Breeding geese at home for beginners: tips, videos

Feeding recommendations

Fattening of young animals

Feeding adult geese

Breeding goslings

Video

Once you get sick of goose farming, there is no turning back. This stunning bird is easy to keep and brings considerable economic benefits to the farmer. It is valued for its tasty meat, aromatic fat, soft fluff, large eggs and delicious liver. The remaining by-products are also used as food and go to animal feed. For example, some breeders feed their dogs goose liver before shows to improve the quality of their pets' coat. That is, raising geese at home is an almost waste-free production that even a novice farmer can easily cope with. Let us consider in detail the nuances of this fascinating matter.

There is always a demand for goose meat, but it especially grows around Christmas, as many follow the tradition of baking a goose in the oven for the holiday

Is it necessary to take eggs from geese?

Our advice: You need to pick it up

every egg, even a very cold
one
. If it is fertilized, it hatches into a gosling. The main thing is that the shell does not burst in the cold.

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Slaughter process

Slaughtering geese at home is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. Therefore, you need to prepare for this process in advance.

10-12 hours before slaughter, the birds stop feeding so that the intestines and crop are empty during butchering.

Otherwise, one wrong movement when cutting can easily ruin the taste of the meat.

You cannot feed the geese, but you must give them salted water. It improves the shelf life of the carcass after plucking.

During the slaughter period, geese that will be used for meat must be kept in a separate clean room. They are left there overnight, and the procedure begins in the morning. It is customary to chop down birds so that there are no stumps before the onset of frost. Before slaughter, the wings are folded to one side and the paws are tightly tied. There are several types of slaughter: external and internal. The external method is carried out using a knife as follows:

The bird is placed head down in a large container;
Then, before cutting, the carcasses are stunned with a blow to the head;
A small puncture is carefully made above the ear with a knife and the carotid artery is cut;
Then the carcass is left so that all the blood drains into the container.

The internal slaughter method is carried out using scissors according to the following algorithm:

First the goose is hung upside down;
Then its beak is unclenched and the carotid artery is cut through the oral cavity;
Next, a puncture is made in the roof of the mouth. The tip of the scissors is placed towards the bird's skull and the brain is pierced.

This procedure makes feather plucking easier. Since the puncture of a specific area of the brain is designed to facilitate the protective function of the body.

You can also cut a goose with an ax:

The bird's head is cut off with an ax;
The carcass is then hung upside down to drain the blood;
You need to wait until all the blood has drained into the container and only then start plucking.

In the process of draining the blood, you need to loosen the ropes in the tied parts of the body so as not to deteriorate the appearance of the carcass.

Under no circumstances should you rush and remove the carcass for plucking ahead of time. All blood must drain out completely, otherwise the quality of the meat will deteriorate.

This will take from 5 to 20 minutes. The main thing is to take your time and wait until the end of the process. Remaining blood in the body can make it unfit for consumption and will also reduce the shelf life of the meat.

All three methods of slaughtering birds are suitable for livestock of any age. You should choose the most convenient one and prepare everything you need for the process in advance. The first two methods take the same time. The third one goes much faster.

Construction of a barn

Breeding geese requires having a building in the yard where they will spend the night. Considering that the construction will take not 5-7 days, but about a month, the construction of the poultry house should begin in the fall. As soon as spring comes, birds can be moved there. If you are planning a small farm, then the building may be small. If the farm has more than 20-25 birds, it is better to build a large poultry house. You can build such a barn with your own hands, having previously made the appropriate drawings. And it’s better to have a specialist do the drawing.

The technology for building a poultry house is not much different from the technology for building a small house. It is simplified in that you do not need to think about how to scorch the building.

Poultry house requirements

We will not dwell in detail on how to build a shed. Let's consider only the requirements for the premises for birds.

The bird is not particularly afraid of cold weather, so there is no point in investing money in insulating an outbuilding. You can use inexpensive building materials, or you can even build a barn from improvised materials: wooden boards, slate, etc. can be used. But there should be no drafts in the poultry house, which provoke a number of diseases in geese. You also need to make sure that the room is ventilated.

In the cold season, domestic geese should not sleep on the bare floor, as well as in the warm season, but if in the summer the bedding is laid in a thin layer, then in the winter this layer should be warm. To prevent the occurrence of infectious diseases, the litter is changed daily. It is best to use straw as bedding. An alternative option is sawdust and sunflower husks.

