Overview of Kholmogory geese

Kholmogory geese are one of the best birds for meat production. Individuals are hardy and viable birds with a strong physique and non-aggressive character. Individuals take root in any regions, but show better productivity in warm climates.

White goose of the Kholmogory breed

Overview of Kholmogory geese

Kholmogory goose gray-white

Overview of Kholmogory geese

Gray goose Kholmogor

History of the origin of the breed

Homeland – the village of Kholmogory, Arkhangelsk region, 19th century. Ancestors – Chinese and Arzamas geese. Previously, Kholmogory birds had several varieties that differed significantly from each other, but over time, all differences were erased.

Kholmogory – 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 noses. In the 19th century, this breed was very fond of, poultry farmers bred them on their estates, some in nurseries for industrial breeding.

To date, the demand for birds has decreased, and Kholmogory geese can only be found among hobbyists, even despite their excellent productive characteristics.

The decline in the number of geese occurred for several reasons. The purpose of creating Kholmogory birds was considered to be getting geese for fighting, they had to be very large and strong. The low hatchability of young animals also had an impact on 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, the Kholmogory became the ancestors of the Vladimir, Lindov and Solnechnogorsk breeds. As a result, the standard of Kholmogory geese is a bit blurred, but the breed is still considered unique and valuable in the poultry industry.

Features

Kholmogory 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, bring a lot of eggs, quickly gain weight and can live for about 17 years, and by goose standards this is 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, centenarians begin to lay eggs at the age of 3 years, and this is very late.

Productivity

Birds lay their eggs in the 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 to be excellent mothers. You can do without an incubator, the geese themselves will hatch their offspring.

Good productivity is achieved by observing all the rules for keeping and feeding birds. For excellent meat performance, individuals must be given grain, flour, root crops, hay, cabbage and lettuce. To improve the functioning of the digestive tract, sauerkraut is added to the diet.

Experienced bird breeders are sure that the number of eggs brought depends directly on the length of daylight hours. The habit of birds to rush at the same time also contributes to this. Lighting should last about 14 hours per day. A special role is played by the temperature in the room, it should not fall below 0 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, the eggs will freeze, the goose will warm them up, 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 there, put hay or straw in it. This action helps to increase the productivity of geese.

Is it worth buying the Kholmogory breed?

If your goal is to get a lot of meat, not eggs, then Kholmogory geese are a great option. This breed is considered one of the leading meat geese among domestic geese. The only drawback is the rare distribution of the breed, so it is very difficult to find purebred young animals.

Features of the content

Kholmogory representatives survive the cold well if the goose house is properly equipped and insulated. The main requirements for a winter “house”: excellent ventilation, no drafts and a warm floor.

Keeping geese Kholmogorov

Goose house arrangement

In preparation for winter, all holes are closed in the room. In summer, birds can get by with a simple canopy.

Birds love to peck at the walls of the room, so at first it is better to stretch the net. Flooring can be made from sawdust, straw or hay. However, keep in mind that a hungry individual can eat bedding material. In summer, the birds themselves graze, but in winter they must have food that not only feeds individuals, but also warms them.

Kholmogory birds are not afraid of cold weather, but they are afraid of the lack of food. Bedding in the poultry house will protect their paws from the cold, and food in containers will not let them get too cold.

The poultry farmer must always ensure that the bedding is clean, birds of this species have liquid droppings, so the floor material will always get wet, it must be constantly cleaned and changed.

Goose droppings contain a small amount of ammonia, which not only harms the respiratory system of birds, but also spoils the quality of feathers and down. The plumage deteriorates and no longer warms the geese.

For 1 individual, 1 sq. m of area for spending the night, for walking on 1 goose – 6 sq. m.

Food

Geese are considered unpretentious birds, they love fresh herbs and cereals, they happily eat bread.

Lettom

Breeding costs are reduced in the warm season. During 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 goose.

Vegetables are used to feed adults. Some poultry farmers are sure that it is possible to give compound feed to birds. Feeding in the evening teaches poultry to return to the goose every day. The walking lasts until the first frosts, but if the winter is not very snowy, then you can continue to release them into the wild.

If there is little grass on the site, then feed the geese with greenery yourself. Carefully study the plants, many of them are poisonous. Birds also love cereals and beans. In summer, it is necessary to control the availability of fresh water.

The meat of these birds is famous for its taste characteristics. Breeding feathered meat direction implies a properly selected menu. Compound feed helps poultry farmers reduce nutritional concerns, but such a composition can be made independently from herbs, grains, beans.

in winter

In winter, individuals do not walk in the fresh air, with the exception of warm winters in the southern regions. Birds are fed three times. Food and water are also left indoors at night. The main dish is silo. Spruce and coniferous branches are added to the menu, they enrich the body with vitamin C, they are dried and crushed.

