DUCKS AND GEESE 



one light feed of mash daily in addition to the grass 

 they eat. Such a mash will consist of 2 parts shorts 

 and 1 part corn meal, ground oats or ground barley. 

 Where the pasture is good many goslings are raised 

 from the age of 2 or 3 weeks until they are ready 

 to be fattened without any other feed than the grass 

 and other material which they get for themselves. 

 However, the feeding of one light feed of mash a 

 day is advantageous as it insures adequate feed for 

 their need and promotes quicker growth. After the 

 goslings are 6 weeks old, if they are still fed, the 

 mash should be changed to equal parts shorts, corn 

 meal and ground oats with 5% meat scrap. This 

 same mash can be continued until fattening time. 

 Whole grains are not generally fed to goslings until 

 they are well feathered and often not until it is de- 

 sired to fatten them. 



Percentage of Goslings Raised. Goslings are for 

 the most part quite hardy and are comparatively 

 easy to brood. This coupled with the fact that they 

 are relatively free from disease and are not much 

 troubled with insect pests makes it possible to raise 

 a large per cent of the thrifty goslings hatched. 

 With good care and with good strong healthy stock, 

 it should be possible to raise in the neighborhood of 

 90% of the goslings hatched. 



Rapidity of Growth. Goslings make a very rapid 

 growth. When marketed as green geese they are 

 usually turned off at from 12 to 16 weeks of age. At 

 this age they should weigh from 9 to 12 pounds, de- 



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