We must not forget to set aside an area in the poultry house for young animals and equip the barn with all the necessary equipment, which includes drinkers, feeders, and nests. It would be a good idea to set aside an area for storing feed and equipment. If the building is permanent, then you can store feed in the attic. It is worth mentioning that a building with an attic will be warmer than without it. If the structure is not solid, then the attic may collapse. In this case, it is better to set aside a place for storing food in the room itself, but it must be isolated from birds.

Poultry house dimensions

Before you start building a barn for birds, you need to think about how many birds you plan to keep. To make birds feel comfortable, you need to provide them with at least 1 square meter. m of living space. At this stage, you should think about not only how many specific birds will be kept in the first year, but also what the maximum number of birds is planned in the future.

You definitely need to think about what the height and width of the building should be. Since the goose is a small bird, it is not necessary to build a high room, but the barn will need to be systematically cleaned, so it is advisable to build the structure in such a way that when it needs to be cleaned, there will be no difficulties. You must not forget to equip a special hole through which the bird will return home, otherwise you will have to keep the doors of the poultry house open throughout the day.

What is the best way to feed ducks before slaughter?

As a rule, breeders use bran, beet cake, stillage, and meal from oil crops. Baker's or brewer's yeast makes it possible to enrich the duck's body with much-needed and beneficial B vitamins. Greens and root vegetables are a real delicacy for ducks. The duck will be able to enjoy them to their fullest during the walk.

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Temperature and illumination of the goose barn

The goose is a cold-resistant bird. It can exist in a goose barn without any problems even at minus 10 degrees. She is not afraid of short-term drops to minus 25 degrees. But if geese are kept for breeding, such conditions will adversely affect the egg production of geese. Therefore, it is desirable that the goose house be warm. To do this, the walls are carefully insulated.

Plus temperatures and artificial lighting in the goose barn will speed up the start of geese laying eggs. They lay eggs with a day length of 14 hours. This means we need to lengthen the day artificially. To do this, we leave the lights on from 6 am to 8 pm. And we do this until the natural daylight hours become equal to 14 hours.

Geese usually start laying eggs at the very end of winter. But with such lighting, egg production can occur much earlier (closer to the end of January).

How to butcher a carcass

Cutting must be carried out with extreme caution, as this can lead to a deterioration in the taste of the meat and the appearance of the carcass. To carry out the procedure, do the following:

Before starting the manipulation, make sure the mascara is clean. It cannot have feathers or down. It is permissible to remove dirt manually or with tweezers.
Remove the bird's head. To do this, make an incision in the skin in the area of the second vertebra.
Cut off the wings in the area of the bend of the elbow and the paw in the joint area. These areas are the easiest to cut. Such fragments are prohibited from being used for cooking.
Start dissecting the organs. First of all, it is recommended to remove the esophagus and trachea. To do this, you need to cut the stomach. It is also permissible to pull out these organs through the cloaca. If difficulties arise, you can use a knife.
To open the abdomen you need to take a sharp knife. In this case, you should start from the cloaca and move down to the keel. The incision should be made carefully so as not to affect the internal organs and intestines.
Remove the giblets and other internal organs. The stomach and liver are usually used for food.
Remove the cackling tube with a knife.
Rinse the carcass well and leave for 2 hours. She should lie in room conditions. After this time has passed, the meat can be frozen.

Useful tips for beginners

Beginning farmers should follow these recommendations:

In spring and summer, feed geese greens. With the arrival of autumn, it is worth introducing more feed into the diet of birds.
From September, limit the physical activity of birds. This promotes better fat storage. The duration of a daily walk should be 1-1.5 hours.
Select the best individuals for breeding.
After slaughter, allow the blood to drain. This affects the quality characteristics of the meat.

In order for the procedure to be successful, before slaughter it is worth familiarizing yourself with the anatomical features of the birds. This will help you slaughter the bird correctly and cut it up . To carry out the manipulation, it is important to use sharply sharpened tools.

Breeding goslings

When forming a breeding herd, the best gander and 3-4 females are selected. Since geese are not very productive in terms of egg production (compared to other farm birds), and the gander can deprive some of its friends of attention, 2-3 flocks are usually organized to increase the number of fertilized eggs. Each family must be placed isolated from each other, otherwise clashes between males cannot be avoided.

