Kholmogorsk geese are one of the best feathered meats. The individuals are hardy and viable birds with a strong physique and non-aggressive character. Individuals take root in any region, but show the best productivity in a warm climate.
White goose of Kholmogorsk breed
Kholmogorsk goose gray-white
Gray goose Kholmogor
History of breed origin
Homeland - Kholmogory village, Arkhangelsk region, 19th century. Ancestors - Chinese and Arzamas geese. Earlier, the Kholmogory birds had several varieties, which significantly differed from each other, but over time all the differences were erased.
Kholmogorskie - one of the oldest breeds of geese in the Russian Federation. It is not difficult to distinguish birds from others - a beard weighs under their nose. In the 19th century, this breed was very loved, poultry farmers bred them in their estates, some in nurseries for industrial breeding.
Today, the demand for birds has declined, and Kholmogorsk geese can be found only among amateurs, even despite their excellent productive characteristics.
The decrease in the number of geese occurred for several reasons. The goal of creating Kholmogorsk birds was considered to be geese for fighting, they had to be very large and strong. The low hatchability of young animals also influenced the decrease in the number of birds.
Breeders tried to improve the performance of geese, and began to cross them with other breeds, as a result of Kholmogorsk became the ancestors of the Vladimir, Lindovskaya and Solnechnogorsk breed. As a result, the standard of the Kholmogorsk geese is slightly blurred, but the breed is still considered unique and valuable in the field of poultry farming.
Features
Kholmogorsk representatives are distinguished not only by good productivity, but also by the speed of adaptation to any climatic conditions. In a warm region, birds do not get sick, they bring a lot of eggs, quickly gain weight and can live for about 17 years, and by goose standards it takes a very long time.
Longevity is the main feature of geese, which is why they are popular among poultry farmers. However, this feature creates a certain difficulty, for example, long-livers begin to bring eggs at the age of 3 years, and this is very late.
Productivity
Poultry eggs are laid in spring, rarely at the end of winter. One female can bring about 20-30 pieces in 1 season, the weight of one egg is 150-200 g. The quality of the eggs is good, the females have proven themselves as mothers. You can do without an incubator, geese themselves will sit offspring.
Good productivity is achieved by observing all the rules for keeping and feeding birds. For excellent meat performance, individuals need to be given grain, flour, root vegetables, hay, cabbage and salad. To improve the digestive tract, sauerkraut is added to the diet.
Experienced bird breeders are sure that the number of eggs brought in depends on the length of daylight hours. Contributes to this also the habit of birds to rush at the same time. Lighting should last about 14 hours a day. A special role is played by the room temperature, it should not fall below 0 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, the eggs will freeze, the goose will warm them, and will not bring them for a long time.
Experienced poultry farmers watched the geese for a long time, if the female began to rush in one place, then they set up a nest, put hay or straw in it. This action helps to increase the productivity of geese.
Is it worth buying the Kholmogorsky breed?
If your goal is to get a large amount of meat, not eggs, then the Kholmogorsk geese are a great option. This breed is considered one of the leading among domestic geese of the meat direction. The only drawback is the rare distribution of the breed, so it is very difficult to find purebred young animals.
Content Features
Kholmogorsky representatives perfectly survive the cold, if the trackman is correctly equipped and insulated. The main requirements for the winter "house": excellent ventilation, the absence of drafts and a warm floor.
Arrangement of a caterpillar
In preparation for the winter, all the holes are closed in the room. In summer, birds can get along with a simple canopy.
Feathered people like to peck the walls of the room, so at first it’s better to pull the net. The flooring can be made of sawdust, straw or hay. However, keep in mind that a hungry individual can eat bedding. In summer, birds graze themselves, but in winter they should have food that not only nourishes individuals, but also warms them.
Kholmogorsky birds are not afraid of cold weather, but they are afraid of lack of food. The litter in the house will protect their paws from the cold, and food in containers will not let you get very cold.
The poultry breeder should always ensure that the litter is clean, the litter is liquid in birds of this species, so the floor material will always get wet, it must be constantly cleaned and changed.
The litter of geese contains a small proportion of ammonia, which harms not only the respiratory system of birds, but also spoils the quality of feathers and down. Plumage spoils and no longer warms geese.
For 1 individual, 1 sq. m of area for an overnight stay, for walking on 1 goose - 6 square meters. m
Nutrition
Geese are considered unpretentious birds, they like fresh greens and cereals, gladly eat bread.
Summer
Breeding costs are reduced in the warm season. In the summer season, birds walk on the lawns, where they themselves find all the nutrients in the fresh grass. Birds need a clean reservoir. You can feed only in the evening, when you drive the birds into the crawler.
Vegetables are used to feed adults. Some poultry farmers are sure that they can feed the birds. Feeding in the evening teaches poultry every day to return to the crawler. The walk lasts until the first frosts, but if the winter is not very snowy, then you can continue to let them out.
If there is little grass on the site, then feed the geese themselves with greens. Carefully study the plants, many of them poisonous. Also, birds like cereals and beans. In summer, fresh water must be monitored.
