The goose has been tamed since ancient times. The agricultural value of this bird can hardly be overestimated: goose meat, eggs, feathers and down are highly valued in the market. Before breeding, an ordinary poultry farmer has a question: how to distinguish a gander from a goose? There are reliable ways to check.
How to distinguish a gander from a goose?
The value of the ability to determine the sex of geese
Purpose of breeding: increase in the number of domestic geese. It makes no sense to buy an indiscriminate number of males or females, because reproduction must be competent.
Goose breeding, like any other poultry farming, requires a stable increase in the number of individuals. Animals inevitably die, and a new generation comes to replace them.
So that production does not stop, and the profit does not decrease, it is necessary to take care of the presence of not only ganders, but also geese.
domestic goose
In addition to reproduction, competent sexual selection also has the following goals:
- Increased egg production. The eggs are laid by the females. An excessive number of ganders will negatively affect the final number of eggs.
- Abundance of meat. According to statistics, males weigh about 25% more than females.
- Sale of goslings. Before implementation, clients require information about the gender of the individual. Hiding or not knowing the gender of the caterpillar will negatively impact the deal.
In other words, it all depends on the tasks that the poultry farmer has set for himself. If meat production is planned, then it is more reasonable to acquire and breed males, but if eggs are required, then it is worth increasing the number of geese.
Sale of goslings in the market
The colossal experience of goose breeding has deduced the formula: one gander for four geese. it golden mean will bring the greatest possible benefit. And meat is the optimal level, and eggs are in abundance.
The relevance of the issue of gender requires a reliable and unambiguous answer. There are many ways to determine the sex of geese. Their effectiveness directly depends on the age of the bird.
Ways to determine sex at an early age
With chicks, things are more complicated than with adults. There are several reliable methods. Among them special attention deserve:
- Scientific.
Use knowledge about features biological structure birds.
- "Tarzanka".
- Fright. The bird must be frightened by a sharp sound and follow the reaction.
- The degree of activity.
- Dimensions.
Goslings of different sexes
Each method has its own characteristics. They should be analyzed in more detail.
The scientific way to determine the sex of goslings
This scientific method, also called ventexing, is widespread. Step-by-step instruction as follows:
Step 1. I put the caterpillar on my back. In this case, the head of the chick should hang slightly, and the tail should rise reflexively.
Step 2 We look at the opened cloaca ( anus), in which the genitals are red.
Step 3 The presence of a small process directly indicates that the chick is a gander. Due to the small size of the penis, it is sometimes difficult to see. Solution to the problem: use special magnifying devices. For example, an ordinary magnifying glass will do.
In the absence required dimensions genital organs of goslings - you should use a magnifying glass
Step 4 If the process could not be found, then it is obvious that the chick is a goose.
There is no doubt about the method. It is based on the features of the morphological structure of birds and allows you to almost accurately determine the sex of the caterpillar. The only requirement is good eyesight.
Illustration of sex determination in goslings
bungee
Folk way. Very common among poultry farmers. It is performed as follows:
- We take the chick by the legs. We do it carefully. The paws of the young are thin and tender.
- Gently turn it upside down.
- We follow the reaction.
Goose or goose?
The reflex developed by nature should work. If the chick tries to reach its body with its beak, then we have a male. If no reaction is observed, and the gosling only turns its head, then this is definitely a female.
Of course, the effectiveness of the method can be doubted, because a particular individual can behave in a stressful situation completely unpredictably. At the heart of Tarzanka is statistics.
This method is popular, but relatively reliable, because heredity affects behavioral traits.
Fright goslings
Stressful situation - great way calculate female or male. A characteristic feature inherent in the sex is manifested. A simple and effective method.
It is necessary to scare the chick with a sharp sound and monitor the reaction. Males stretch their necks and raise their heads. Assess the situation around for danger. Females cling to the ground and behave quietly.
Fright can be achieved with a loud sound
Note: Fright should not be abused. This will negatively affect the young. With excessive intimidation, there is a high risk of developing an unfavorable conditioned reflex, which can adversely affect breeding.
gosling activity
Ganders, even at a young age, are very noisy. They almost never get tired. They lead an active lifestyle. It has evolved. Activity is needed for the development of new territories and rivalry.
It is the ganders who are the first to bypass the area and the feeding point. Already in early age small conflicts for leadership in the pack are noticeable. Females, on the other hand, behave calmly and quietly, without showing any signs of aggression.
Active goslings
gosling sizes
Males are usually larger than females. This is noticeable even in the incubator. Ganders walk with a raised head and a protruding chest. They survey the territory and are very curious. The gait is proud and majestic. Females, on the other hand, are smaller than males. Their head is pointing towards the ground.
The nuances of the ways
Methods do not guarantee 100% success. Juveniles are sometimes difficult to distinguish. For example, females can sometimes lead a fairly active lifestyle, and the sizes of birds at an early age are almost the same. illustrative examples, showing how the methods are applied, can be found in special videos.
The size of the young is almost the same
It is much easier to determine the sex in adults. All characteristic features appear.
