THE WILD GOOSE IN DOMESTICATION. 



A. S. DOANE. 



One of the first sights to catch the eye 

 and excite the admiration of visitors to 

 this section is the array of live decoys 

 maintained by the gunning clubs and va- 

 rious citizens. Thinking possibly some 

 readers of Recreation might like to have 

 flocks of their own I have obtained from 

 Mr. D. L. Griggs, of Powell's" Point, N. 

 C, the following information. Mr. Griggs 

 has raised Canada geese over 40 years 

 and has probably raised 500 or 600. For 

 years he has supplied the leading clubs of 

 Carrituck county with their decoys. 



Nearly all gunners maintain that geese 

 bred in captivity make better decoys than 

 wild geese that have been crippled or 

 caught accidentally. It is, however, nec- 

 essary to have a start. Mr. Griggs ob- 



in fact, they can carry in their bills. Both 

 goose and gander work together in nest 

 building. If they can not find any stuff 

 within a reasonable distance the goose 

 will pick and scratch a place in the 

 ground. Once established, they always 

 nest in the same place. If kept from that 

 place, the goose will drop the eggs all 

 about and will not try to raise. If, after 

 this occurs, they are allowed to go to their 

 old nest, a second lot of eggs will be de- 

 posited and probably hatched; though, if 

 the goose is old, the second lot of eggs 

 may kill her. The goose will always lay 

 a second time if eggs are removed o - 

 destroyed. 



Geese usually lay in April, but tl 

 older the goose the earlier eggs are oe- 



COURTCSY OF THE NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



VISITORS TO THE ZOO PARK. 



tained his from cripples; others may do 

 likewise. The business of raising Canada 

 geese, would not be profitable, however, 

 unless a person were exceptionally favored. 



The wild goose, if taken young, should 

 mate and lay 2 years after being captured. 

 Old geese rarely mate. They chafe con- 

 tinually, and even if they do mate and 

 lay, the eggs will not hatch. Those bred 

 in captivity raise and lay at 2 years of 

 age. Once mated, it is for life. Should 

 any accident happen to one of the pair, 

 however, the other will probably mate 

 again the following spring; but they al- 

 ways mope a long time lafter the death 

 of their mate. 



Tn raising geese it is well to set apart 

 marshy or boggy ground for them to 

 nest in. They build their nest on the 

 ground, of light trash, hay, etc; anything, 



posited. Mr. Griggs had one goose that 

 laid earlier year after year, until she final- 

 ly laid in February. The goose lays 

 every second day and usually covers the 

 egg with straw after it is deposited. She 

 lays 3 to 8 eggs, 5 being about • the 

 average. The period of incubation is 28 

 days. If the goose has free access to 

 water before laying, all the eggs usually 

 hatch; but if access is denied, there are 

 generally some bad ones. 



The goslings, as a rule, are much hardier 

 than tame goslings and, barring accidents, 

 all should be raised. No special food is 

 necessary for them, but they should have 

 an opportunity to pick young grass; and 

 hominy and cracked corn are good for 

 them. They should also have a plentiful 

 supply of sand and gravel where they can 

 get it at all times. 



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