BROODING AND REARING GOSLINGS 



pending upon the breed and upon the rapidity of 

 growth. Many, probably most, young geese are not 

 marketed at as early an age as this but are held 

 until the Christmas season or later and marketed at 

 heavier weight. The best grown Toulouse goslings 

 should attain a weight of 16 to 18 pounds by Christ- 

 mas or when 6 to 8 months old. Other breeds will 

 weigh proportionately less. Special attention or 

 special feeding will, of course, increase the weight 

 over that attained without such feeding. 



As a rule the heavier breeds such as the Toulouse 

 do not get their full growth until they are about 18 

 months old. After this as geese of both sexes grow 

 older, they will, of course, fill out more and attain 

 greater weight. 



Disease. Goslings are remarkably free from dis- 

 ease and a very large percentage of all strong gos- 

 lings hatched should be reared. One of the principal 

 difficulties is diarrhoea. This is usually caused by 

 faulty feeding. It may be due to feeding too great 

 a quantity of soft feed or to giving soft feed in too 

 sloppy a condition. Access to stagnant water, un- 

 clean enclosures or unclean drinking dishes may 

 also cause diarrhoea. When partly grown goslings 

 which are being given soft feed are troubled with 

 diarrhoea, this may sometimes be checked by sub- 

 stituting a light feed of corn daily for a part of the 

 soft feed. 



Goslings are sometimes troubled with lameness. 

 This is usually caused by faulty feeding also, partic- 



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