- Determining the sex of goslings
Methods for determining sex in adults
Everything changes, from size to behavior. An experienced poultry farmer is capable of absolute calculation of a gander by gait or sounds made. Worth revealing little secrets skill. There are a large number of methods. The most common are:
- Scientific. It is based solely on the characteristics of the biological structure of the bird.
- Method for determining sex by emitted sounds.
- Sex determination by coloration. Most geese are white, but there are exceptions.
- Determination of sex by behavior. The ethological features are striking. It is only necessary to observe the geese for some time.
- The method of determining sex by the shape of the head. There is sexual selection. The shape of the head affects the status of the bird.
All of these methods allow you to successfully calculate the sex of geese. To use them effectively, you should analyze each of their methods in more detail.
Scientific way to determine sex in adults
A rigorous biological method is used. Step by step instructions for its use:
- I put the goose on my back.
- We fix the body of the bird with our feet.
- With the left hand we throw back the tail, with the right we push the cesspool.
The genital organ of the gander
- The presence of a penis in the form of a curl indicates that the goose is a male.
- Females have spherical genitals resembling bubbles.
The same method is used as when calculating the sex of goslings. Only in adults is it especially effective. However, resistance from the bird is possible. As a rule, ganders begin to behave aggressively when the cesspool opens.
To avoid possible injury, it is necessary to lightly pinch the bird between the knees.
The average length of the penis is 7 centimeters. However, it is not uncommon for an organ to be approximately 3-4 centimeters.
This is also within the normal range.
Determined by sounds
In the process of growing up, the features of gender only become aggravated. By sounds, distinguishing a gander from a goose is quite simple. The male makes a loud and trumpet call. Characteristic sibilance.
Sounds are produced, as a rule, in jerks. Females, on the contrary, are characterized by an extended and sonorous cry. The human ear is more pleasant to perceive geese. The cries of males often cause irritation.
Goose while screaming
The sounds produced depend on the breed. For example, Chinese ganders make thin and harsh sounds, while females have a lower voice. This is in direct contrast to the classic European breeds.
Chinese goose
Define by behavior
Evolution plays a key role. In gander during mating periods, aggressiveness is noticeable. They compete with each other for leadership in the pack. Status in geese plays an important role.
The leader is an integral element of any pack, which owns the right to most benefits. During puberty and the struggle for females, skirmishes are not uncommon. An active and exploratory lifestyle is maintained.
Gander fight
By behavior, you can calculate the leader. He will always go ahead of the pack, with his chest sticking out forward and his head held high. This is how he announces himself to the world. Bypassing the territory is important to control the situation.
Male leader at the head of the pack
The feeding point is a great place to observe. Fast and frisky males at the beginning of feeding are always the first to try to run up to food. Frequent fights over food.
In the water, ganders swim behave proudly and majestically. The head is parallel to the water. Females, on the contrary, bow their heads. The behavior of the weaker sex is something like a bow.
flock of geese in the water
The behavior of the geese is calm and quiet. No fight or conflict. Exception: during the period of incubation of eggs, peaceful behavior can change to aggressive if there is a danger to offspring. A kind of protective instinct kicks in. Females during such periods can even attack a person.
Geese are naturally calm in nature, unlike ganders
We determine the size of the bird
With age, the differences in size become even more striking. Geese are birds in which size plays an important evolutionary role.
The goose, as a defender and leader, needs a lot of mass and strength. Males are larger than females by an average of 10%. They have a long and thick neck, which is constantly tense.
Females, on the contrary, are smaller than males, with a short and thin neck.
In the foreground Chinese goose
But it is worth noting that it is not always worth relying on the size of an individual when determining sex, because different breeds are specific in their own way in this regard. For example, birds of the Linda breed have same sizes. Distinguishing a male from a female, even in the adult stage, is very problematic.
Geese breed "Linda"
Considering that the most common breed of geese bred by Russian farmers is Linda, then it will be very useful to talk a little about this bird.
Benefits of the Linda Geese Breed
coloring geese
It is common to think that geese have white shade feather cover. It really is. However, in males, the down is distinguished by a characteristic yellowish tint, while in geese it is gray.
Not without the influence of heredity. In the same Linda breed, the color of females and males is indistinguishable. They are white color. At the same time, in the rather popular Dutch geese, the males are gray in color - it will not be difficult to distinguish them from geese. The Dutch breed is very popular and popular all over the world. The Toulouse breed has a similar color.
Gray coloration of the Toulouse gander
goose head
The head of the gander is larger than that of the geese. She is massive and looks menacing. At the same time, the head of the goose has more refined features. It makes sense to pay attention to the beak. In males, it is large and rough.
Dirty color. Often black. The appearance directly testifies to its evolutionary role: the size of the beak is intended to show the status of the individual. In the struggle for leadership, this is important.
Characteristic black goose beak
Females, in contrast to males, are characterized by a thin and graceful beak of bright color.
Analysis of methods gives the following results:
- Do not neglect in any way. All of them are most effective in combination. By using them in combination, the poultry farmer increases the likelihood of success in determining gender. Everything is important, from color to size.
