Although breeding geese is a significant prerogative of farmer enterprises, these birds are quite well suited for home rearing.
At the same time, it is not necessary to plant whole flocks and fatten the birds for sale, they can be bred simply for the soul, while receiving good profits in the form of meat, liver and fluff.
However, many at the same time fail, and without understanding its causes, they refuse such activities.
But the very reason may lie in the wrong choice of breed or the wrong maintenance of birds.
We will acquaint you with detailed information on how to organize the most effective home mini-farm for breeding geese.
The most productive breeds of geese: we select exclusively for your requests
There are many breeds of geese, and it is quite simple to purchase them, since not only farmers, but also individual geese breeders are engaged in selling eggs and goslings.
When buying, the most important thing is to understand the purpose for which you are going to grow them: for meat, for liver or for breed of light type for productivity and for obtaining eggs.
Let's start with the last. The greatest value they represent is very fast generation reproduction. Thus, even despite the low fat mass, these birds will have very abundant egg-bearing capacity, as well as they are characterized by high fertility and hatchability.
Among this group it is necessary to distinguish such breeds as the Chinese white, Chinese gray, Pereyaslavl, Gorky.
For birds with a high fat mass, it is best to choose such breeds as goose italian, toulouse, emden, rhine. This type of geese has a looser body structure, their egg-yielding also remains at a fairly high level, but they do not reproduce as intensely as the previous type of geese.
There are even special breeds of geese, which are grown exclusively for fatty liver. The most popular and productive breeds of this group are the geese Landsky and Toulouse.
Also, in households, they often breed only combative breeds of these birds, or decorative ones, which do not bring any benefit in the quality of products, but serve aesthetic pleasure or business advantage.
What should be a goose: discuss the most important aspects
Requirements for what should be a goose, a lot. But with regard to the construction of the premises, it is recommended to place its facade on the south side, especially when it comes to southern latitudes.
In the same case, if you live in the hot south, it is best to direct the facade to the south-west or southeast. There must be windows and special holes for pets, which are also recommended to be placed on the south side.
To keep a large number of individuals recommended to do indoor partitionsIn this case, the height of the goose should be made at least 2 meters.
Well, once already remembered the number of heads, then you need to pay attention to the density of the bird landing in the roaster. So, the optimal conditions are considered to be distribution per 1 individual not less than 1m2 of the goose-gover’s area, however, in those regions where the walking of birds is carried out almost around the clock, about 2-3 birds can be placed on the same area.
Pros and cons of different types of litter for geese
One of the main requirements for the goose is warm. For this reason, the floor in it must be covered with litter. Its appearance can be chosen practically by anyone, following their own capabilities: straw, sawdust or shavings, peat, husks made from millet or sunflowers.
But although its type does not matter, it is important to constantly ensure that it is dry and clean. Do not allow mold or wetting on it - this can cause diseases for your pets.
The basic rules of how to create an optimal microclimate in the goose
- Temperature conditions Geese are quite hardy birds and even in the winter period of time they are able to withstand stopping the lowering of the thermometer readings below 0ºС rather firmly. But still, it is absolutely impossible to admit that the temperature in the roaster is below -5 ºС, otherwise it will lead to freezing of the paws and beaks, and further extinction of individuals.
In this connection, for the winter, the goose riders are usually insulated by building an additional wall and filling the space between it and the old one with straw, hay or sawdust. Also, artificial heating of rooms with geese is often practiced, however, much attention should be paid to safety precautions and preventing fires.
- Air humidity. This factor is equally important for keeping geese. In particular, the intervals between 60 and 70% should be the most optimal moisture indicators.
The fact is that when lowering the humidity below 50% of the birds start to feel pretty bad, they begin to irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes.
At the same time, at a very high humidity of over 70%, damp starts to spread over the roaster - the litter and walls become wet, which gives rise to the spread of mold and various infectious and bacterial diseases.
- Features of the ventilation room goose. In order for the air in the goose to be constantly fresh, it is necessary to provide ventilation holes in it. They are placed only on one side of the room so that no drafts are created in it (they cause diseases in geese).
Also, an excellent option for the ventilation system is the installation of a ridge pritichno-exhaust pipe, which allows not only to run fresh air into the inside of the roaster, but also to let out the moist and polluted air from the room.
- The intensity of illumination in the goose. Very often, natural lighting for birds is not enough, so when building a goose, it is important to take into account the need for electricity.
The fact is that in low light birds consume much less feed. This, in turn, affects their mass and egg production. However, too intense light is not useful, because it blinds the birds, they lose their orientation, they can peck at each other.
Also, it is believed that if from January we begin to illuminate the roaster artificially, creating a 14-hour light day, the geese will start to fly much earlier - by the end of January, the beginning of October, although they normally start egg-laying only from the end of February.
It is also interesting to read about diseases of geese.
Place for walking birds: how much space do geese need and is a water reservoir required?
Goose is a rather active bird and it is impossible to keep it locked up all the time. In this regard - if you are going to breed geese, you will definitely have to worry about the place for their walking.
Ideally, it should be large in area and covered with low vegetation. It is very good to graze geese in those places where cereal crops were previously grown, since the seedlings from the grain remains will be very useful for these birds.
However, besides additional power sources, geese also need to provide access to the reservoir or specially equip a small pond for them. At the same time everyone walking the birds exclusively in the open is also not recommended, therefore, it will be good to provide a special shelter.
Many poultry farmers prefer to build special pens in which they keep geese throughout the spring-summer period. In such a pen, it is best to make walls of earthen concrete; in the place with this it is necessary to provide the birds with access to the water.
