Geese are often bred by farmers because they are large in size and easy to care for. Birds are raised to produce tasty meat, fluff, and eggs. To increase the productivity parameters of birds, they should be equipped with housing areas. Of particular importance is the organization of nests for geese, which must correspond to specific characteristics.
Requirements for nests for geese and their varieties
When creating a nesting site for geese, it is recommended to consider the following features:
- Sufficient size.The width of the nest should be 50 centimeters, the depth should be 65-70 centimeters, and the height should be 60-70 centimeters.
- Closed back wall. This helps minimize stress and anchor the bedding to the bottom of the structure.
- Small board in front. Its height can be 10-15 centimeters. With the help of such a board it is possible to hold the litter.
- High walls on the sides. It is better for females who are hatching offspring not to be distracted by the influence of negative factors. If there are several nests nearby, the walls help the birds not to disturb each other.
- Preparation time. It is recommended to create places for laying 1 month before the start of the breeding period. Female geese usually begin to lay eggs in the second half of winter. Therefore, it is recommended to prepare nesting sites by February.
- Presence of doors. Thanks to this, the female will feel safe during the period of hatching the chicks.
- Comfortable entrance. To make it easier for geese to enter the nesting area, it is worth placing a board in front of the entrance to it. It is recommended to do this on a slope. One side of the board should rest against the ground, and the other should rest against the outermost part of the nest.
- Possibility of choice. The female should like the place for brooding. Only in this case will the process of breeding geese be successful. Therefore, it is recommended to equip several structures at once.
In this case, nests can have different types. The most common ones include the following:
- round - it is made from an ordinary basket or tire;
- from construction mesh;
- with a wooden bottom and slate walls;
- in the form of sections made of wood - they are equipped with blank partitions and a small entrance is made.
Differences between goose and chicken nests
Nesting areas for chickens are usually made on a hill.Sometimes they are even located multi-story. In this case, goose nests are placed at floor level. If the goose cannot get into the nest, she will lay on the concrete floor. This will kill future chicks.
In a chicken coop for 3-5 chickens, 1 nest is built. At the same time, geese need more space. Goose nests do more than chicken nests. They should be in a quiet and secluded place. This helps retain heat. So that the bird can constantly hatch eggs, the place for this is made quite spacious.
Suitable sizes
The following standard nest sizes are usually used for laying eggs:
- width – 60 centimeters;
- length – 70 centimeters;
- height – 60 centimeters.
To take care of geese, some farmers make the nests more spacious - approximately 100x100 centimeters. However, specific sizes are selected taking into account the breed of geese.
Tools
To make a wooden nest, you will need the following:
- planks;
- dry oriented strand board;
- roulette;
- lining;
- 4 bars with a diameter of 5 centimeters - they are used for support;
- fasteners - for this it is permissible to use nails or screws;
- saw;
- hammer;
- plywood or board for the bottom.
How to make nests with your own hands
The most comfortable nests are made in the form of rectangular compartments that include many drawers. They can be used for farms where geese are bred en masse. To make a structure for laying eggs, it is recommended to do the following:
- Prepare the slats. Make elements of equal sizes from planks or lining. The walls on the sides are 60 centimeters long. This will require 2 walls. It is also recommended to prepare 2 end fragments of 50 centimeters each. In one of them you need to make a hole for a manhole.
- Cover the frame.To do this, it is recommended to nail the planks to 4 bars. They must be the support of the structure. Equal spaces of 5 centimeters are made between the slats.
- Decorate the front wall. It is recommended to limit it to 2 slats. It’s worth making a threshold at the bottom. Due to this, the eggs will not roll out and the straw will not fall out.
- Nail the bottom. The floor should be insulated with foam plastic. After this, it is recommended to install the box.
- Treat the surface with a special substance that will provide protection against parasites and high humidity. It is important to ensure that the composition is harmless to birds.
- Make a bridge and attach it to the threshold. This will ensure free movement of the bird.
How to install and arrange
When installing a structure, it is recommended to take many factors into account. First of all, it is important to ensure that optimal temperature conditions are maintained in the poultry house. To do this, you should choose a place that is not exposed to wind and sun.
It is worth using hay, sawdust, and dry straw as bedding and insulating layer. Today, farmers are increasingly using fermentation materials. It is a composition based on sawdust and bacterial powder. The advantage of such bedding is the generation of heat, which is a consequence of the activity of beneficial bacteria.
To prevent the active proliferation of harmful microorganisms, it is recommended to place a little ash at the bottom of the structure. At the stage of preparation for hatching eggs, the female plucks out her down, covering the top of the nesting box with it.
The construction of nests for geese has a number of features.To achieve success in breeding birds, this must be taken into account. At the same time, it is important to correctly select the sizes taking into account the breed and strictly follow the manufacturing technology.
