January 2013

Contact: Margaret Sexton (08) 8207 7866

Poultry Husbandry - Geese: Breeding and rearing

Only small numbers of geese are kept and while there is scope for developing this
industry, the breeding season is inverted from the Northern Hemispheres and so may
miss the traditional seasonal market for goose.
Of all domestic poultry, geese are among the most rapid growers. They are hardy and, if
well cared for, relatively disease free.
Geese can be grown successfully on good green pasture, helping reduce the cost of
production. In SA supplementary feeding is necessary during summer and autumn.
Breeds:
Embden
The Embden is a large, upright bird with white, hard and glossy
feathers. Its bill, legs and feet are orange. Its eyes are light-blue.
This breed originated in Germany but is now found in all parts of
the world. The weight of the gander ranges from 8 to 9kg live
weight, whereas the goose usually weighs about 8kg. Due to its
quieter nature, it is more popular than most other geese.
Chinese
There are two varieties of Chinese geese
white and brown. The bird stands erect and has a long arching
neck with a distinct knob on its bill. The bill and knob are black in
the brown variety and orange in the white. The eyes are brown
and the legs and feet orange. The gander weighs up to 9kg and
the goose about 8kg. The breed is by far the noisiest of the goose
family; its shrill cry can be heard from a great distance.
Sebastopol
Sebastopols are an ornamental breed characterized by fuzzy or
curled feathering, which gives an untidy appearance from behind.
The feathers are dull white, the bill, legs and feet are orange, and
the eyes bright blue. The gander usually weighs 7 to 8kg, and the
goose about 5.5kg. The body is more rounded than that of other
geese. The birds are quiet and easily raised.

Toulouse
The Toulouse originated in France. It is similar to the Embden
but is not as popular because of its greyish plumage and less
docile nature. The bill, legs and feet are orange and the eyes
dark-brown. The gander weighs up to 14kg, while the goose
weighs about 9kg. Much heavier weights have been recorded,
but these larger birds are not normally seen in SA.
Breeding
Geese live for up to 20 years and are usually true to one mate.
One gander can, however, be mated with up to four geese. Segregation is not
necessary.
Geese usually lay a clutch of up to 15 eggs before sitting, but if eggs are collected each
day geese will lay up to 40 eggs in a season that is, from about July to November. The
Chinese breed produces 60 to 80 eggs in a season.
Geese enjoy their best reproductive period from two to eight years of age. After 10
years, egg production declines rapidly and at this time a young flock should be
introduced.
It is difficult to determine the sex of young geese. These characteristics may help:
Gander
Slightly larger
appearance.

Goose
and

coarser Harsh, coarse cry.

High-pitched voice. Longer neck, Soft abdomen, wide pelvic bones in

slightly larger head
laying birds.

Exposed reproductive organThe adult female eminence.

of immature male, showing 1. Cloacal folds everted
concentric rings.
2. Cloaca
1. Cloacal folds everted
3. Genital eminence
2. Cloaca
3. Penis

Facilities

Physical identification of sex is best

carried out on birds at about six
months of age (see diagram). Place
the goose on its back on either your
knee or a table. Move the tail over
the edge so that it can easily be bent
downward. Insert your index finger
into the cloaca about one centimetre
and move it around in a circular
motion to relax the sphincter muscle
that closes the opening. Next apply
some pressure below and on the
sides of the vent to evert or expose
the sex organs

Breeding geese are usually run on free range. The stocking rate is 10 birds per hectare
on green pasture.Supplementary feeding must be introduced during dry periods.
Provide a small shed of simple construction for protection against adverse conditions.
As a guide, allow two square metres of space for each bird. A nest of straw or grass hay
can be provided in one corner of the shed.
Feeding
In addition to good green pasture, a supplementary breeder ration, in the form of mash
or pellets, should be fed four weeks before fertile eggs are expected. This ensures
good fertile egg production and good hatchability.
Sample ration
For owners wishing to mix their own ration, here is a guide
Day old to market

Breeder

(%)

(%)

wheat

40

50

barley

37

27

10

12

lucerne meal

salt use only if water is of good

quality

0.25

0.25

soybean meal
meat meal

shellgrit or crushed limestone

hard grit

5
1

In addition, prepared vitamin and mineral mixes must be added in accordance with
manufacturers directions.
Egg production
If eggs are needed for artificial incubation they should be gathered daily. They should
not be held for longer than seven days before setting. While storing the eggs the
temperature should be 13C at 85 per cent relative humidity. Daily turning of eggs
during storage is beneficial.