- Most reliable way- biological. Gender is easily determined by the presence of characteristic organs. In geese, like in any other birds, sexual dimorphism is pronounced. There is no hermaphroditic breed. biological method- the most accurate of all available.
If, when using all the methods, the poultry breeder still has doubts, then it makes sense to turn to professionals. They are specially trained to determine the sex of geese. Hiring a professional will save you time, but will cost you money.
Two domestic geese
Sex determination is an important part of any poultry business. Success in the production of the necessary goods directly depends on this stage. They should not be neglected.
In order for the benefit to be stable and constant, it is necessary to take care of sexual selection in advance.
In this article, you will learn in detail about the effective maintenance of geese, get acquainted with the rules of care and feeding.
The goose is a useful poultry that has been going hand in hand with man for thousands of years. Their demand is not waning. Goose meat, eggs and down are in high demand in the market. Breeding geese is a profitable business for every poultry farmer.
Source: https://selo-exp.com/gusi/kak-otlichit-gusaka-ot-gusyni.html
How to distinguish a goose from a goose: external signs and photos
Even experienced breeding professionals poultry, in particular geese, sometimes make mistakes in determining chicks or adults by sex. A rooster can be easily distinguished from a chicken even at the age of a chick, but things are more complicated with geese.
Adults of this species are similar to each other, so you have to look for differences between "girls" and "boys" according to various characteristics.
Why is it necessary to select a herd of geese taking into account gender?
If the herd is formed correctly by sex, this affects a number of indicators:
- Meat production. If geese are bred for meat, the herd should be predominantly gander. The goose is much larger, it has more meat and fat, therefore, the yield of marketable products is higher.
- egg production. Forming a herd, one goose is left for 4 geese. If there are more males, egg production in the herd will drop dramatically. If you acquire young animals without determining the sex of the chicks, the individuals will mix, as a result of which this will negatively affect the egg production rate.
- Producing strong offspring. To get healthy offspring of goslings, you need to keep a large and strong male in the herd. From such a "producer" there will be chicks of the same physiological qualities.
- chicks for sale. When realizing the young, you need to professionally determine the sex of the chicks and know by what signs the gander and the goose differ. If the producer qualitatively selects chicks by gender, this will provide him with reliable and regular customers, as well as the stability of the development of the "bird" business.
How to distinguish an adult goose from a goose?
The easiest way to distinguish adults, for which they use external signs. A careful inspection of the herd will allow you to select males from the herd: in appearance, the “boy” is much larger than the female.
In addition, an adult male weighs about 10 kg, and smaller geese - about 5 kg.
Take a close look at the neck of birds: in males it is thick and long. In addition, the head of the gander is larger than that of the goose. Despite the simplicity of determining the sex of birds by external signs, this method is not always accurate and effective.
Experienced owners can distinguish a flock by gender by analyzing the behavior of birds. Males are known for their exuberant nature as they are natural leaders. You can recognize the female by calm behavior, she rarely enters into fights.
During the mating season, ganders clearly stand out in the herd, as they begin to fight among themselves for females. They become unbearable, aggressive and clearly show fighting qualities. At any opportunity, ganders begin to fight, pinch and push rivals.
Since the male shows leadership qualities, he will certainly lead the herd behind him. Females obediently obey him and behave calmly.
But this method of determination is suitable for a small herd, because if there are many ganders, there will be several leaders, which will lead to manifestations of chaotic behavior.
Also goose and goose differ from each other in voice. Females cackle loudly and drawlingly, and males make sounds in a hoarse voice, but loud.
How to identify a goose?
If you have not previously been able to distinguish between geese by gender, it is unlikely that you will be able to do it yourself.
A professional will solve this problem much more accurately and faster. If there is no such person, you will have to understand the intricacies of poultry farming yourself, relying on several methods.
Many use "folk" methods that have a high percentage of correct selection. To increase the chances of forming a "correct" herd of geese, it is recommended to use or combine different methods.
bungee
This method is the most widely used.
- The caterpillar must be turned upside down, holding both legs.
- If there is no reaction, you need to sharply change the height, which will allow the vestibular apparatus of the chick to feel the effect of the fall.
- The male in such a situation will try to pull himself up and reach the middle of the body with his beak.
- Geese have less activity - they move their heads a little, not trying to get up.
Exist external characteristics, according to which the chicks of the required sex are determined from the young in the incubator. When there are a lot of goslings in a small place, males are easy to distinguish among them, because they always raise their heads and stand higher than females.
The gait of the “boys” is more confident and straight, they look stronger in appearance, and have a larger body. The male gosling, which is 15 or more days old, weighs more and has a large neck and head.
Even at such a young age, differences are heard in the voice of the chicks: the goose cackles quietly and only if it is hungry, and the ganders almost constantly scream loudly.
If the bird is of the Dutch breed, the goose and the goose will differ in plumage color and size. In this case, even an inexperienced breeder will easily divide the herd into “boys” and “girls”.
Determining the sex of geese is only necessary if you plan to breed these birds. In this case, it is important to observe the "proportions" in the number of female and male individuals. If the birds are bred only for meat and eggs, careful selection of chicks by gender can be omitted.
fright
If you frighten the goslings, the behavior of the male and the goslings will be different - the female chicks will snuggle up to the ground and behave quietly, and the males will stretch their necks and try to rise as high as possible, showing aggressiveness.
