132 Money in Broilers and Squabs. 



Usually the vitality is somewhat affected by keeping eggs too 

 long, and the goslings are not so strong and active as when hatched 

 from fresh-laid eggs. 



A basement, or a fairly close building, where a reasonably mild 

 and uniform temperature can be maintained, makes an excellent 

 place for setting hens on goose eggs. 



[ The shells and lining membranes of goose eggs are thicker and 

 tougher than those of hens' eggs, and care has to be exercised that 

 they do not become too dry. 



The ganders should be left with the geese during incubation. 



It is well to place food and water near th>*. nest of the sitting 

 goose at hatching time, so that she will be less likely to leave the 

 nest before all the goslings are hatched. 



Eggs under a goose seldom need attention, as more or less mois- 

 ture is brought to the nest when the goose bathes, as she will at 

 intervals, if allowed the opportunity. 



Many breeders sprinkle the eggs and nest during the last two 

 weeks of incubation, and still others dip the eggs into water instead 

 of sprinkling them. Some use lukewarm water, others use cold 

 water. 



It is better that one person should care for the geese regularly, 

 and he should be quiet and gentle in his movements, so as to gain 

 the confidence of the flock and make them as tame as possible. The 

 advantage of this will be evident when the geese wish to sit during 

 incubation, and while the goslings are small. 



After the goose has been a day or two on the nest, and it is 

 desired to break her up from broodiness, she can be taken off and 

 put in a coop, which should be large enough so that she can stand 

 erect. If she is confined here, at a little distance from her mates, 

 she will usually abandon the idea of sitting after 5 or 7 days, and 

 when released will shortly begin laying again. 



Ganders, during the breeding season, and even the geese when 

 sitting, or in defence of their young, manifest considerable courage 

 and often punish intruders severely. When interfered with they 

 seize the intruder with the bill, strike with the wings, and some- 

 times scratch with the claws. They have sufficient power in the 

 jaws to bite quite hard, and a large, full grown gander has been 

 known to strike hard enough with the wings to break a person's 

 arm. 



In setting a chicken-hen with goose eggs, Mr. Newman says, 

 the hen will set all right, but when the young ones break the shell, 

 and the hen sees a green little creature with a long, wide bill salut- 

 ing her, she takes it for a freak or nature and off comes its head! 

 Not many hens will claim the young geese, so take the goslings 

 away as they hatch and try the hens, giving them to a good slow, 

 gentle mother. As soon as she takes them without any fuss there 

 is no further danger. 



