Animals and their young. what kind of bird is a goose: all the most interesting facts are they nomadic?

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Who it?

Of course, such a question may seem stupid to many now, because most are sure that geese are birds. Yes, of course it is, it is a separate genus of waterfowl from the duck family. But if you look at the scientific classification, you will find the following information: Geese - belong to the animal kingdom, the chordate type and the bird class. So, whether they are animals or not, it depends on how you look.

Geese are common on almost all continents of the Earth (except Antarctica). They live on the shores of seas, rivers, lakes, in meadows or marshy areas. There are mountain views. Unlike swans and ducks, they spend much less time in water than on land. Today there are both wild and domestic species.

Recommendations for selecting pairs for breeding

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You should select candidates for the goose family for breeding, taking into account the following recommendations:

• The purity of the breed should be maintained whenever possible to ensure healthy and strong offspring for a long time.
• It is necessary to take into account the individual qualities of individuals: their weight, fertility, character, absence of external defects, quality of plumage and the like, because these are the breeding properties that they will pass on to future young animals.
• When allowing a new male into your own geese, you should take into account the hierarchy and preferences of the females, and to a greater extent, the main female. And if she prefers a goose from a neighboring herd, it is better to buy or exchange it from a neighbor and get it for her own breeding needs.

• A gander that is chased and beaten by its wives will be of no use, and the breeding program will fail. Overly aggressive birds that constantly beat and keep other members of the flock in fear should also not be allowed into breeding. There are also “outcast” geese that are offended by everyone else: such a bird will be of no use in breeding: it should be slaughtered or exchanged for another on a neighboring farm.
• The ability to form a family in young geese manifests itself at six to eight months of age, and females begin to lay eggs at about ten months of age.
• Ten-month-old young ganders can be started for breeding, observing the relationships of individuals in the herd.
• It is better to pair young females with experienced breeders in order to quickly begin to receive strong offspring from them.

These tips are advisory and general in nature - the final decision should be made after careful observation of the birds, their behavior in the flock and preferences.

What is the difference between geese and ducks

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Today we will figure out the difference between a goose and a duck. Both birds are waterfowl, have waterproof plumage and webbed feet. They feed and breed in the water or on the shore, and nest nearby. Both species have long been tamed by people; they are successfully kept and bred in households. And yet, these are completely different birds, which we will prove in this article.

About geese

Geese and ducks belong to the order Anseriformes, the duck family. The main differences between these birds are in appearance, diet and the sounds they make. Let's take a closer look.

Distinctive features of geese:

• Large build and impressive weight.
• The neck is long, not allowing deep dives.
• Long legs with pronounced webs are equipped with a long tarsus, which contributes to better movement on the ground, fast running and swimming.
• The color comes in two colors: white and gray.
• The beak is small, with a “claw” at the end, and sharp teeth are ideal for pulling grass out of the ground. Geese eat only plant foods.
• The cackle of a goose is trumpet-like, loud. When danger arises, it emits a hissing sound.

About ducks and more

Duck Features:

• Light weight, small build.
• The neck is shorter than that of a goose, so the duck can dive deep underwater, ending up in an upright position.
• Short legs are better suited for swimming than walking on land.
• The color of ducks is neutral, but male drakes have bright colors, especially during the mating season, to attract more females.
• The long beak allows you to fish out crustaceans, snails, frogs, algae from the water - what the bird eats.
• The duck quacks loudly, but the drakes are silent and can only hiss.

It is also worth paying attention to the behavior of birds. For example, a duck can eat at night, everything that comes across its path in the water and matches its size

The goose is not prone to night snacks and does not like to be in the water at night. In general, these birds prefer to live on land and are capable of long-distance flights, while ducks take off very rarely.

Females and males

Now let's figure out the difference between a gander and a goose. Compared to females, males are larger, but they cannot be distinguished by color. But based on their behavior and voice, it is possible - ganders are quite aggressive and pugnacious, while geese lead a calm lifestyle. The male's voice is abrupt, the female's is drawn-out.