We think over the right diet for your feathered pets.
It is believed that the best ration for geese in spring and summer is grazing in the meadow. The use of fresh grass has a very positive effect on the health of birds and on how quickly they will gain fat mass.
The only caveat - green grass with dew can not be eaten in geese, which have not yet reached the age of three weeks. Of the vegetation, the most nutritious for geese is legumes, which can be sown and specially.
If you can provide your pets with similar conditions, then you will have to feed them only once a day (preferably in the evening), using only ground grain and vegetable mash. For variety, geese can also be given fresh cabbage leaves, dandelion grass, nettles, replacing them for variety with different cereals.
If the geese are kept in closed pens, then it will be necessary to provide them with greens on their own, since it has a positive effect on digestion processes. Feed them also have more intensively, preferably 3 times a day. It is worth paying attention to the fact that geese can be dispensed from the table without fear.
In winter, food should be complete, since birds cannot receive it on their own. The best thing feed them 3 times a day (the latter should be an hour before the sun goes down).
At this time, the geese are fed root vegetables, silage, legumes and cereals. Grains and animal feed will have a positive effect on live weight.
What kind of food do the young ones need and should they be removed from the rest of the geese?
Only born goslings are not able to eat and digest complex foods, therefore, until they reach one month of age, it is better to keep them separate and form a separate diet. It is best to use special mixtures of the following ingredients for this:
- Crushed boiled eggs.
- Cottage cheese.
- Steamed wheat bran / peas / oats / barley.
At first, the goslings are fed 7 times a day, but until they reach the age of one month, the number of feedings is reduced to 3. water goslings with boiled water, in which you need to dilute a small amount of manganese.
It is also interesting to read about building a house with your own hands.
Features geese feeders
The basic requirements for geese feeders are quite simple: minimal feed loss and ease of convenience. It is better to make them yourself, especially if you do not contain a large number of individuals.
Any material, both boards, and plywood, and pieces of metal tin is well suited for this. The only thing that is important to consider is that the feeding front per one individual should be at least 15 centimeters.
Placing the feeders in a goose-horse or in a pen it is important to arrange them so that the geese do not crowd each other while eating, but they also approach the feeders all at the same time. Especially for mineral feed, that is, gravel, pebbles and shells, special compartments are made so that they do not mix.
Often the feeders are hung up to 20 centimeters above the floor, and for feeding the geese the green mass they use nursery feeders.
Choosing drinkers for goose
Drinking bowls can also be varied: you can use both homemade troughs and special purchased ones.
It is only important not to allow the litter to get wet in the goose-tray; therefore, large trays are usually placed under the trough with water.
In winter, the water will constantly freeze, so the drinkers are recommended to either warm or constantly pour hot water into them.
Excretion of geese using chicks and incubators: advantages and disadvantages
Say which way to breed a new goose offspring is better, difficult. The only advantage of the incubator is that thanks to it, you can simultaneously bring to the light a large number of young animals. Thus, young offspring will be much easier to grow, since all the goslings will be the same age.
Also, when using an incubator, there is no risk of losing offspring due to an oversight of the hen itself. However, to get all these benefits, you need to buy an incubator, and it costs money, while broods are the most economical option.
Natural hatching with goose brood
The goose usually prepares the nest itself, and the fact that it is ready to hatch eggs can be understood by pulling the feathers out of the chest, with which the goose lines its nest. One hen can usually sit no more than 12-15 eggs.
Also, it is very important to seat broods in different places or to make sure that they do not see each other all this time. Otherwise, they will be nervous, may try to harm each other’s eggs.
Goslings appear under natural conditions after 28-30 days. Of course, this duration may vary by 1-3 days, which will depend on the cooling of the eggs. When the goslings begin to hatch, it is very important that the hen does not leave the nest until all the chicks appear. To interfere in this process is not recommended.
Hatching eggs with an incubator
The process of incubating geese lasts about 27-32 days. At the same time, until hatching, the temperature at the level of 37.6-37.8 ºС is maintained in the incubator for 26 days, and the humidity at the level of 60%. But now the direct hatching of the goslings will begin, the temperature should be slightly lowered to 37.3-37.5 ºС, and the humidity of the air, on the contrary, should be raised to 80%.
With such artificial incubation also need to periodically egg coolingwhich also includes lightly spraying them with water:
- The first week is not required;
- From 8 to 18 days the eggs are cooled 2 times for 10 minutes;
- From 19 to 24 days - also 2 times, but already for 20 minutes;
- From 25 to 27 day -2 times 30 minutes;
- During hatching from 27 to 29 days, 2 more times for 30 minutes.
Translucent eggs are held on the 10th and 27th day of their stay in the incubator, as well as when shifting to 27th day.
Rules for grooming or how to raise good geese
We have already mentioned how to feed the little goslings. We now tell you a little about the conditions in which they should be maintained in the first month of life.
In particular, in the first week the goslings are kept at a temperature of 30 ºС and also provide round-the-clock lighting. By 20 days of age, the temperature should be reduced to 20ºС.
If they are grown naturally, then the parents will provide the young generation with this comprehensive care. The only thing that needs to be done is to constantly provide them with food and water that they need to clean the nasal passages.
Already from 10-12 day goslings can be let out for walking, although it is quite dangerous. On the one hand, we thus provide them with more rapid development and adaptation to the external environment, and on the other hand, we are at risk of becoming the prey of the crow. With constant walking on the grass, goslings are gradually transferred to a one-time evening feeding.
