The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Lancashire Smallholder on October 18, 2020, 12:18:47 pm

Title: What are my geese!
Post by: Lancashire Smallholder on October 18, 2020, 12:18:47 pm
This year we tried to hatch our own flock of geese, but sadly only 2 hatched, and only one survived. I decided to buy some goslings to add immediately to make a flock... which worked! One group was described as Norfolk Geese and are all white. I was told the others were Embdens... but when they arrived they had black beaks and and you can see from the photos we have 3 buff coloured, one grey speckled and one off white/slightly buff!! They can’t be Embdens... but any one know what they are!?!

Thanks
Title: Re: What are my geese!
Post by: Lancashire Smallholder on October 18, 2020, 12:19:42 pm
Ops.. sorry no idea why the photos are upside down! I assure you my geese are the right way up!  :D
Title: Re: What are my geese!
Post by: Possum on October 18, 2020, 12:42:00 pm
I thing the grey ones are Toulouse geese. The white ones look like Emdens, but could be Legarth. I suspect the speckled ones are a cross between the two.


I'm not sure that Norfolk geese are a recognised breed but there is a very large producer of Legarth geese called Norfolk Geese (they have an interesting website). Maybe your supplier got a bit confused? :)
Title: Re: What are my geese!
Post by: doganjo on October 18, 2020, 04:09:47 pm
right way up geese 2 won't resize, geese 3 opens right way up
Title: Re: What are my geese!
Post by: macgro7 on October 18, 2020, 08:34:25 pm
Answer to the question "what are my geese" is they are not ducks   ;D

The white ones are probably commercial "broiler" geese and the rest are farmyard crosses - nothing wrong with them.
Do they have single or double lobs between the legs?
Title: Re: What are my geese!
Post by: Lancashire Smallholder on October 18, 2020, 09:23:27 pm
Thanks for confirming they are not ducks!!  ;D

They have a mixture of single and double lobes.
Title: Re: What are my geese!
Post by: Lancashire Smallholder on October 18, 2020, 09:25:05 pm
I thing the grey ones are Toulouse geese. The white ones look like Emdens, but could be Legarth. I suspect the speckled ones are a cross between the two.

I think you are right the supplier was either confused... or trying it on!!

I did wonder if they might be Toulouse, thanks


I'm not sure that Norfolk geese are a recognised breed but there is a very large producer of Legarth geese called Norfolk Geese (they have an interesting website). Maybe your supplier got a bit confused? :)
Title: Re: What are my geese!
Post by: macgro7 on October 18, 2020, 11:56:03 pm
Thanks for confirming they are not ducks!!  ;D

They have a mixture of single and double lobes.
They are definitelly not Embden - pure embden are actually very rare nowadays. Neither they are Toulouse.
Pomeranian geese are always single lobed and come in either grey, white and saddled with grey head. But as i said before they are probably a farmyard mix - by far the most common type of geese people keep today.
Title: Re: What are my geese!
Post by: Possum on October 19, 2020, 09:43:25 am
Whatever breed they are, they all look in fine condition. They are obviously thriving under your care. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What are my geese!
Post by: Lancashire Smallholder on October 19, 2020, 10:14:28 am
Whatever breed they are, they all look in fine condition. They are obviously thriving under your care. :thumbsup:

Thank you, that is very kind of you to say that. They currently have a 1.2 arce field to play in all day so they are rather spoilt!