penings but which will keep the other stock out. In
this should be placed the drinking fountain for the geese and in this
enclosure the geese should be fed. Otherwise the cattle or horses will
get most of the feed intended for the geese and in addition, some of the
geese may be stepped on or kicked and injured when the stock crowds
around at feeding time.

CHAPTER XII
Incubation

_Care of Eggs for Hatching._ Since egg production usually begins early
in the spring while the weather is still cold, it is necessary to gather
the eggs at frequent intervals to prevent their freezing or becoming
chilled. Later in the season daily collection will be satisfactory. The
eggs as collected should be kept in a cool place and where the
evaporation of the egg contents will not be too great. If set at fairly
frequent intervals, there will be no difficulty on this score. If they
are to be kept for some time, they may be stored in bran to prevent
evaporation. It is well to mark the eggs as gathered with the date they
are laid so as to overcome the possibility of saving too long any eggs
for hatching.
Some goose raisers think that it is best to wash goose eggs before
setting them. This belief is based on the fact that when a goose makes
her own nest and has access to water in which to swim she comes on the
nest with her feathers wet. It is to simulate this condition that the
eggs are washed. Certainly any dirty eggs should be washed.
_Methods of Incubation._ The most usual methods of hatching goose eggs
are by means of the chicken hen and the goose. Incubators may also be
used but do not as a rule seem to give as good results as they do with
hen or duck eggs. Turkey hens may also be utilized for this purpose but
are not commonly available although they make good mothers. Probably the
most common method of hatching is the use of chicken hens. Next common
is to allow the goose to hatch her own eggs. Goose eggs hatch well under
hens or geese. During the height of the season nearly every fertile egg
should hatch if the breeding geese are managed and fed so that they are
in good condition. Early in the season the eggs may not run as fertile
or hatch as well as later.
_Period of Incubation._ The period of incubation of goose eggs is
approximately 30 days, but may vary from 28 to 33 or occasionally even
35 days.
_Hatching with Chicken Hens._ Chicken hens are used very commonly to
hatch goose eggs both because they give good results and are readily
available and also because