The Linda geese breed will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary. For such a long period, these birds are the most demanded for domestic and industrial cultivation.
Characteristic
Linda geese were bred in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The main goal of the scientists was to obtain high profitability and resistance to various conditions of keeping waterfowl. The basis was the Chinese breed of domestic birds. They have been crossed with several breeds. As a result, scientists managed to achieve high rates of early maturity, endurance, and also managed to increase the life span.
The work did not end there. In order to obtain a higher quality down, and the mass gain was brought to a new level, mixing with the Ladzher breed was carried out. After the selection selection, this result became final. In common people, Linda geese are called Gorky geese. In 1994, the official registration of the Lindovskaya or Gorky breed took place. This poultry has become so popular that in Russia about half of poultry breeders are engaged in breeding it. And also Gorky geese took root in Hungary, Germany and France.
The description of the breed should start with the external characteristics of these amazing birds. The body of Gorky geese is covered with white feathers, which are diluted with tan marks of a light beige color with a milky tint. On the back, as well as under the wings, gray blotches may be located. This feature is not considered a disadvantage. The main characteristics of the Linda geese are as follows:
- the body is characterized by large size, elongated shape and massiveness, muscles are neat, pronounced; despite the large size of the wings, they fit snugly to the body and exactly repeat its shape;
- the head is proportional and large in size, located on the neck, which is long and thick; the forehead is decorated with a bump, the eyes are dark in color and small in size, and the beak is painted in a bright orange hue.
- legs are also orange, short, but very strong, located closer to the tail;
- the character can be called friendly, curious and sociable; some houses report noisy birds, but many other breeds are much louder.
- the average weight of birds is within 8 kg; you can achieve a weight within 12 kg if you provide the bird with proper care and a properly selected diet; geese weigh an average of 7 kg.
It is very easy to distinguish a gander from a goose, they have the following pronounced external differences:
- ganders are initially larger;
- in male chicks, after 4 months, the bump on the forehead becomes more pronounced;
- gese are distinguished by a large body: a large head, wide chest, thick and long legs;
- the goose has a thin and prolonged cry, and the geese have a sharp and abrupt voice;
- if the gander is turned on its back, then the curl of the penis will be visible.
Productivity and profitability
Gorky geese are an early maturing breed. Even shedding is not an obstacle to weight gain - this process takes place as usual. Birds reach sexual maturity at 8 months, sometimes ganders enter this period at the age of 6 months. Birds usually fly after 8 months. You can get at least 50 eggs from one goose per season. Their weight ranges from 150-170 g. Good care will increase egg production up to 70 pieces.
For meat production, poultry weighing 5 kg are usually slaughtered. This weight is observed in geese at 4 months. Valuable breeding birds are selected for further cultivation. For reproduction, it is better to choose female and male individuals with a ratio of 4: 1.
Pros and cons
Having studied all the features of the breed, it was possible to identify not only the positive aspects, but also to find disadvantages. Let's start with the good.
- The best indicators for early maturity when compared to other breeds. An ordinary gosling weighs an average of 3.9 kg at 3 months, and a Lindovskiy - at least 4 kg. In six months, a common goose will weigh no more than 4.5 kg. The Linda goose will gain 7 kg of total weight in 5 months. This bird gains an average of 11 kg per year.
- Excellent taste characteristics of meat, the essence of which boils down to softness and tenderness, pleasant aroma and lack of hardness. The meat perfectly tolerates freezing, while retaining all its characteristics.
- Temperature drops are not a problem for this breed of poultry. This factor is an important feature due to the fact that many other breeds cannot be kept in freezing temperatures. Linda geese can be grown even in the North, which is famous for its forty-degree frost. The main condition is the absence of drafts in the room.
- The egg production indicator is at an excellent level if we take similar meat breeds for comparison. One goose can produce at least 50 eggs per year.
- A friendly nature is rare for geese, but not in the case of this breed. Linda geese are unhurried and calm, aggressiveness is not typical for them. They are usually neutral towards other inhabitants of the house.
- High performance in terms of survival. This can be proved by important figures: 90% of the eggs are fertilized, the same number of babies are hatched, about 87% survive. Goslings are famous for their excellent immunity, so they are immune to most diseases. In just a week, the goslings can eat adult food.
There are not so many disadvantages as advantages, but still they are present and you definitely need to know about them.
- Viral enteritis is the main problem of the Linda geese. Strong immunity is powerless before this ailment. As a preventive measure, it is necessary to remove the cells after each meal.
- With the arrival of spring, birds may experience vitamin deficiency. It arises against the background of monotonous food and lack of walking.
- Speaking of walks. Linda geese rarely need them. This item is mandatory for poultry breeding. It is not suitable for all breeders, so they have to look for another breed to breed.
Content rules
The Linda breed of geese needs care, even if it is minimal, but this does not make it less important and necessary. Only if the rules of keeping are observed, the bird will intensively gain weight, carry well and not get sick.