Eggs are collected and stored in a cool place for no more than 12 days; with each subsequent day, the hatchability rate decreases greatly

Geese begin laying eggs at the end of February. During this period, it is recommended to raise the temperature to +10 ℃, increase the duration of daylight hours to 14 hours and adjust the diet. Such activities significantly improve egg production and the percentage of fertilized eggs.

The collected incubation material is placed under the goose or an incubator is used. In the first case, no farmer intervention is required. On the contrary, it would be correct to protect the hen from stress (loud sounds, pets, bright light, etc.) by placing her in a separate room with an individual feeder, drinking bowl and bathing container.

Not all geese are good brood hens; with some breeds you can’t do without an incubator

When using an incubator, you must adhere to the manufacturer's recommended values. They may differ for different devices.

The first goslings hatch on the 28th day, by the 30th day the incubation is complete.

The babies are left in the incubator until completely dry. After this, the umbilical cord is cauterized and placed in a brooder. Further care of the young comes down to feeding, maintaining the microclimate and proper walking at an older age. There is no need for any drinking or vaccinations! When good conditions are created, even “incubator” goslings practically do not get sick.

As is already clear, breeding geese is not too difficult and a very exciting activity that even an inexperienced farmer can cope with. If the site allows your pets to freely walk and swim, then it is recommended to start getting acquainted with poultry farming with geese. The profitability of this small business is significantly higher than any other direction in private household plots. In the worst case, you can always bring the profitability to “zero”, but not remain in the “minus”, as often happens, for example, when raising broiler chickens. This is why goose farming has gained immense popularity in recent years.

We solve priority problems

First, we settle the issue with the neighbors. The solution depends on where you live:

private sector of the city,
or village.

The goose is a noisy bird. If you live in a city, not every neighbor will like it. Why, as they say, do you need unnecessary troubles and tensions? Better then give up this idea and get another bird.

If you live in a village, then no questions should arise. There is a place there, free grazing. It is much easier to create conditions for maintenance.

Secondly, you don’t need to set large-scale goals in the first year. Especially if you are a novice poultry farmer. The first year is better to try, take a closer look, see if you like this activity. Geese make a lot of dirt. They need to be constantly cleaned up and cleaned up. It may turn out that this is not your thing and it is better to start breeding another bird. For example, chickens also require constant cleaning, but due to the fact that they row, it is much easier to clean up after them.

Thirdly, set up a goose barn. The goose is an unpretentious bird and is not afraid of low temperatures, but it still needs to have a house.

Bird relationships

When separating birds into a tribe, you must always remember about subordination and carefully monitor that there is no cruelty, aggression or persecution in the flock. Very often, a female is allowed into the herd that other individuals do not like for some reason. They will pinch and beat the goose. This will lead to a decrease in its productive qualities (egg production).

Such an individual is necessary:

separate from the herd;
try changing to another;
use it for meat.

There are cases when a pair of birds becomes isolated. Both birds stay away when they are together, but the gander “goes to the left” - it mates with other representatives of the flock. It is advisable to prevent such cases. The couple should be housed separately or separated altogether.

Family relationships (incest among geese)

It often happens that all the geese living in one small village unite into a common flock, and the overly warlike ganders begin to mate with a large number (10-15) of females at once.

When such a flock is maintained for quite a long time, without replacing individuals, long-term sexual relationships arise between family members (mother and son, father and daughter, sister and brother). This should be stopped.

When relatives mate, the viability of the offspring is greatly reduced, degeneration of the genus, low productivity, and deformity of many newly born babies are observed. In such cases, measures must be taken to improve the situation.

To get rid of such relatedness, experts recommend changing males after 3 years. To do this, you should purchase eggs or day-old male babies from a neighboring farm or remote settlement, which is much better.

In the wild, matings of relatives are also sometimes observed, which weaken the body of goslings, but it is very difficult to take them into account due to the constant migration of birds. Under these conditions, the viability of birds quickly increases due to the variety of food, which contains a large amount of natural vitamins.

plants' seeds;
green shoots;
berries;
other feed.

What can be done about inbreeding

To increase the viability of embryos, experts recommend crossing several breeds at once (usually two). In the wild, this happens “instinctively.” Very often birds of different breeds gather in one body of water and there is always a large selection there.

And people must be content with a limited number of birds and choose from what is available. This is not always good, because almost all farms have the same nutrition and maintenance, which can affect the offspring.

For crossing, it is advisable to use a male of a heavy breed, and a female of an egg-bearing breed (Gorky, Italian, Rhine). Some experts advise mating an ordinary goose and a wild male, but it takes a long time for them to get used to it.

