White geese: a description of the breed, habitat and photo

Probably, each of us has white geese associated with the famous children's fairy tale about the little boy Nils, who flew a very long distance on the back of Martin to find the gnome and apologize to him. In the fairy-tale birds were distinguished by their nobility and freedom-loving. And what are really white geese? Let's talk about this in detail.

Species of white geese

It must be said that all breeds of geese have their own classification. We will not go into this topic, because we are only interested in white birds. Conditionally geese is divided into wild species and breeds for breeding. So the wild birds were the prototype of fairy birds .

And from the breeds for breeding light plumage can boast Italian, Urals, Emden, Kholmogorsky (individuals can be three colors, including white) species.

Wild geese: habitats

Wild white geese are very beautiful birds that belong to the family of ducks. They nest in the north of Greenland, in Canada, in the east of Siberia. Also they can be seen on Wrangel Island, in Yakutia and in Chukotka. By the way, Wrangel Island is their favorite place. And the reason for this is the fact that snow here descend much earlier than in other northern territories, so in winter geese migrate to the south. Usually they choose US lands, which are located near the coastal lagoons.

Appearance of white geese

White goose is a small bird. The body length is from 60 to 75 centimeters, and the weight does not exceed three kilograms. An interesting fact is that the wingspan of these creatures is two times larger than they are. Although the geese also have snow-white plumage, there are also black veins on the tips of the wings. In addition, there is a black stain near the beak itself. The paws of birds are usually pink, although they are short, but rather strong. A white goose usually has a short neck and a rounded tail. Males are slightly larger than females.

White geese are migratory birds, they fly fine, but at the same time, reaching their sexual maturity, they try to lead a more sedentary lifestyle. This feature is more characteristic of females who choose their own place for the nest. It happens that there are not enough places for all individuals, then these friendly creatures begin to show aggression, because they instinctively protect their territory and offspring. These birds are inherent in plucking feathers. As a rule, this happens when hostility against uninvited guests is manifested. However, such conflicts can occur inside the pack. Expressing aggression, geese thus try to establish a certain hierarchy.

Reproduction of wild white geese

White geese (photos are shown in the article) are amazingly devoted creatures. They choose a couple for life. Birds try to stay in flocks, because surviving in the wild is difficult. There are even cases when geese created colonies consisting of several thousand nests.

The female usually lays between four and six eggs of beige or white color. And then he sows them for 21 days. Soon there are goslings. The males, of course, do not participate in the process of incubation, but they are always somewhere nearby, because at any moment the kids can be in danger, then the dads will come to the rescue.

Sometimes geese can lay their eggs in other people's nests. However, this fact does not mean that they are bad moms. Everything is much simpler. They simply could not find a free place, and therefore they decide to use the neighboring nests. At the same time, good neighbors can not abandon someone else's offspring, and therefore they incubate their own and other people's eggs.

In the school together with family females there may be lonely geese, who do not have a partner at this stage. For such individuals begins the men's struggle. In the end, she chooses a pair. Goose never leave their nest during the incubation period. The main and most dangerous enemy of birds are shaggy Arctic foxes, which at any time can make their way to the kids. That is why females keep their eyes on the offspring. And gulls can be dangerous, because they like to eat something delicious.

Sexual maturity of birds reach in three years. At this time, they can already create families, but they never leave the pack. In principle, geese can live for twenty years. Throughout the time they remain energetic and active.

What do geese eat?

The basis of the diet of white geese are arctic grasses. More often birds choose a sedge, with pleasure they eat shoots of plants. Leaves of willow, lichens, moss, grains and cereals - all this can be in the diet of geese, if they can find such goodies.

Italian Geese

Geese Italian (white) became known not so long ago. The breed was bred in Italy at the beginning of the last century. At first, the birds were bred only at the site of their ancestors' ancestry. However, soon the breed became so popular that it became widespread in neighboring regions. And in 1975 white Italian geese were brought to the USSR. Many years have passed since then, and the breed has been established in all corners of the Earth, since it is considered particularly valuable.

Although geese Italian (white) were bred in a warm country, they tolerate a more severe climate. With their breeding, there is no hassle. Birds of this breed are distinguished by a particularly developed instinct of hatching eggs.

Description of the breed

Italian geese are truly white. They have a small but rather thick neck, middle eyes, a small trunk. Like other geese, the birds of this breed have a bright orange color of their legs, very strong, but short. Wings are highly developed, and the tail is slightly elevated. At the same time birds look very graceful. When a white goose sails, he does it very proudly, like a swan.

Adult individuals reach six to seven kilograms, females have slightly smaller sizes. Birds of this breed are bred not only because of tender meat, but also because of high productivity when laying eggs. For one cycle a goose can bring up to forty-five eggs. They all have an average size. Only out of seventy percent you can get offspring. Care for chicks is not difficult. They grow quite rapidly, and by two months their weight reaches four kilograms.

