1214 Live Stock.—Poultry~ Geefem-Management of.
the beft method is to let them remain with the goofe, efpecially where they are firong, in fome warm funny place, that is well fecured againft the entrance of rats, and all other forts of vermin, and which is properly fupplied with water; being well fed with the crumbs of bread, grits, wheat, and fome chopped clivers. They fhould remain in this confinement until they are grown ftrong and capable of following the goofe with eafe; they may then be put into a fall field, or paddock, where the grafs is fhort, till they are fit to be turned out with the geefe. When they are weakly it is cuftomary to feed them in the houfe, with bread foaked in milk, or a little barley-meal,&c. Where this is done, they fhould however always be put under the goofe again immediately after fuch feeding, and handled as little as poflible, warmth in this ftage being the moft effential article in rearing them. They fhould never be fuffered while very young to go into the water, as the cold foon deftroys them.
Where the raifing of thefe birds is an objet, care muft always be taken to have good ganders, which are neither too young nor too old, and that the eggs when laid be turned occafionally, and carefully kept in a dry and rather warm place. The number of geefe to a gander fhould not be too great: three or four are quite fufficient.
The pra@ice in Lincolnthire, where vaft numbers of thefe birds are annually produced, is for their nefts to be made for them of ftraw, and confined fo as that the eggs cannot roll out when the geefe turn them, which they do every day. When near hatching, the fhell is broken a little againft the beak or nib of the gofling, to give air, or to enable it to receive firength to throw off the fhell at a proper time.
The time of plucking them is about the beginning of April; when the fine fea- thers of their breafts and backs fhould be gently and carefully plucked: care muft be taken not to pull or interrupt their down or pen feathers.
The quills fhould be pulled five out of a wing. They will bear pulling in thir- teen or fourteen weeks again, or twice in a year: the feathers three times a year, of the old geefe and ganders, feven weeks from each pulling. The young gecfe may be pulled once at thirteen or fourteen weeks old,but not quilled, being hatched in March. But when late in hatching, the brood geefe fhould not be plucked fo foon as April, but the month after. When well fed with barley and oats, they thrive and do better, and their feathers grow fafter and are better in quality than where it is omitted. They muft confiantly have plenty of grafs and water*.
* Annals of Agriculture, Vol. XV- ¥