Dwelling
Due to the peculiarities of the breed and the presence of dense plumage, growing Gorky domestic birds at home does not require the arrangement of an insulated barn. The only condition concerns the absence of drafts, because they often cause pneumonia. However, all domestic birds are afraid of drafts. When constructing a poultry house, it must be borne in mind that at least 1 square meter of territory should fall on one goose. If absolutely necessary, the same area can be calculated for one and a half goose, but no more. These conditions correspond to close content. If one bird has less area, then there will be problems with Linda geese. For example, geese may refuse to lay altogether or the eggs will be of poor quality. The birds will be nervous and aggressive.
And also in the room you need to build nests. One nest is enough for four geese. The length of one nest should be 40 cm, the width should be within 60 cm, and the depth should be kept in the region of 50 cm. The optimal material for the construction of such structures will be plywood or boards. Wood shavings are ideal as bedding. Choose a dark and warm place to locate the nest.
Additional lighting is not a prerequisite for keeping Linda Geese. But without it, in the cold season, the geese will stop laying eggs. Oviposition ends when the day length does not exceed 7 hours. If you provide additional lighting in the poultry house, thus extending the daylight hours, then even in winter you can consistently get quality eggs.
Nutrition
Linda geese are completely undemanding to food, but it is still important to make a complete and competent diet. The nutrition of goslings and adults is different, which should be taken into account without fail. Daily goslings can only eat chopped boiled yolk diluted with boiled cooled water. Only after 5 days, the yolk can be replaced with cottage cheese. At the same time, you can add chopped greens in the form of meadow grasses and onions. You can also include soaked bread crusts in the diet. Goslings cannot digest large quantities of greens, so they must be introduced in limited quantities.
After chicks reach 10 days of age, the diet may consist of corn porridge and boiled potatoes. After 21 days from the moment the goslings are born, raw vegetables and chopped root vegetables can be introduced into the diet. At the same age, young animals gradually begin to eat pasture. Each new product should be introduced gradually. This applies not only to young animals, but also to adults. New food makes up no more than 15% of the total food.
There are no problems at all with feeding adult geese, especially if they are given access to a reservoir. In this case, during the warm season, birds can eat pasture and food from the reservoir all day. In the evening, 150 g of compound feed is given for each individual as a top dressing.
The diet must necessarily include flour (meat and bone or fish) in the absence of access to water. And also on the territory of geese residence, containers with chalk and shell rock should be located.
During the winter, the diet of Linda geese usually consists of grains, root vegetables, grated on a coarse grater, boiled table peels, grass and hay dust. Drinking bowls should be filled with clean water at all times of the year. In winter, geese drink less because they use snow to quench their thirst, but there should always be water.
If mistakes were made in the selection of the diet, then they can be identified by changes in the behavior of the bird. You need to carefully look at your animals and notice changes in their behavior in a timely manner. Common deviations from the norm and how to fix them are as follows:
- an upset bowel is indicative of a large amount of greenery and water; in this case, you will need to reduce the amount of greens by replacing it with dry food or porridge;
- with an excess of dry food, the bird will cough and breathe heavily; the problem is solved by increasing the moisture content of the diet, in a neglected case, the goose must be forced to drink;
- when eating a poisonous plant while walking, it is required to wash the stomach;
- from a reservoir, along with shells and silt, an infection can enter the body of birds; antibiotic treatment is necessary, after which immunity is developed, food in the reservoir can continue without fear.
Place for walking
There must be a spacious open-air cage near the premises. Birds don't just love to swim, they need it. A natural reservoir would be ideal. In its absence, it is necessary to adapt the bathtub for bathing birds in the aviary.
With prolonged maintenance, it is still necessary to equip a small pond. In addition to the bathing area, there should be a drinking bowl with clean water.
Breeding
There are no particular difficulties in breeding Gorky geese. It is enough to consider the following features:
- geese usually begin to lay in February, the first pair of eggs is rarely fertilized; it is not worth removing them from the nest, since the bird may abandon its venture;
- each subsequent egg is taken and a date is put on it; to store eggs, a special temperature regime is needed - 8 degrees, which is done in order to put all the eggs in one day;
- under one goose there can be from 11 to 17 eggs, depending on its size;
- a month later, the first goslings begin to hatch; so that the goose does not abandon the nest after the first chick, it must be planted and placed in a cage for drying;
- after hatching is complete, the chicks are returned to the mother to take care of them on her own.
Goslings need not only special nutrition, which we have already mentioned. They need certain conditions, especially if there is no mother's care.
- From the moment of birth until the age of 10 days, the chicks need lighting around the clock. From 10 to 20 days, the duration of daylight hours should be at the level of 16 hours. From 20 to 45 days, lighting must be present for at least 10 hours a day.
- Goslings react sharply to loud sounds and cries. And also there should be no sudden movements.
Therefore, care must be taken when leaving. And also a quiet place should be chosen for keeping offspring.
Reviews
We could not find negative reviews from people who were engaged in raising Linda geese. Any negative is explained by the purchase of low-quality chicks for growing. The owners of this breed of poultry only noted the low desire of the geese to hatch eggs. In general, reviews are based on the breed's strengths. The overwhelming majority of opinions are positive, even enthusiastic.
See all about the Linda geese breed in the next video.