In this article, we will talk about how to feed a caterpillar so that it grows healthy and strong. This issue is paramount for farmers. As soon as the goslings dry, they must be fed immediately. In the first month of life, nutrition should be intense, and most importantly, balanced.
Feeding in the first two weeks
Many amateur poultry breeders ask themselves: “How can you feed goslings, but what can’t be done?” In fact, you can feed a lot than, the main thing is that in the first week of life young animals receive good nutrition. To do this, boil the eggs, chop finely and mix them with crushed corn, oat or semolina, mixed fodder. You can add dry white bread, previously soaked in water. Finely chopped dandelion greens, nettles, alfalfa are very useful. Grated root vegetables (beets, carrots) perfectly complement the diet of goslings. When the chicks are 4-5 days old, enter the cake and dairy products (cottage cheese, sour milk, reverse) in their menu. For two-week-old goslings, mixers are prepared from compound feed or cereals (sifted from the shells) mixed in milk or broth. If there is no fresh grass, then you need to add vitamins to the feed. Buy a special meal of vitamins and herbs or make the mixture yourself. To do this, mix hay dust, regular yeast and fish oil. Chalk, gravel or sand is also recommended. Now you know how to feed 2-week-old goslings. But how often do you have to do this? Up to a month, the frequency of meals should be about 7 times a day, while the drinker should always have clean boiled water, as geese (like ducks) drink food with water.
Feeding goslings from the third week of life
How to feed a caterpillar at the age of three weeks? During this period, a third of the grain feed can be replaced with boiled potatoes, food leftovers are also suitable. Continue to give oilcake, herbs, vegetables, peas, shells or chalk, add salt. Transfer the goslings to 3-4 meals a day. In the morning and in the evening, feed with mushrooms, and in the afternoon chopped vegetables and herbs. At night, you can just put a crusher or grain waste into the feeder. Now young animals can be transferred to an unheated room and walked through water procedures. If the street is very hot, it is advisable to take care of the canopy.
Feeding Goslings
When the youngsters turn one month old, the question of how to feed the caterpillar will be decided. Now you can safely switch to whole grain (sprouted or soaked). It is enough to add food 3 times a day. By this time, there is already a lot of grass, so the main source of food for goslings will be greens.
Some rules for feeding and care
Having decided what to feed the caterpillar, we’ll talk about some of the intricacies of care and maintenance:
- the first couple of days the brood is fed from the trays, and the drinkers should be vacuum;
- from a weekly age they are transferred to wooden troughs;
- adult bird feeders are set when the young are 1.5 months old;
- always apply fresh food, and clean the feeders before each feeding;
- Do not use water from ponds, especially for goslings up to 1 month;
- every other day make a solution of water and potassium permanganate of light pink color (for the prevention of diseases);
- walks start with 15 minutes a day;
- water procedures should begin with warm water, then the temperature gradually drops.
As you can see, there is nothing complicated in feeding goslings. The main thing is to provide them with nutrients in the first month of life, and then only support growth.