FEEDING PRACTICES AND APPLIANCES 407 



between the knees of the feeder, who opens the mouth with 

 the left hand while he slips a noodle in with his right. 

 Enough noodles are inserted to fill the gullet up to within 

 two inches of the throat. Aftef feeding the goose is allowed 

 to walk out into the main pen and drink from a trough of 

 warm water, in which may be sprinkled a little corn meal. 



A goose should never be noodled until she has digested all 

 the noodles from the previous feeding. At first the geese 

 are fed about four times a day. The number of feedings is 

 increased gradually until the birds are fed every three hours, 

 day and night. Great care must be taken at all times not to 

 frighten the birds, or they will stampede. 

 - The feeding period usually lasts from two to three weeks, 

 and the gains made run from 20 to 40 per cent, at a feed 

 cost varying from 10 to 20 cents per pound gain. Besides 

 the marked gain in weight secured, the livers of the birds 

 become very much enlarged, and are much prized by epi- 

 cures, being known under the name "pate de foi gras." The 

 demand for these enlarged livers is not anywhere near sup- 

 plied, and considerable quantities are imported from France 

 and other European countries. Goose fat, or goose oil, is 

 also in good demand and high in price. 



Noodled geese are in demand in the Hebrew sections of the 

 larger cities, and offer a lucrative though very confining 

 three weeks' work, falling usually in late November and early 

 December. , 



Feeding Young Guineas. — ^The newly hatched guineas are 

 very small and should be somewhat carefully watched for 

 the first week or ten days. During this time it is well to 

 keep them confined to a coop so that they will not be lost. 

 After that time they may be given their freedom with their 

 mother. During the period of confinement they should be 

 frequently fed on very finely cracked grains. At first they 

 should be fed a little every hour. This may be gradually 

 reduced, until at the time they are given their liberty they 

 may be fed but five times a day. This may further be 

 reduced as time goes on. 



The further feeding of either the young or the mature 

 stock will be similar in rations and routine to chickens. 



