain only semi-occa- 

 sionally, to pre\'ent their becoming too wild. In the winter, 

 mangels, Swede turnips, clover, or alfalfa hay should form 

 most of their ration. ^Vherever they are kept they must 

 ha\'e plenty of drinking-water, though water for swimming 

 is not necessary. During the breeding season, however, 

 water deeji enough for swimming is considered a necessity for 

 successful mating. 



Geese lay from twenty to thirty eggs in a season if not 

 allowed to set. Boxes and barrels should be placed in secluded 

 spots where they will be somewhat hidden by brush. The 

 geese will usually take to them if they are secluded enough. 