Feature of the Italian breed

Italian geese not only look different from other breeds. The main feature of birds is their delicious meat and liver. Gourmets for some reason appreciate the pate of goose liver most of all (the liver is only 7% of the body weight). However, poultry meat in any case is distinguished by excellent taste characteristics.

In addition, from beautiful birds you can also get a feather and fluff. Within one year, one individual is able to give two hundred grams of feathers and a hundred grams of fluff.

Care

Italian geese are completely unpretentious, which is confirmed by numerous positive responses. Birds can be kept even without a pond, although its presence greatly simplifies the care. It is necessary to have a spacious paddock, and at any opportunity to let the birds walk on the lawn. Young individuals grow very quickly and without any problems. Small goslings must be protected from drafts and significant temperature changes.

What are good Italian goose? The white swan envies their endurance. Geese, oddly enough, can tolerate low temperatures quite calmly and even can walk in cold snow.

For young individuals in the diet, you must certainly include a large number of green fodder. And to get a good liver is recommended to give peas and corn. Interesting is the fact that with the maintenance of different species of birds in the same farm, the Italian geese always keep separate, preferring the society of representatives of their breed.

Males can occasionally show aggression, especially in the mating season. To grow a good offspring, as a rule, incubators are used. In large farms, white geese often cross with representatives of other breeds. For example, a mixture of Italian species with Rhine individuals gives young offspring with excellent characteristics.

The Ural rock

Ural white geese (Shadrinsky) are descended from once-nesting gray birds in Siberia and the Urals. The breed is perfectly acclimatized for harsh conditions.

Birds of this breed have a small head, a short neck, the length of which is determined by a smaller number of vertebrae. The body of the Ural birds is medium in length, and the legs are short. Legs and beak, as a rule, are orange. But the plumage can be different. There is a gray, white goose and even a chess goose.

Ginsers reach six kilograms, females have a more modest weight - up to five kilograms. One hen is capable of giving 25 to 30 eggs. Advantage of the breed is a good instinct of incubation in females. The young grow very fast, at the age of five months the goslings reach a weight of five kilograms. Birds perfectly eat green grass and grain waste.

Diseases of geese

Geese, like other birds, are prone to various diseases. The most dangerous for them is diarrhea. Especially it is terrible for young goslings, because they do not yet have stable immunity, the body is still weak to cope with the disease on its own. Adult individuals are not so prone to such things.

The reasons for the appearance of diarrhea in geese are many:

1. Subcooling leads to indigestion of food, because the body is not yet ready for the new conditions.

2. Poisoning can occur if the goose ate a rough or stale food. Young individuals have a very delicate stomach, nutrition affects their overall well-being. Toddlers should be fed only finely ground food.

3. The most dangerous infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It can be pasteurellosis, colibacillosis, salmonellosis, enteritis.

4. Presence of parasites (helminthiasis).

In all listed cases, fetid diarrhea is observed, the temperature may rise, bloody impurity may appear, weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite.

Diarrhea in birds

White diarrhea in geese - Pulloroz (bacillary diarrhea). It is an infectious disease of an acute nature, affecting parenchymal organs and intestines. The cause of the disease is a stick of pullorum or salmonella gallinarum. They can persist in the soil for up to a year and up to 25 days on eggs. Therefore, it is quite easy to catch them to birds.

Very small individuals (in the first days of life) are very susceptible to the disease. At the age of three months, the risk of injury is much less. The source of infection is the litter of the diseased individuals. Geese are infected eggs for two years. The emergence of the disease contributes to hypothermia, improper feeding and other provoking factors.

There are acute and chronic conditions. In the acute goslings, sleepy and inactive, just stand in handfuls, pulling your neck. At the same time, the little ones breathe heavily with their beak open and their eyes closed. Soon white diarrhea appears. The disease kills a lot of goslings. In those farms where there was an outbreak of infection, all young animals are being destroyed. And adult individuals are examined every 12 days until they get negative results.

Even young geese can have hymenolopidosis, which occurs 25 days after swimming in dysfunctional ponds. Babies swallow infected shellfish, resulting in the development of the disease. It manifests itself in the appearance of diarrhea, slimming individuals, lethargy.

What are the geese treated for?

To treat diseases in birds use antibiotics: chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, penicillin. If the cause of poor health are parasites, then use anthelmintic drugs. In order to protect birds from the appearance of pasteurellosis, vaccination can be used. However, this method can be used only after the main treatment.

To avoid problems with the intestines, the goslings should be treated very responsibly. In their diet must be present boiled potatoes, cereal crushed feed, fresh greens, wheat bran, cake, skim milk. In the first month of life young animals are fed up to seven times a day, until they get a little stronger and the stomach and intestines work. Proper nutrition must certainly be in those birds that are infected with parasites. In addition to treatment with antihelminthic drugs, their diet should be reviewed.