It is not difficult to identify the sex of small ducklings - just release a brood of ducks into the water - the males begin to flounder and look around, the ducks will remain calm and will simply lower their heads “in a bow.” The rest of the information is contained in the article “How can you distinguish a duck from a drake.”

Properties of duck and goose meat

Now let's talk about the nutritional properties, appearance and taste of the meat that geese and ducks have.

Duck meat is dark brown or dark red in color and firm. It contains omega-3 acids, vitamins D, E, B and other beneficial substances. Duck meat has a delicate, sweet aroma.

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Despite all the advantages, duck should be eaten with caution - the meat is very fatty

Goose meat is dark in color and has a tart, sweet taste. Rich in fatty amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Goose meat helps the stomach function, prevents the formation of cancer tumors, and is used to increase hemoglobin in the blood. The signature dish is goose with apples, found on New Year's tables.

How to distinguish a duck from a goose on the counter

Let's look at how to distinguish a goose carcass from a duck carcass in a store or market.

A duck carcass is smaller than a goose, wide at the bottom, the length of the wings and neck are not pronounced. The smell is refined and sweetish, the skin is thin with a yellowish tint.

It is better to take birds between 6 and 12 months old (you can identify them by the white color of their fat, soft legs and beak). An old specimen will emit an unpleasant odor when cooked. It is recommended to stick to a medium-sized carcass; such a duck is juicier and softer.

A goose is larger than a duck, the carcass is oblong. The skin is thick, elastic, yellowish-pink in color with a specific odor and a pronounced, rough structure. Non-turbid fat and light yellow paws indicate a young age of the individual.

The larger the goose carcass, the better. The meat of small goslings is tough and hard.

The price of a goose is higher than that of a duck.

Let's sum it up

When determining the difference between geese and ducks, it is worth relying on personal preferences. The meat of both birds contains many vitamins, minerals and amino acids, and there are no difficulties in cooking except time.

A goose or duck is unpretentious in keeping and breeding and does not require careful care. Hence the conclusion: purchasing live poultry for personal farming or buying ready-made carcasses for cooking is a good decision.

What causes red paws?

This question worries many people, especially children. What to answer to a child? There are several interesting stories and fairy tales about this among the people. Some people don’t go into too much detail, they say: they’re red because they’re frozen. But we understand that birds have this color of paws both in summer and winter.

If we consider the scientific point of view of why a goose has red feet, then the color is largely determined by the breed. They are found with dark, almost black limbs, yellow, orange and red. Many experts are sure that everything is connected with a special pigment. Some scientists cite the opinion that there are a lot of blood vessels on the paws of birds that help warm the limbs in the water. The skin is thin, so the blood network is clearly visible - creating a red effect.

Which of these versions is correct? Most professionals believe that the main reason is skin pigmentation, because blood vessels are located close to the skin in birds with dark feet.

Features of cultivation

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In the very first 3 days, hatched chicks need a temperature of about 28 degrees. Later it is reduced by several degrees. When a week has passed, it can be maintained at 25 degrees. From 8 days onwards it is permissible to set the temperature in the room to 24 degrees. From the 11th day the temperature is reduced another couple of degrees. From day 16, the temperature in the poultry house should be 22 degrees.

If the goslings emerge from the egg without the help of a hen, then within 24 hours they need to be placed in a warm room. The chicks are kept there for 14–32 days. Much depends on weather conditions. If the temperature is low, it is recommended to keep the goslings in a heated room longer. Chicks that are not gaining weight are fed intensively. They are placed separately from healthy individuals. Babies should not be allowed to run around on the floor; they are collected in a box. The density of heads in it should not exceed 10 per square meter. It is permissible to keep goslings on the floor after hatching, if there are no cracks or rodents in it.