The meat of these birds is famous for its taste characteristics. Breeding feathered meat involves a properly selected menu. Compound feeds help poultry farmers reduce nutritional concerns, but such a composition can be made independently from herbs, grain, and beans.
In winter
In winter, individuals do not walk in the fresh air, except for warm winters in the southern regions. Feeding birds is carried out three times. At night, food and water are also left in the room. The main course is silo. Spruce and coniferous branches are added to the menu, they enrich the body with vitamin C, they are dried and crushed.
If it is not possible to give the birds fresh greens, then it can be compensated with special mixtures. In raw form, you can not give feathered rye. Geese love bread, but a large amount of it harms birds, try to use it only as a bait.
Breeding
Kholmogorsk geese are excellent brood hens, but hatchability is small.
Reasons for low hatchability of young animals:
- One gander. For better fertilization, the crawler should have at least two males.
- Using a large gander. The large gander cannot fully fertilize the female, and the size of the offspring does not depend on the size of the parents. For breeding, it is better to take small males.
- Great weight of geese. Often, females gain a large mass and accidentally crush their offspring.
- Good hens. Females almost never leave their eggs, that is, they do not give them the opportunity to cool, and for the full development of the embryo, cooling and moisturizing are mandatory.
Goslings hatchability - no more than 60%.
Egg incubation
Young stock can also be bred by incubation. Cooling and hydration are also important here. Humidity should be 70%, it is very difficult to achieve it in an incubator.
The eggs are incubated for a week before laying under the hen and before laying in the incubator. The incubation period is a month at a temperature of 37.9 degrees.
Read more about breeding geese in our next article.
Goslings Growing
After the birth of babies, attention must be paid to the temperature regime, it is especially important in the first 3 weeks. The temperature should be about +27 degrees, by 3 months it is reduced to +14 degrees Celsius.
For the first 3 days, the poultry breeder must constantly observe the young, as the kids do not know how to get up after a fall, and for them it is mortally dangerous - other individuals can crush them.
Qualitative growth and development of goslings consists of properly selected feeding. It is necessary to observe the eating regimen: the first 3 days young animals are fed 7 times a day, by the month the amount is reduced to 4 times.
A variety of nutrition is responsible for a good growth and development rate. The first couple of days - chopped egg and cottage cheese. These products are mixed with chopped grain and finely chopped greens. After 4 days, you can add root vegetables, mineral additives and oilcake to your food. The food should be moist but not viscous so that it does not clog the nostrils of the young.
Goslings of this breed are sent to fresh air at the age of 1 week, at first for 20 minutes, by 2 months of age you can leave the kids for a whole day.
Read more about feeding goslings from the first days of life here.
Diseases
Kholmogorsky birds rarely get sick, but some ailments cause them concern:
- Cannibalism. Reasons: crowded area, lack of useful elements, too bright lighting. If you notice an individual that pecks itself or others - jail it.
- Rickets. Sick birds are distinguished by brittle bones, they bring eggs with an unstable shell. To eliminate this ailment, birds are released into the air, fish oil is added to food.
- Poisoning. Are ill after absorption of poor-quality food. The main symptoms are convulsions, vomiting, diarrhea, and massive water consumption. For treatment, you can use a solution of vinegar.
- Parasites. Pohoedy are one of the main enemies of geese, they can be determined by low egg productivity. As a treatment, cells and individuals are treated, and fluff is oiled.
Advantages and disadvantages of Kholmogorsk geese
Kholmogorsk geese, like other domestic birds, have a number of advantages and disadvantages, they must be taken into account when breeding this breed.
Pros:
- gain weight quickly;
- strong immunity;
- undemanding care and maintenance;
- can be kept on the lawns;
- the presence of maternal instinct;
- high meat productivity.
Minuses:
- low egg production;
- the heavy weight of females that sometimes crush their offspring;
- the presence of a reservoir is required.
Deficiencies can be compensated for by observing all care and maintenance rules.
Reviews
Pavel, 42 years old, locksmith, Odessa.The Kholmogorsk breed of geese was still kept by my grandmother, and so they inherited me. They have an excellent maternal instinct, so there are no incubators, and we are not going to buy. As for low fertility, I can say one thing - they should be allowed to go to the pond more often, and not kept round the clock near the feeder and behind the cage, then the fertility will become high.
Young growth does not run far, grazes with the family. We spend almost nothing on food. In the fall, we already have 5 kg birds, we immediately send for slaughter. From the goose we get about 10 babies during the summer, we specially keep the females longer to bring more offspring. For 10 geese - 3 gander.
Olesya, 63 years old, laboratory assistant, Poltava.It was this breed of geese that was brought in, because they wanted unpretentious care and cold-resistant birds. Goslings bring little, but we knew this, so we are not upset. The first eggs were placed in an incubator, the remaining hens themselves hatched. We lay, for example, 10 eggs, and only 5 goslings hatch from them. But it’s not scary, they grow quickly, they weigh a lot, so we have enough.
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Kholmogorsky birds are suitable for breeding in the southern regions of Russia, most importantly, the presence of water and a large amount of greenery. In this case, the geese themselves get food, and the owner is not wasted. It is only necessary to feed the breeding stock and only in winter.