Cleaning and fumigation

Fertile eggs should not be washed. Very dirty eggs should not be set. A check on
nesting arrangements should help solve the problem of excessive numbers of dirty
eggs.
All eggs should be fumigated immediately after collection to help control bacteria
numbers on the shells.
For small numbers of eggs, place them in a small open carton, about a third of a cubic
metre in volume. Place half a tea- spoon of Condys Crystals on a saucer and add one
teaspoon of commercial formalin to the crystals to produce formaldehyde gas. Quickly
cover the carton containing the eggs and saucer with a box lid and leave covered for
half an hour.
While this is not a totally sealed unit it is still an effective and simple method of
fumigation.
Exercise care when using formaldehyde gas because it irritates the eyes and nose and
with continued exposure is considered a potential carcinogen.
Incubation
In SA, most goslings are hatched by natural means, but some hobbyists use either stillair or small forced-draught incubators.
The temperature inside a still-air incubator should be 39C; this reading should be
taken just above the eggs. At hatching time the temperature usually rises to about 40C
a normal increase caused by the heat of the developing gosling. Do not let the
temperature rise above 41C, rises to this level are not uncommon in small machines,
particularly during late afternoon.
In a forced-draught machine, the temperature should remain constant between 37C
and 38C during the whole hatch.
With all waterfowl a high degree of humidity is necessary for a successful hatch. The
temperature should be kept close to 32C on the wet bulb thermometer for the full
hatching period. As the goslings begin to pip the eggs, the reading should rise to 34C.
If this figure is not reached extra moisture should be added. This can be done by
spraying warm water into the machine through ventilation holes. The machine must not
be opened until the hatch is completed, or the humidity level is lost.
After the hatch is finished, any gosling that has not completely hatched can be assisted
from the shell (this practice is not recommended for other poultry).
During incubation the eggs should be turned at least twice daily through 180 up to the
26th day when they are transferred to the hatching compartment. If not previously done,
they could be candled at this stage to remove any infertile eggs or dead embryos.

Goose eggs usually take 28 to 32 days to hatch. Fresh eggs kept at correct
temperature hatch nearer to 28 days.
Brooding and rearing
Goslings are delicate for their first few days and must be kept warm at all times.
For goslings being reared by their parents, few problems are likely to occur. Provide
simple housing for the first two to three weeks for protection against the weather. Floor
litter should be kept as dry as possible; straw or shavings make good litter.
For goslings being reared artificially, a warm enclosure is necessary. Heat can be
provided by infrared or carbon heating globes. A 240-volt, 250-watt globe should be
sufficient for 30 goslings to three weeks of age.
At the start set the temperature under the globe at about 30C to 35C. Reduce by
about 5C a week until about 21C is reached. The goslings themselves are the best
indication of comfort. They will huddle when cold or move away from the heat source
when too warm (care is needed as they may also move to the brooder walls and huddle
when the heat source is insufficient to keep all of them warm).
Depending on weather conditions, heat is generally not needed after three weeks of
age. If chilling occurs, however, goslings will not thrive and losses can be high. Chilled
goslings should either be confined with their mother for at least seven days or, if
artificially reared, have their level of heat increased.
Feeding and watering
Goslings should have access to feed and water from their first day. Water should be of
good quality. Watering jars or troughs are suitable.
Although goslings can use pasture in their first week, chicken or duck rearing rations
should be fed without restriction as a supplement for the first three to four weeks.
Between four to 12 weeks, feed mainly pasture and 0.5 to 1 kg per bird per week of
concentrate. From 12 weeks to market, concentrate feeding can be the sole diet for
fattening, even on range.
It is important to have green pasture because geese do not rear satisfactorily on dried,
mature pasture. Take care to ensure geese do not reach starvation point through lack
of green pasture before supplementary feeding is introduced.
Provide sand or fine grit to goslings, increasing to medium to coarse grit for growing
geese and breeders.
For owners wishing to formulate their own feed the sample ration given earlier may
help. For small flocks, and owners who have to buy grains, it may be easier to buy
ready-mixed commercial chicken rations that are properly balanced and formulated.
Geese are good weeders, particularly in vineyards and orchards.

Killing geese
Food should be withheld from geese for 12 hours before killing them. Water should not
be withdrawn.
A killing funnel is ideal because there is no wing flapping. Severing the jugular vein with
a sharp knife is a common method of slaughtering. Stunning first makes handling
easier.
After killing, scald for one and a half to three minutes depending on age, in water at
temperatures between 45C to 51C. A small amount of detergent added to the water
helps penetration through the feathers. The whole bird should be submerged.
Geese can also be dry-plucked for down, but this is difficult. If soft feathers are needed,
wash in soft, lukewarm water, and add a little borax and washing soda. Remove as
much water as possible and dry in the sun.
Author: Dr Kim Critchley, Poultry Health, PIRSA
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Contact your local veterinary practitioner.
IF YOU HAVE SIGNS OF UNUSUAL OR SERIOUS ANIMAL DISEASE*, phone
Biosecurity SA Animal Health at Glenside on 82077900, contact your local PIRSA
Animal Health officer, call your local veterinary practitioner
OR RING THE DISEASE WATCH HOTLINE: 1800 675 888.
*Signs such as mass mortality events, sudden onset of multiple ill birds, rapid spread of
a problem or a noticeably unusual illness in birds.