This behavior in chicks occurs intuitively: the female tries to hide, and the male looks for potential danger in order to protect the herd. Remember how the ganders in the village behave when you get too close to the herd.
- The goose stretches its neck, begins to hiss loudly and strives to pinch a potential enemy. Exactly the same behavior is manifested in small goslings.
- But there may be an exception to the rule, when the male does not show leadership qualities and behaves calmly, differing little from females.
100% way to separate geese by sex
The most accurate and popular way to recognize the sex of geese is to study the genitals of the chick.
To do this, the chick must be rolled over on its back so that its head is hung back, while the tail is raised to the top.
Carefully, in order not to injure the caterpillar, you need to open the cloaca and examine the red genitals. If there is a small process, then you have a gander in your hands.
Everything seems to be simple, but there is a high risk of injuring the bird or injuring yourself when viewed. Professionals give detailed instructions for the procedure:
- Having thrown the chick on its back, the lowered tail must be bent to the bottom. Gently pointing and thumbs open the cloaca.
- To prevent the goose from escaping, its head should not be strongly clamped between the legs. Fingers need to press around the cloaca so that the inner wall of the cavity becomes visible. A small process - this will be the sexual organ of the male.
But this method of determining the sex of goslings or an adult bird is possible with good human vision and the presence of a magnifying glass. It is much easier to distinguish a goose from a goose among adults than among goslings, since the genital organs in males grow up to 3 cm.
To increase the probability of correct selection, it is recommended to use complex methods and methods for determining the sex of a bird.
When creating a poultry house, you need to decide for what purposes it is planned to grow geese. Correct selection individuals, planned tasks will help to achieve the goal, to get high-quality meat, domestic eggs, good profit from running a "bird" business.
Source: https://pticevodam.info/otlichit-gusya-ot-gusyni/
Why is it so important to be able to distinguish a gander from a goose
Geese are often bred in private backyards for meat and feathers. In terms of productive indicators, they can easily crowd out the duck.
To have a full-fledged herd, it is important to correctly ensure the ratio of males and females in it, and for this it is necessary to know the differences between birds.
For an experienced poultry breeder, the question of how to distinguish a gander from a goose is not difficult, but a novice breeder may be at an impasse, since sex differences in geese are weakly expressed.
What is it for?
Formation of the parent stock
The ability to distinguish between birds is very important in order to form a herd with a competent ratio of ganders and geese from the earliest possible age.
Egg-laying in geese with an excessive number of males is reduced, and therefore an overabundance of ganders should not be allowed.
In order to obtain high-quality fertilized eggs in sufficient quantities in the herd, 1 male is enough for 5 females. When a duck is taken for breeding, a similar ratio is observed. Birds in the parent flock should be strong and have the best possible weight for their breed.
In the photo, the parent flock of geese with a brood
Goose and gander that do not meet the requirements must be removed from the flock in a timely manner and replaced with a full-fledged bird. The culled goose, if possible, is fattened for slaughter.
Feeding
Bird nutrition also differs depending on the sex, which also makes it useful to know how to distinguish a goose from a goose.
For a male, food should be more high-calorie so that he gains weight better and maintains high ability to fertilize females.
The goose is fed less nutritious, since with an excess of calories, the bird becomes fat, and its egg laying is significantly reduced.
The correct determination of the sex of geese at an early age should make it possible to form two herds. In one of them, healthy females with a sufficient number of males will be collected. The producers of this herd are kept to obtain high-quality hatching eggs. The birds from the second group will be fattened for slaughter for meat.
Determine the gender of the geese
You can determine the sex of an adult bird by external signs or character. It is also worth learning about how to determine the sex of geese soon after hatching.
By appearance
Gander of the Kholmogory breed
By external signs, it is quite easy to distinguish an adult bird. Males are larger than females. The weight of the male reaches 9 kg. Females do not weigh more than 7 kg.
In some breeds, the male's beak is large and massive, while the female's is small and neat.
Character and habits
By habits, determining the sex of a bird is considered more accurate. This method allows you to identify not only the gander and the goose, but also the drake and duck. How to determine a gander by behavior, every breeder who has been dealing with birds for at least 1 year knows.
Males are distinguished by significant aggressiveness and, when invading their territory, they actively attack the border violator, including humans. An adult gander can also be seen in leadership qualities. He excels in the herd by organizing it. Also, males in the struggle for leadership regularly arrange fights. The gander is not characterized by fussiness, unlike the female.
This method of determining the sex of a bird cannot be called 100% accurate, since domineering females are sometimes found in the herd big size, or, conversely, - small, calm ganders.
Sex determination in chicks
Most often, to determine the sex of chicks, it is used bungee method. With it, the caterpillar is taken by the paws, holding it head down, and lowered quite sharply, simulating a fall. In this case, the male will actively pull himself up to the paws, and the female will only turn her head.
In the case when geese (however, like a duck) are incubated on their own, the sex of the chicks can be determined on the first day after hatching.
