The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: harry on December 04, 2009, 09:01:15 pm

Title: geese
Post by: harry on December 04, 2009, 09:01:15 pm

ive just got 5 new chinese geese year olds, ive heard geese pair up for life , does that mean if you only have one gander and 4 geese 3 of the geese will not have fertile eggs? although i have 2 ganders and 3 geese.

Title: Re: geese
Post by: doganjo on December 04, 2009, 10:26:22 pm

Why did you get 5 if you had heard that they pair for life?  I don't know the answer to your question but I'm curious.

Title: Re: geese
Post by: marigold on December 04, 2009, 11:19:08 pm

The woman I got my pair from said that sometimes they get into threesomes. Anyway, she would only sell me a three year ol couple in case she sold me a pair that didn't like each other..
I know some human pairs that don't like each other......

Title: Re: geese
Post by: shetlandpaul on December 05, 2009, 10:43:25 am

our gander has a favourite goose but it wont stop  him mating the others. we just hope we have not killed her as they are all the same.

Title: Re: geese
Post by: harry on December 05, 2009, 08:22:00 pm

i did think they would all mate but i got them mainly for eggs but got the ganders as well to hatch a few. these were £45 each if i only had geese, £35 each if i had at least 1 gander, one goose had a swollen foot (balls)as it had previously been on a wire floor so that was £15, the chap said i could have it if i wanted for £15, it would be ok, i could cotton it but it walks ok so he said best leave it alone so the 5 cost £150 3 geese would have cost £135...... why did i get more than i went for , well have you always come away from a breeders with what you went in for? i have other geese so may use some of these chinese as a Xs. These are a buff british strain of chinese so a good egg layer and any spare ganders reach a med heavy weight for the table.

Title: Re: geese
Post by: shetlandpaul on December 06, 2009, 11:11:54 am

they make good cakes and it would have been a shame to have missed out on having a gander. just watch out in spring. i tend to get things in 6. no reason not to have 5 geese. there maybe problems with him servicing them all. so a low hatch rate. thats why we have 2 ganders to 4 girls.

Title: Re: geese
Post by: harry on December 07, 2009, 10:01:42 am

i ended up with 2ganders 3 geese,...... when you bake with these eggs whats the conversion rate ..if a receipe says 2 eggs i suppose thats 1 goose egg.... is it still 2 duck eggs....

Title: Re: geese
Post by: shetlandpaul on December 07, 2009, 10:07:59 am

i think its about 3 but it varies. they are much nicer than duck eggs. though you may need to run when the mum sees you with her egg. enjoy they have a very strong personality