Arrangement of a gooseneck

Geese can be kept in any suitable outbuilding. But you can also build a special goose barn.

Ideally equipped area for geese

What should a gosling be like?

It should be:

dry,
with good ventilation, but without drafts,
clean,
light,
spacious.

Measures to fulfill basic requirements

Based on these requirements, the place where the gooseneck will stand should not be flooded during spring floods. It is better to place it on the south side. This way it will be better illuminated and warmed up.

It’s good if the floors are made of boards and raised 20 cm above the ground level. Then soil water will not get inside.

The area of the goose barn must correspond to the number of birds. The norm is 1 goose - 1 square. meter. If this is not observed, the air in the goose barn will be unbearable not only for people, but also for the geese themselves. In such a stinking atmosphere, pathogenic microbes will begin to actively multiply. As a result, various diseases will begin to cling to them.

The floor of the goose barn is covered with bedding. The following materials are used for it:

shavings,
sunflower husk,
sawdust,
hay,
chopped ears of corn,
sphagnum peat.

It insulates the floor, dries the droppings, thereby improving the air in the goose barn. One goose requires about 40 kg of bulk material per year. The litter should not be wet and preferably always clean. To do this, it needs to be changed more often. Do not allow the pen to become dirty. Feathers are an important element of thermoregulation in the body of geese. A clean pen will help you avoid many diseases.

For the winter, it would be good to sprinkle slaked lime on the floor, and lay warm bedding (peat, hay, straw) on top. When litter accumulates, it is updated by gradually adding bedding material. In the spring you will get an excellent fertilizer for the garden.

To enrich goose manure with minerals, mineral fertilizers, such as superphosphate, are sometimes sprinkled onto the litter. It not only improves future manure, but also increases air dryness.

Goose nests

Nests are installed in the poultry house. There should be enough of them. It is calculated so that there are no more than three geese per nest. Do not place them near a cold wall or in direct sunlight. Approximate Dimensions:

height - 50 - 55 cm,
length - 60 - 65 cm,
width - 40 cm,
sill height - 1 cm.

They use regular litter, just change it more often. It's better to update in the evening. Then in the morning the goose will lay eggs in a clean nest.

Factors influencing life expectancy

The time allotted to each bird is sometimes very different. A whole range of factors influences. For wild geese, this is heredity and living conditions: climate, abundance of food, number of enemies, infections, etc. For farm poultry, the list of factors is no less.

Nutrition

For good health and long life, domestic geese are given the right diet. It helps a lot if there is a pond or meadow nearby where birds swim and graze. This is the key to the health and longevity of their wild relatives.

Store-bought feed is used to a minimum. Sometimes they do without them. Often the food is prepared on the farm. Vegetation is taken as a basis:

Meadow grasses, nettles, and clover are rich in minerals, vitamins and other substances. The geese are released to pasture or ripped and given greens. Too hard grass is not suitable - there are problems with digestion, even death.
In the cold season they provide hay and silage .
Cereals - wheat, oats, barley - crushed or whole, separately or as part of mixtures. Wheat is harvested more often than corn. It has more protein. Plus it costs less.
Vegetables - beets, potatoes, carrots, pumpkin and others.
Aquatic vegetation - duckweed and algae. When swimming in a pond, the bird itself obtains this type of food. The owner can make preparations for the winter by collecting and drying the vegetation.

To keep your pets healthy and live longer, their diet includes:

Salt - at least 2 g per bird.
Sand, preferably river sand. Small gravel and chalk are suitable. Rocks help digestion. In the body they act as additional “teeth”, that is, they grind food. Farmers control the purity of mineral supplements, as they sometimes contain harmful impurities.

Make sure that the diet contains all the necessary substances: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fiber, etc. Particular attention is paid to vitamins A, B2, E. Juveniles need them more for proper development. You can choose good store-bought feed and supplements.

Water is especially important. Keep drinking bowls clean. Birds find healthy treats in a pond or other body of water.