Males are born larger and taller, they also actively stretch their necks. On the second day from the moment of appearance, the goslings can become equal in size.
Again, differences in dimensions begin to be seen only by the end of the first month, or even by 45 days.
Leadership qualities are manifested in males from the first days of life. Little ganders are quite noisy, while females only scream when they are hungry.
: How to determine the sex of a diurnal caterpillar?
Scientific approach - reliable and efficient
The scientific method of determining the sex of a bird is the most reliable. It applies to both adult birds and young birds.
With this sex determination, the bird is placed on its back, on a high flat surface so that her head was thrown back. After that, you should move her tail back and, carefully, so as not to injure the goose, push the cloaca apart.
In the event that during such an examination a process is visible looking out of the cloaca, then this is, without a doubt, a gander. The goose has no processes in the cloaca.
This technique is the most effective, and after the owner has mastered it, it will not be difficult to identify the gender of the bird.
For an independent poultry farmer, the procedure may seem somewhat complicated.
Conclusion
An accurate determination of the sex of geese is required only when the bird is raised not only for meat, but also to obtain high-quality hatching eggs.
In other cases, you can not complicate your life and raise a meat herd without separating males and females. For the first time for breeding, if you want to get a good parent flock, it is best to buy an adult bird in the right ratio.
So it will be possible not only to correctly determine the sex of the geese, but also to assess the breed qualities of the bird.
Even experienced professionals involved in breeding poultry, in particular geese, sometimes make mistakes in determining chicks or adults by sex. A rooster can be easily distinguished from a chicken even at the age of a chick, but things are more complicated with geese.
Adults of this species are similar to each other, so you have to look for differences between "girls" and "boys" according to various characteristics.
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Why is it necessary to select a herd of geese taking into account gender?
If the herd is formed correctly by sex, this affects a number of indicators:
The easiest way to distinguish adults is to use external signs. A careful inspection of the herd will allow you to select males from the herd: in appearance, the “boy” is much larger than the female.
In addition, an adult male weighs about 10 kg, and smaller geese - about 5 kg.
Take a close look at the neck of birds: in males it is thick and long. In addition, the head of the gander is larger than that of the goose. Despite the simplicity of determining the sex of birds by external signs, this method is not always accurate and effective.
Experienced owners can distinguish a flock by gender by analyzing the behavior of birds. Males are known for their exuberant nature as they are natural leaders. You can recognize the female by calm behavior, she rarely enters into fights.
During the mating season, ganders clearly stand out in the herd, as they begin to fight among themselves for females. They become unbearable, aggressive and clearly show fighting qualities. At any opportunity, ganders begin to fight, pinch and push rivals.
Since the male shows leadership qualities, he will certainly lead the herd behind him. Females obediently obey him and behave calmly.
But this method of determination is suitable for a small herd, because if there are many ganders, there will be several leaders, which will lead to manifestations of chaotic behavior.
Another way to determine the sex of geese is to observe them on the water. While swimming, males stretch their necks upwards. In females, the neck is horizontal, and their movements resemble bows over water.
Also goose and goose differ from each other in voice. Females cackle loudly and drawlingly, and males make sounds in a hoarse voice, but loud.
If you have not previously been able to distinguish between geese by gender, it is unlikely that you will be able to do it yourself.
A professional will solve this problem much more accurately and faster. If there is no such person, you will have to understand the intricacies of poultry farming yourself, relying on several methods.
Many use "folk" methods that have a high percentage of correct selection. To increase the chances of forming a "correct" herd of geese, it is recommended to use or combine different methods.
bungee
This method is the most widely used.
There are external characteristics by which chicks of the required sex are determined from the young in the incubator. When there are a lot of goslings in a small place, males are easy to distinguish among them, because they always raise their heads and stand higher than females.
The gait of the “boys” is more confident and straight, they look stronger in appearance, and have a larger body. The male gosling, which is 15 or more days old, weighs more and has a large neck and head.
Even at such a young age, differences are heard in the voice of the chicks: the goose cackles quietly and only if it is hungry, and the ganders almost constantly scream loudly.
If the bird is of the Dutch breed, the goose and the goose will differ in plumage color and size. In this case, even an inexperienced breeder will easily divide the herd into “boys” and “girls”.
Determining the sex of geese is only necessary if you plan to breed these birds. In this case, it is important to observe the "proportions" in the number of female and male individuals. If the birds are bred only for meat and, careful selection of chicks by gender can be omitted.
Goslings in their own way natural features behaviors differ from each other, as do adults. Males show their leadership qualities as a leader, trying to take best places at the feeder and drinker.
fright
If you frighten the goslings, the behavior of the male and the goslings will be different - the female chicks will snuggle up to the ground and behave quietly, and the males will stretch their necks and try to rise as high as possible, showing aggressiveness.
This behavior in chicks occurs intuitively: the female tries to hide, and the male looks for potential danger in order to protect the herd. Remember how the ganders in the village behave when you get too close to the herd.
- The goose stretches its neck, begins to hiss loudly and strives to pinch a potential enemy. Exactly the same behavior is manifested in small goslings.