The source of protein is hay, cake and meal. Beans need to be boiled and added to the feed. The best of them: germinated barley, corn, wheat bran. Watch the behavior of the birds, do not overdo it with food and mineral supplements. Dry food spoils the stomachs of birds, and also disrupts digestion.

If it is not possible to give the birds fresh greens, then it can be compensated with special mixtures. Raw rye should not be given to feathered rye. Geese love bread, but a large amount of it harms birds, try to use it only as bait.

The breeder shares her experience with proper feeding of Kholmogorov geese in the following video:

Breeding

Kholmogory geese are excellent mother hens, but hatchability is low.

Reasons for low hatchability of young animals:

  • One goose. For better fertilization, there should be at least two males in the goose.
  • Use of a large goose. A large gander cannot fully fertilize a female, and the dimensions of the offspring do not depend on the size of the parents. For breeding, it is better to take small males.
  • Big weight of geese. Often, females gain a large mass and accidentally crush their offspring.
  • Good hens. Females practically do not leave the eggs, that is, they do not give them the opportunity to cool, and for the full development of the embryo, cooling and moisturizing are required.

Hatchability of goslings – no more than 60%.

Incubation of eggs

You can also breed young animals by incubation. Cooling and hydration are also important here. Humidity should be 70%, it is very difficult to achieve it in an incubator.

Eggs are kept for a week before being placed under the hen and before being placed 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.

Growing goslings

After the birth of babies, attention should be paid to the temperature regime, it is especially important in the first 3 weeks. The temperature should be about +27 degrees, by the 3rd month it is reduced to +14 degrees Celsius.

For the first 3 days, the poultry farmer must constantly monitor the young, as the kids do not know how to get up after a fall, and for them it is deadly – other individuals can crush them.

The qualitative growth and development of goslings consists of properly selected feeding. It is necessary to observe the food intake regimen: for the first 3 days, the 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 ground grain and finely chopped greens. After four days, you can add root vegetables, mineral supplements and cake to food. The feed 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 the 1st week, first for 20 minutes, by the age of 2 months you can leave the kids for the whole day.

Read more about feeding goslings from the first days of life here.

disease

Kholmogory birds rarely get sick, but some ailments cause them concern:

  • Cannibalism. Reasons: tight space, lack of useful elements, too bright lighting. If you notice an individual that pecks itself or others, put it away.
  • Rickets. Sick birds are characterized by brittle bones, they bring eggs with a fragile shell. To eliminate this disease, birds are released into the air, fish oil is added to food.
  • Poisoning. Get sick after eating poor-quality food. The main symptoms are convulsions, vomiting, diarrhea, and drinking large amounts of water. For treatment, you can use a solution of vinegar.
  • Parasites. Litters are one of the main enemies of geese, they can be identified by low egg productivity. As a treatment, cells and individuals are treated, and the fluff is smeared with ointment.

Advantages and disadvantages of Kholmogory geese

Kholmogory geese, like other poultry, have a number of advantages and disadvantages, they must be taken into account when breeding this breed.

Geese of the Kholmogory breed

Pros:

  • quickly gain weight;
  • strong immunity;
  • undemanding in care and maintenance;
  • can be kept on lawns;
  • the presence of maternal instinct;
  • high meat productivity.

Cons:

  • egg production at a low level;
  • the large weight of females, which sometimes crush their offspring;
  • a reservoir is a must.

Deficiencies can be compensated for by observing all the rules for care and maintenance.

Reviews

Pavel, 42 years old, locksmith, Odessa.ย The Kholmogory breed of geese was kept by my grandmother, so they passed me by inheritance. They have an excellent maternal instinct, so there are no incubators, and we are not going to buy. As for the low fertility, I can say one thing – they need to be allowed into the reservoir more often, and not kept around the clock near the feeder and behind the cage, then the fertility will become high.

Young animals do not run far, they graze with their families. We spend almost nothing on food. In the fall, we already have birds of 5 kg each, we immediately send them for slaughter. From the goose we get about 10 kids over the summer, we specially keep the females longer so that they bring more offspring. For 10 geese – 3 gander.

Olesya, 63 years old, laboratory assistant, Poltava.ย They brought this particular breed of geese, because they wanted unpretentious care and cold-resistant birds. Little goslings are brought, but we knew this, so we are not upset. The first eggs were placed in the incubator, the rest of the hens hatched themselves. We lay, for example, 10 eggs, and only 5 goslings hatch from them. But this is not scary, they grow quickly, weigh a lot, so we have enough.

Kholmogory birds are suitable for breeding in the southern regions of Russia, the main thing is the presence of water and a lot of greenery. In this case, the geese themselves get food, and the owner does not spend money. It is necessary to feed only the breeding stock and only in winter.

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Anna Evans

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