Adjust feed for age and season

Modify diet composition based on life stage and time of year. Goslings need 20-22% protein starter for the first 4 weeks, then transition to 16% grower feed. Adults in winter require increased supplemental pellets and grains when pasture is dormant. Laying geese should switch to layer feed with added calcium 2-3 weeks before breeding season begins.

Why It Works

Nutritional demands shift dramatically across a goose's life cycle. Rapid gosling growth requires high protein, while overfeeding protein to sedentary adults causes kidney stress. Seasonal changes dictate forage availability, making feed adjustments essential to prevent weight loss in winter and obesity in summer.

Tips

• Monitor body condition by feeling the keel bone; it should be palpable but not sharp
• Increase feed by roughly 20% during molting periods when feather regrowth demands extra protein
• Reduce grain and pellet portions in summer when lush pasture provides ample nutrition