- But there may be an exception to the rule, when the male does not show leadership qualities and behaves calmly, differing little from females.
100% way to separate geese by sex
The most accurate and popular way to recognize the sex of geese is to study the genitals of the chick.
To do this, the chick must be rolled over on its back so that its head is hung back, while the tail is raised to the top.
Carefully, in order not to injure the caterpillar, you need to open the cloaca and examine the red genitals. If there is a small process, then you have a gander in your hands.
But the difficulty of this method of study lies in the fact that the genitals are too small, so you will have to use a small magnifying glass (loupe) for inspection. This method of determining the sex of the chick gives the correct result in 80% of cases.
Everything seems to be simple, but there is a high risk of injuring the bird or injuring yourself when viewed. Professionals give detailed instructions for the procedure:
But this method of determining the sex of goslings or an adult bird is possible with good human vision and the presence of a magnifying glass. It is much easier to distinguish a goose from a goose among adults than among goslings, since the genital organs in males grow up to 3 cm.
To increase the probability of correct selection, it is recommended to use complex methods and methods for determining the sex of a bird.
When creating a poultry house, you need to decide for what purposes it is planned to grow geese. The correct selection of individuals, planned tasks will help to achieve the goal, to get high-quality meat, homemade meat, and a good profit from running a "bird" business.
Attention, only TODAY!
Simple things are sometimes very complex. So, if one glance is enough for an experienced farmer to distinguish a male from a female, then ordinary person make it difficult. It is especially difficult to determine the sex of birds. Therefore, in our article we will tell you how to distinguish a gander from a goose.
In villages and farms where birds are grown only for their own use, the breed and sex of the birds do not play a big role. The main thing is that productive indicators are high. However, for farms who grow birds for industrial purposes, this is simply necessary. That is why the farmers themselves and competent workers know exactly how to determine the sex of geese.
Birds are sorted by sex in order to ensure the correct ratio of individuals of both sexes in the breeding herd. For household ganders are generally left for breeding and reared for meat. For those who care about egg production, they know that the predominance of males in the herd provokes a decrease in indicators in geese. It is also obvious that the more females in the herd, the more eggs. It is also important that males need more high-calorie food in order to gain weight well, but fattened geese will not be able to rush normally.
The optimal ratio for obtaining high performance(for each individual breed is different) is the presence of one gander for four geese. This ratio is also suitable for breeding. Only taking into account the healthy and best representatives of the herd. If, in order to obtain meat, then it is better to choose meat breeds and ganders, which are larger than females both in weight and size. Yes, and gain weight males faster.
For those who sell goslings, the ability to determine the sex is a guarantee successful work with consumers. After all, buyers come with a specific purpose, and if, by mistake or ignorance, birds of the wrong sex are sold to them, then there is a possibility not only to lose a client, but also a reputation.
Main differences
Over the years of work on breed selection and breeding of geese, several popular methods for determining differences between the sexes have appeared. Each of them has its pros and cons, but in combination they give excellent results. There are also tips on how to distinguish the appearance of a male from a female.
Appearance
Outward signs will definitely appear sooner or later. The surest external sign is the growth of a gander. Even with the same weight, he will be significantly taller than a goose. Also, the male is distinguished by a stronger body and a confident gait. The head of the gander is larger and the neck is longer.
Often the beak of the males is less powerful and with a hump, while the female half mandible straight or slightly concave. However, it is not always possible to determine the gender of birds by appearance, so it is recommended to pay attention to habits and character.
Character and behavior
The nature and temperament of geese is significantly different. While geese behave more calmly, quietly and non-aggressively, noisy males try to sort things out and fight for leadership. Everyone who met live with a herd of geese saw that the ganders react violently to any obstacle or irritant, hiss and try to pounce. This is how they protect their females. Also, with any threat or anxiety, the ganders stretch their necks, and the geese, on the contrary, try to pull it in deeper.
Birds can also be distinguished by their behavior on the water. Males stretch their necks parallel to the water surface, and after bathing, they stand in one place and intensively flap their wings.
At a later stage, during the mating season, the initiative also belongs to the gander: he stretches his neck and tilts his head, and then imitates the construction of a nest. The female only repeats the actions after him.
scientific methods
Not all breeders can wait for outward signs to show. industrial production requires sex determination already in the first week after the appearance of the chicks. One of the most common is the Japanese method - sex determination by identifying the penis in the cloaca. It is quite effective, you can see several hundred birds per hour. If you have a male in front of you, then it will be a penis, if a female - spherical organs resembling balls or curls. This method has significant drawbacks: the possibility of infection of young infectious diseases and increased costs for sorting birds.
The probe method is very similar to the Japanese one, when the floor is determined using a special telescopic device. Popular in certain countries is also color sexing or the genetic method, which consists in breeding geese with a special set of marker genes. These genes affect the color of the goose down, which can further distinguish the birds. Down is often dyed grey colour. Not particularly common, but quite effective, is the acoustic method - when the sex is determined using a microphone and sound analysis of the chick's voice.