Babies need bedding. It provides warmth and protects from drafts. A lamp with a power of 300 W is suitable for heating the poultry house. It is not difficult to make it yourself from a tin sheet. A cut is made from its center to the edge, and the resulting circle is secured on a cord. The lamp must be placed high. The optimal room temperature is 25 – 27 degrees. If the weather is cold outside, the heater in the poultry house should be running constantly. On a sunny day, if natural rays penetrate into the house, the heater can be turned off during the day. Ventilation is of great importance for chicks, so sometimes you need to open the windows.

Are they nomadic?

Geese are originally migratory birds. But today only wild representatives have such a gift. But households have long lost this ability. But we think it’s not so bad for them even on their own plots. As for wild species, for example, the most famous of them is the gray goose, the birds winter in Southern Europe and Asia, as well as in North Africa.

They reach the wintering site in flocks, less often in a line and a wedge. The number at the time of migration ranges from a few to several hundred. During the period of rest on reservoirs, they usually gather in large groups of up to several thousand birds. In summer, during molting, wild geese live in a sedentary manner, because, firstly, they raise offspring, and, secondly, they temporarily lose the ability to fly due to the lack of flight feathers.

Behavioral factors

Already in small chicks, differences in behavior are noticeable - from them, with relative accuracy, you can distinguish the sex of geese before they grow up.

Males

Males are more active, loud and conflicting; they are usually the first to rush to the feeder. If you take a small chick by the legs and turn it upside down, it will strive to rise, reaching almost to its belly with its beak.

At a sharp sound, the chicks stretch their necks, trying to find the source of danger. Adults, in addition to this, hiss at the offender and try to attack.

When swimming in a pond, geese tilt their heads almost parallel to the water. Coming ashore, they stretch out like a candle, spread their wings and make several active claps. Birds have a proud body posture.

Females

When performing the upside down test, little geese behave passively. They do not strive to rise; they can only turn their heads. Compared to males, females are much more peaceful and calm; they rarely make noise - mainly in the absence of food. Their body posture is squat. When frightened, they tend to hide and hide; they do not show aggression. When bathing, geese keep their heads tilted towards the water.

What is the flight altitude?

So, as you already understand, wild geese are good flyers. In ordinary sedentary life, they cover short distances in low flight, but when flying to warmer climes, their height is quite impressive. Some of the highest flying representatives are greylag geese. They rise up to 8000 meters to overcome long distances.

But there are also record holders - mountain representatives of the species that can settle on mountain tops. Their usual flight altitude is no more than 5,000 meters, but they can rise up to 10,000 meters. The last recorded record was 10,175 meters, when the birds were in the Himalayas.

Goose hunting

According to ESBE, at the beginning of the 20th century, the commercial importance of geese for the Russian non-grain-bearing north was enormous. Mostly only goose feathers and down went on sale, while the meat was usually consumed by industrialists on the spot. According to the law of February 3, 1892, hunting geese in European Russia (with the exception of the Arkhangelsk province and some parts of the Vologda, Perm and Vyatka provinces) was prohibited from May 1 to June 29.

In the spring, geese are shot at morning or evening dawn, when they fly from the swamp, where they spend the night, to the fields, for food, and back; On the Ob River, during the spring migration of geese, industrialists shoot them from huts, to which they lure them with stuffed geese (manchuk). In the summer, they hunt almost exclusively young geese, while their wing feathers have not yet grown, as well as old ganders, which then molt and cannot fly. At this time, molting geese usually stay in small lakes, connected by channels with large lakes, where they go for food. The industrialists, having surrounded these channels with nets, drive geese into them on boats and with the help of dogs and beat them in huge numbers. Geese killed in summer are sometimes salted in barrels; in the tundra, they are buried in holes dug in the ground to the frozen layer, from where they are taken out only in winter and hung in the air. In the fall, when they fly away, geese are shot in the same way as in the spring, at dawn and evening, and sometimes they are approached to shoot on horseback or in a cart, which they are less afraid of than a person on foot. Geese are shot with very large shot or small buckshot.

Geese are fairly unpretentious birds, have endurance and are not demanding in terms of living conditions. Therefore, they are of interest to farmers and households. The main goal is dietary tasty meat. Goose eggs and breeding of young animals for sale are also in demand.

