Other options for you to consider include Alsatian, Barnacle, Faroese, and Pomeranian – but there are dozens of other alternatives out there, too. Geese breeds are generally broken down into three categories based on their weight: heavy, medium, and light. While these eight goose breeds are arguably the most popular – and the most common on small farms – the list of breeds to consider does not end there. Quiet, calm birds, Pilgrim geese are unusually friendly. They are also good at foraging and can be used with great success for weeding. They are medium weight birds and can also be used for egg production – they’ll give you about forty every year.
FLOCK OF GEESE FULL
The bodies of this goose are plump and full with a smooth, keel-less breast. Most weigh around 13 to 14 pounds at maturity. Pilgrim geese are not behemoths by any means, but they are still relatively large. The name “Pilgrim” refers to Grow’s family’s “pilgrimage” to Missouri from Iowa in the midst of the Great Depression. While adult females are gray, males are white with orange bills.ĭeveloped by Oscar Grow in Iowa, this goose breed dates back to the 1900s. Each gender is a different color, with differences apparent at hatching. Although it looks much like other breeds on this list, it has one distinct difference – it is one of the few varieties of geese that can be autosexed. Both Dewlap and French Toulouse geese are known for being docile and calm, so they can also serve as farm pets. They produce large white eggs during the spring and summer seasons. The Dewlap Toulouse was developed particularly for the production of foie gras, while French Toulouse were developed as dual-purpose birds. – Usesīoth Toulouse varieties can be used for meat and eggs. French Toulouse are somewhat smaller and thinner, but still reach impressive weights. Dewlap Toulouse easily grow into 20 or 30 lbs when mature. Both are a plain gray in color, but the Dewlap Toulouse has a large dewlap beneath its bill along with a dense abdomen and keel. – WeightĮven when the two variations of this breed are compared, Toulouse geese in general are some of the largest. The smaller Toulouse, the French Toulouse, is much smaller. The heavyweight Toulouse, known as the Dewlap Toulouse, is the largest breed of domesticated geese. The classic French goose, Toulouse has a lightweight and heavyweight form. Roman Tufted ganders can be a bit aggressive, so keep an eye out for those behaviors. Their bark is definitely bigger than their bite, though, as these geese tend to be quite docile. Although they are small as meat birds, their loud voices make them superb guards. However, if you manage to find one, you’ll have great success – these birds are excellent egg layers. Therefore, they are difficult to find on American farms. Unfortunately, Roman Tufted geese are listed as critically endangered. Roman Tufted Geese, with their elegant white plumage and top-hat tufts of white feathers, only weigh about ten pounds when they are fully mature. Today, however, this breed is mostly used to guard backyard flocks of chicken as well as other types of property. Legend has it that Roman Tufted Geese were even able to stop an attempted Gaul ambush in 365 BC! Pretty impressive. It was once used to guard the ancient temples of Rome. Often considered an ancient breed, the Roman Tufted goose is one of the smallest out of all of those on our list. However, African geese are susceptible to frostbite and require insulated shelter during cold weather. These birds are closely related to Chinese geese and have a similar appearance. Some individuals can produce up to 30-50 eggs each year! While some owners report that they are not reliable layers, others argue that they are. Geese of this breed can also be raised for eggs. Since they are so large, they produce a decent weight at dressing and have a remarkable flavor. More often than not, African geese are kept for meat. While ganders can reach 22 lbs, females are likely to be much smaller (about 18 lbs). – WeightĪfrican ganders tend to weigh about 20 lbs each. An upright, loud goose, with a tendency to be aggressive. They are heavy-bodied geese with full abdomens and large dewlaps. These birds are characterized by prominent black knobs that sit at the top of their beaks (although some color variations of the breed have orange knobs). Despite the contradictory nature of the name, African geese likely did not originate in Africa, but instead in China or somewhere else in Asia.
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