Determination of the sex of the chick
You can determine the sex of an adult bird both by appearance and behavior. With kids it's not so easy. One of the most simple ways, which do not require material costs, is the so-called "bungee". The caterpillar is taken by the legs and turned over, and then sharply returned to its original position. If the chick did not react in any way, then most likely it is a female, if it bends and stretches its neck to its paws, it is a male.
You can also try to turn the chick so that the tail rises slightly and the head hangs down. At correct location the cloaca will open and the genitals will be visible. They are not always visible due to small size so you need to use a magnifying glass.
So, we have presented you with several options on how to distinguish between a gander and a goose. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. The choice is always yours. It is better to use several methods at once to get the right answer.
Video "We distinguish a gander from a goose"
From this video you will learn how to quickly distinguish a gander from a goose.
Breeding geese for a farmer or summer resident perfect solution. With little investment, geese grow quickly to large sizes. One of the frequent and first questions is How to distinguish a gander from a goose and why this is necessary. The article details the answers to this one and provides photos and videos.
What is it for.
Determining the sex of a bird (goose) different breeds makes it possible to form a herd in time with the right amount geese and geese.
It will not be a discovery for anyone that eggs are carried exclusively by geese. A large number of males in the herd, significantly reduces egg production. For a stable fertilization of eggs for a herd of 5 geese, one gander is enough. When forming a flock, be sure to saturate them only with healthy and strong birds. Separate sick and weak geese.
Feeding egg-laying and meat poultry occurs in different ways. Gander is basically always faster and gaining more desired weight, more high-calorie food is suitable for him. Goose is a little different. With overeating or frequent feeding, they begin to swim in fat and egg production decreases.
For these reasons, it will not be superfluous to decide at an early age whom for meat, eggs, and offspring. Create two herds. The first is Geese with a goose for breeding. The second herd to the slaughter.
Sex determination in goslings
Everything is not as difficult as it seems. It is not difficult to determine the sex in a herd of adult geese. The goose is always larger than the goose, it is heavier and taller. The head is larger, many breeds have pronounced growths above the eyes.
Similarly with the neck and naked (louder). But when the bird is still a gosling, determining the sex is visually more difficult. The formation of the future herd begins at an early age. How to determine the sex of a chick. For this, they are used different methods, the basis of which is a visual close inspection.
We lay the chick on its back so that the head hangs a little, and the tail is in an elevated position. The cloaca will open in this position, and you can see a small red process in it - the genital organ. Only ganders are endowed with such a miracle)) the goose does not have such a mark.
Don't forget that we're talking about small sizes, and if you don't have hawk eyes, it's worth using a magnifying glass.
Another method for determining the sex of a caterpillar is a head down flip. Gently take the chick by the paws and lower the head down as if falling. The female in this position simply turns her head, the male tries to reach his paws.
From the first days in the incubator, you can observe different behavior floors. The male is more active and large, he shows his superiority. They are more demanding to feed and when feeding is not the time, they are indignant and noisy. The female is more patient and calm.
Determining the sex of an adult bird
Distinguishing a gander from a goose when they are already adults is a little more difficult. The difference is not only in appearance. It can be determined by behavior.
The male has a rougher voice, unlike the females, which have a more sonorous voice. Observing the behavior and character of this bird, one can never cease to be surprised for a long time. goose by all accessible ways shows his superiority as a leader, and as a person does not miss any opportunity to prove his worth. The goose most often fusses and constantly cackles and makes noise, sorting things out.
And yet, as the main tool for visually distinguishing a male from a female - Size. The Ukrainian gray goose can gain weight up to 10 kilograms, and the goose 5-6.
Despite these differences. As an exception, large females come across, ganders are often calm and it is difficult to make a final verdict using the above methods.
The most reliable way is to examine in the hands (as in determining the sex of goslings) Search for the penis. For this purpose, the bird must be laid with its paws up and open the cloaca with your fingers.
Another way to find the treasured organ in a goose. The bird must be turned head down and click on the area around the cloaca. If there is an organ, it will appear. In another outcome, you have a goose in your hands.
The third way - we sit on a chair, kneel down on the goose with our backs up, heal the wings with our hands, proceed to inspect the cherished place in search of the penis.
When forming a livestock of young geese for domestic and industrial cultivation great importance has its composition. So, it is important for a livestock breeder to know exactly how many ganders and geese are in the herd, because the value of females is higher. To do this, you need to learn to recognize them.
For what purpose and how to distinguish between a gander and a goose
If you correctly count the livestock, you can achieve several goals at once:
- When breeding geese for eggs, it is important to leave in the herd maximum amount females, but the minimum number of males is enough.
- When breeding for meat, more ganders are left, since on average their weight is 25% higher.
- When selling goslings, the seller must provide the buyer with reliable information about the gender of each individual.
It is believed that in a good herd, from which the owner wants to receive both eggs and meat, it is necessary to withstand the next proportion: 1 gander for 4 geese. Accordingly, in order to maintain the ideal proportion, even at the stage of herd formation, you need to know exactly how many geese and ganders.