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How to distinguish a gander from a goose, determining gender by external characteristics

Goose eggs, meat and feathers are popular among consumers, so many poultry farmers are engaged in breeding geese. Beginners often have difficulty identifying male and female individuals.

There are many ways in which you can figure out how to distinguish a gander from a goose.

5 ways to distinguish a gander from a goose at an early age

It is much easier to distinguish adults from each other than small ones

It is much easier to distinguish adults from each other than small ones.

There are 5 reliable methods to help accurately determine the sex of birds:

• scientific;
• "bungee";
• by reaction to external stimuli (fear);
• by activity level;
• by size.

Each method has its own specifics and therefore requires separate consideration.

How to distinguish a gander from a goose

As a bird matures, not only its size changes, but also its behavioral patterns. A professional is able to distinguish birds by sounds, feather color, gait and many other factors.

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The most popular are:

1. Behavior. If you observe the flock a little, you can note the characteristic behavior characteristic of female and male individuals.
2. Sounds.
3. External characteristics: color, head size.

According to the behavior of geese

The sex of the bird is easy to recognize during the mating season.

The sex of the bird is easy to recognize during the mating season

Ganders show aggression and constantly fight for a place in the flock to become the leader. Fights increase at puberty and over the possession of a female.

Females have a calm, docile character. Aggression manifests itself only during the period of hatching eggs. If the goose feels that the offspring are in danger, it may attack.

Any flock has a leader; he stands out among other individuals with his special behavior:

• he always goes ahead;
• proud pose;
• head held high;
• the chest is protruded forward;
• he constantly inspects his territory, never hides;
• When a dangerous situation arises, the leader cranes his neck, looking around, and then decides to retreat or attack the enemy.

Males often start fights near the feeders. The most frisky, fast individuals try to be the first to get to the feeding point. The female sex does not fight, they are slow, sluggish, and calm.

They can make a sound when there is no food or no water. When swimming through the water, ganders hold their heads straight and behave proudly. The head of females is slightly lowered. This allows them to maintain balance on the water.

By the sounds of geese

Sexual characteristics are noticeably expressed as birds mature. The gander's voice changes: it becomes loud, trumpet-like, intermittent, and sometimes a hiss is heard.

The calls of females are ringing and drawn-out. Each breed has its own timbre of voice. Compared to European ganders, males of the Chinese breed produce thin, sharp sounds. Females have a lower voice.

How to distinguish a goose from a goose by external signs

Experienced poultry farmers can tell a boy gander from a girl.

Males look massive, weigh from 8 to 10 kg, have:

• strong paws;
• large head, wider forehead than females;
• wide chest;
• depending on the breed, there is a tubercle or bump located in the beak and forehead area;
• large, rough beak of dark shades.

Female individuals weigh 5 kg, their features are more refined. The head size is smaller, the beak color is bright, the shape is thin, and graceful.

Bird sizes

Geese have thin, short necks.

The older the bird, the more noticeable the differences in size. Ganders are 10-20% larger than females and have a long, powerful neck. Great strength and power was formed in the process of evolution, since the male must be the leader of the pack, a protector.

Geese have thin, short necks. Their physique is more graceful. But not all birds can be distinguished by gender in this way. There are types of breeds where females are larger than males or have the same size.

Conclusion

When breeding geese, it is important to learn how to correctly determine the sex of birds. the goal is to make the correct selection of the percentage of individuals; not only the volume of production and final revenue, but also peace of mind in the poultry house depends on this. the goal is to make the correct selection of the percentage of individuals, not only the volume of production and final revenue depends on this, but also peace of mind in the poultry house

the goal is to make the correct selection of the percentage of individuals; not only the volume of production and final revenue, but also peace of mind in the poultry house depends on this.

Serious problems can arise during the mating season if there are a large number of ganders in the herd. And vice versa, there will be no offspring if the herd consists of only females.