Conditions of detention

Geese are unpretentious and adapt to different conditions. However, in order for them to live happily ever after at home, they need the following:

The room is the right size. 1 m² is allocated per individual.
Dryness in the poultry house. Dampness in the cold lowers the temperature; in the heat it leads to a “greenhouse effect” in one particular goose barn. Plus, humidity opens the gates to germs and infections.
Normal ventilation. Pets secrete a lot of fluid. To avoid dampness, air movement is important. In addition, geese need to be protected from drafts.
Good lighting. With its deficiency, immunity decreases. As a result, the birds get sick and live shorter lives. Daylight hours are about 12 hours. In winter, the lamps are turned on in the morning and evening.
Suitable temperature. In winter, 0 °C is enough. Adult geese feel good even at -10 °C. However, the geese and their offspring are cold. When the poultry house is well insulated, sometimes it is not heated on purpose. The walls and ceiling are covered with mineral wool. In summer, pets can be left outside. The pen is fenced off and a roof is made to protect it from the sun and wind.
Dry litter, especially in winter. This is protection from the cold. Pets are “warmly dressed” (fat, feathers), but their paws and beaks are vulnerable. The floor is made of clay or wood. For bedding, use hay, sawdust, and straw.
Purity. They clean regularly, take care of equipment, and disinfect the poultry house and pen.
Movement and water. They are allowed out into the yard or pond to warm up and swim. If there is no reservoir, sometimes containers are installed.
They don't put them in cages like chickens. Geese run freely in a poultry house or pen.

Breed

Heredity and genetics play a serious role. Several breeds of domestic geese have been developed with their own characteristics. They live, on average, a different number of years, for example:

Javakheti. Such pets are better suited for the southern regions and mountains. They live up to 25–30 years.
Vladimirskaya is a resistant breed. They live from 24 to 31 years.
Kholmogorskaya - can be left up to 15–19 years.
Linda breed - live 17–19 years.

These are average numbers. Some birds can live longer. Although in practice, geese of any breed are slaughtered much earlier.

Goals of poultry farmers

The lifespan is usually determined by farmers. Typically, domestic ones are cut before 3–5 years of age.

When geese are close to sexual maturity, growth slows down. Keeping them is no longer as profitable as before. They eat more and grow less. Body weight is already approximately 75% of the weight of an adult gander. Some are cut for up to a year.

Geese are often slaughtered when they begin to lay fewer eggs. Peak fertility occurs at 2–3 years. Then comes the decline and slaughter. Geese are not kept for more than 8 years. Breeding males are slaughtered before 3–4 years of age.

Representatives of meat breeds are slaughtered when they gain the required weight. The youngest go to slaughter at the age of about 4 months.

Business registration

You can set up a goose farm:

As an individual entrepreneur with a simplified tax system of 6% on income and OKVED codes:
As a legal entity as an LLC with a large-scale business
As a peasant farm , giving the right to receive government grants and subsidies

OKVED for a goose farm

01.24 for breeding poultry
52.22 for retail trade
51.32 for wholesale trade

You will also need to obtain the following documents:

permission to erect a building and organize a farm from the local administration
permission from the Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision, Veterinary and Fire Services
agreement for waste and solid waste disposal
quality certificates for farm products

The farm’s activities are subject to periodic inspections by Rospotreb and Rosselkhoznadzor, the Fire Inspectorate, and the Rostekhsluzhba.

Purchasing young stock

Having decided on the breed, we purchase goslings. When purchasing, you may encounter unscrupulous sellers. They may slip in goslings of the wrong breed or not entirely healthy ones.

It is good to buy birds from a breeder at home. Then there is the opportunity to see the mother herd. See in what conditions it is kept. What kind of geese are they, are they strong, are they large, do you like them. And then, if the seller is not afraid to show all this, then he probably won’t deceive.

It is better to buy not day-old goslings, but those that are five days old. They cost a little more, but their survival rate will be slightly higher. When buying goslings, follow these recommendations.

Pay attention to the behavior of the goslings. It’s good if they are cheerful and active, squeak loudly, and their necks stretch upward.
The navel should be overgrown without crusts.
The tummy is toned.
Nothing stands out from the nostrils of the beak.
Check the paws for sprains.

At what age can you slaughter a turkey?

Poultry can be slaughtered when its weight reaches at least 12 kg; it is usually necessary to rear the birds for up to eight to nine months. If you have a meat breed of turkey, then broilers require less growing time; they are ready for slaughter at four months of age, sometimes six months.

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How to pluck a bird

After draining the blood from the carcass, you can proceed to the plucking process. To avoid blood getting on the down and feathers, it is recommended to tighten the tip of the neck tightly with a rope. Birds can be plucked dry or wet. The first option is used to collect fluff and feathers. Immediately after plucking, they can be sorted and processed.