How to determine the sex of geese scientifically
How to determine the sex of geese scientifically
Ventsexing is a method for determining ganders and geese, used in all poultry farms. Step-by-step instructions will tell you how to distinguish a gander from a goose with 100% accuracy:
- You need to take the caterpillar and carefully lay it on the back. The head of the chick should hang freely, and the tail should reflexively lift up.
- The cloaca (goose) should be considered, because it contains the goose's genitals, suggesting its gender.
- If, when opening, a small red process appears, then this is a gander. In three-day-old chicks, it is usually very small, so you need to be careful. Sometimes a magnifier is needed.
- If there is no process in the cloaca, then this is a goose.
This method of determining the sex of failures does not give, as it is based on the most reliable morphological trait that does not depend on the breed. All it takes is attention and good eyesight. During such a study, males often behave aggressively, resisting a person. It is necessary to carefully pinch the bird with your hands or between your knees so that it does not injure itself. On average, the length of the penis in adult ganders is 7 cm, but the genital organ of a goose of 3-4 cm is within the normal range.
In addition to looking at the cloaca in detail, it is worth paying attention to other differences between the chicks. So, ganders on appearance always larger, and move with a proudly upturned head and a protruding chest. Females are smaller in size and usually their head looks down.
How to distinguish a goose from a goose by behavior
Behavioral responses can tell a lot to the attentive bird watcher. If create stressful situation, then by the behavior typical of males and females, one can easily distinguish them from each other. A sharp sound (whistle, gong, car signal) will scare the chicks, forcing them to show their gender.
How to distinguish a goose from a goose by behavior
- Ganders usually strongly stretch their necks and raise their heads up in danger. They need to assess what is happening around and make a decision - to attack the enemy or retreat.
- Geese at this time tend to cling to the ground with their whole body and hide until the leader gives a signal about where to run.
The stress method is good, but only as a last resort, since it is often fraught with frightening the young. A frightened bird does not eat well, and in adult geese, egg production may even stop. If sharp frightening sounds are often heard in the courtyard, then the birds may even develop unfavorable conditioned reflexes, which will then be very difficult to defeat.
Even at a very young age, males are noisy. Fatigue seems to be unknown to them. They are ready to run, communicate, feed and explore the world around them from sunrise to sunset. Takovo natural behavior geese, embedded in them by nature itself. Only an active bird can successfully master the territory and win in competition with competitors. The gander always carefully examines the area allotted to him, knows exactly where the feeder, drinker, comfortable spot for an overnight stay.
Attention! Gander chicks are in conflict with each other, figuring out who is able to take the leader's place in the flock.
Females never interfere in such showdowns, aggression is completely uncharacteristic of them. The goose gives a voice only when it is in a state of stress or is hungry.
As the chicks grow older, the goose signs of their gender differ more and more clearly. Even by voice, males make it easy to distinguish them. Their cry is loud, even a trumpet. They can make hissing and even hissing. The sound comes out of the larynx with characteristic jerks. The geese cry loudly and lingeringly. The voice of females is more pleasant to the ear, but the cry of the gander usually causes irritation.
How to distinguish a gander from a goose
Watching the herd it is very easy to distinguish the male leader. When walking, he always goes first, and everyone else follows him in single file. Moreover, leaders like to make such detours very much. Surprisingly, it is the males who are the first to run up to the feeders and often even arrange fights over food. Males swim in reservoirs very proudly with their heads held high, but the head of females is always directed downwards.
"Bungee" is a favorite way to distinguish between chicks of the tenderest age.
How to determine the sex of a caterpillar by this method:
- The caterpillar is turned upside down.
- Gently raise and lower it by the paws, allowing the vestibular apparatus to manifest itself. It is necessary to create the effect of free fall.
- The male will reach up with his beak, trying to escape from the hands of a person.
- The female goose will flutter its head, but will not pull it up.
The shade of plumage can tell a lot to an attentive poultry farmer. Even in completely white geese (Kholmogory breed), there are differences between males and females. So, ganders always have a noticeable yellowish tone of plumage, and geese - grayish. Similar differences can be found in geese of other breeds, if you look closely.
The size of the head of birds also varies greatly. At the age of 1 month, the gander has a massive head, always has a menacing appearance. The goose is more refined, gentle, there is no aggression in it. The gander's beak is rough, large, has a dirty shade, even black.
It is interesting: the beak is a characteristic gender trait that, in the process of evolution, demonstrated the superiority of the leader over competing males. Geese do not need to fight for leadership, so their beak is much more modest in size.
When the turn of the mating season comes in the herd, the behavior of the birds changes dramatically. Males fight each other for free females. It is very difficult to get along with them at this time. Fights take place with enviable regularity and great intensity of passions. The ganders do not need a reason, they are ready at any moment to pinch each other, push, pull out feathers, they are easy to recognize.
Obviously, there are reliable methods for determining the sex of geese and each bird owner can choose the appropriate method. The main thing is to separate the goslings by gender as early as possible. Because if you leave too many ganders in the herd, then with the onset of the mating season, you can face serious problems. At the same time, a herd of females alone will never give birth. Knowing how to determine the sex of a caterpillar, the poultry house will easily avoid many difficulties.
