[HappyHippy]

I've pretty much decided on getting some geese this yea and am starting to do a bit of homework 
 We've got a pretty big pond with around 3 acres of slightly sloping rough ground to the side of it, with (widely spaced) willows and silver birch on about half an acre of it. I'm thinking of them as guard dogs (just to alert us to anyone going around outside), to help clear some of the pond weed and improve the grass in the surrounding area as well as having the bonus of eggs and maybe a gander or two for the table next Christmas.

So, my questions are;
Is there a dual purpose goose breed that serves the table and provides a good/fair egg supply? (I know I'm not going to get lots of eggs as with chickens) When I ws young we had 'white geese' - what breeds do you think would
Is it better to buy young geese to raise or start with a breeding trio? I think I remember something about day olds imprinting themselves on their human carer and being easier to handle/less aggressive (or did I dream that bit?)
And lastly, does anyone know any breeders in Scotland, preferably Lanark area.
Thanks in advance 
Karen

[HesterF]

It sounds lovely! Bliss for geese. Geese are not fox proof although I'm sure they're pretty scary in a flock so you might want to shut them up at night. You might want to just look at the commercial breeds which I think are an Embden type cross. They tend to be fast growing which would be good for Christmas but I'm not sure about egg laying. I've got West of England geese which are supposed to be a good dual-purpose breed because they're medium sized so a good meal plus they lay 30 to 40 eggs a year. But you're right, none of them are huge egg layers - the best lay every other day from Feb to June and they'd be the smaller geese. West of England are really hard to get hold of - especially up around you - so I would rule them out on that basis.

Because of the breeding season timing, unless you happen to find somebody who's got spare now, you might have to wait until later in the year to get hold of this year's hatch either as young geese or a breeding trio. Mine were all about 5 to 6 months old when I got them. They were all hand reared but one pair was much tamer - they'd had a lot more personal contact and were used to being shut in at night. The other pair is getting better and is now quite used to being shut up too but still not quite as friendly (aka nosy).

I don't have mine in the pond regularly and whenever I've taken them over there, they've just dabbled around the edges rather than swimming so I don't know how much they would clear the pond weed (you might want ducks for that) but they'll certainly have a go at the grass. You'll need quite a few to keep the 3 acres down though.

H

[Big Light]

Probably the best layers are chinese geese,

for looks i like top quality toulouse geese ( grey with big dewlap) or roman ( compact white goose)

probably a embden cross or similar for a dual purpose would be best

it is said the definition of a real man is one who can eat a three goose eggs omlette

- there will be a few strange looks at this but try it!

[Womble]

Hi Karen,

I agree with Hester - your setup is perfect for geese, and they'll do everything you want of them.

We have commercial Embden type white geese here, and although they're bred for meat, each female laid an egg every other day from Feb until June, which is pretty good in my book!





We bought ours as sexed day old goslings from Craigievern poultry in Drymen (pssst, don't tell anyone though!  ).



And yes, they do tend to imprint on people! 



Ours are not aggressive at all, and will run away if you come near (though they are very noisy if they see or hear anything). The gander gets a bit antsy when his girls are nesting, but so far it's been all mouth, no trousers if you see what I mean.

The only problem we've had with ours is that they ring-barked some freshly planted apple saplings, so beware of that. Apart from that, no real hassles. They've provided us with eggs and Christmas Dinners for two years now, and have been remarkably easy and cheap to care for.

As for breeders, we can sort you out with some fertile eggs or young goslings in spring if that's of interest. Alternatively, if you can find anyone who has females for sale now, we probably have a spare gander from this years hatch you could put with them. I'm 90% he's a male - I'm just waiting until the breeding season to be sure, since if he's a she, I'll keep her.

HTH!

P.S. I managed to eat a two goose egg omelette, but that was my limit!

[bigchicken]

Yes embden would be good and the easiest to get, I would go adult young birds a pair or two pair and you would have a few eggs this year and could hatch some to increase the flock or raise for meat, very tasty Mmmm! or you could sell some. I would agree about night time safety, well worth keeping and cost practically nothing.

[Rosemary]

What abut rare Shetland geese?

[Rosiecrad]

We have Embden type geese. We had 6 a few yrs ago for Christmas and kept a few for eggs and breeding. Somehow I managed to sex them right!
We have 1 female and 1 male and the female laid an egg every other day from feb to June and they made lovely meat too. The Gander has never been aggresive, just a bit of hissing when the female is nesting, unfortunately the female sat for ages on a clutch ( she was on our island on our pond, so couldn't see exactly what she was doing) but none hatched.
We'll probably get some more this yr for meat and to keep another female for eggs.

[Bionic]

I have 2 that came with the property. They look like Embden's. I was told they are a pair but Tizaala said they are both females.
Whatever they are they can get very feisty in the spring. I will only go in their pen with a stick to ward them off.
They do like being on the pond and spend time splashing about and preening. They are great guard 'dogs', sometimes too good. As it gets lighter they start making a racket earlier.

[HappyHippy]

  Womble, I love your photo's - looks like you're the goose whisperer ! I'll talk with Bruce (let him think he's got a say  ) and drop you a message and maybe a wee order 
Would different breeds mix well, I fancy a few different types (no surprise there  ) but would prefer to house them together at night.
We're fairly fox proof here I think, despite having seen them around (the chickens free range constantly and we've been lucky so far, I think the smell of pigs must discourage them - but I'm not complacent) but they would be shut in every night.
Off to have a google of different breeds now.....like the idea of rare breed geese 
Keep the replies coming folks 

[Cheviot]

Hi,
I have 4 different breeds of geese, my best geese for guarding would be chinese, also lay loads of eggs, but don't think there would be much meat on them, I also have sebastopol geese which are also quite noisy, don't lay quite as well as chinese, but look to be meatier, also they look quite specatular as they either have a smooth breast with long curled feathers on their backs or are totally curly feathered. Dewlap toulouse don't eat as much grass as other breeds of geese, again they don't lay as many eggs as chinese, and are probably too valuable to eat, although they do look huge. I used to have a breeding pair of African geese but Mr fox took the female, and I haven't been able to source another decent female for him.
I think you are right to research before getting them, as they all have different characters, even within a breed, and also during the breeding season the most docile gander can turn into a monster, even if they have been hand reared.
I do breed from my geese, and will probably have unsexed white chinese available as day olds, although they will be 4 or 5 days old before I would let them go, as it sometimes takes them a couple of days to start eating well.
I'm not too far from you, maybe three quarters of an hour drive. You would be more than welcome to come and see my geese and get a feel for the differences between them.

Regards
Sue
.

[HappyHippy]

Hi Sue,
Thanks for your reply - I'm planning on going along to the National poultry show in Lanark in a couple of weeks to do a spot of 'window shopping'  and would love to come down and meet you and your geese sometime after that (weather depending) when I've hopefully got a bit more of a clue than I do now 

I remember our geese when I was younger - they were most definitely Embden and the gander was a sod! He used to chase cars and snap at the tyres    I remember seeing my dad 'goose step' across our yard one day wearing chest waders with the gander in hot persuit snapping at his hind end (anyone who's seen my dad will know what a funny sight this would have been - he's not a small man)  This is why I'm keen to make sure they're all friendly and well handled (or that they end up on the table in time for Christmas) because I don't want foul fowl running around  Right, off to do some googling 

[hughesy]

We've got Embdens and they're no trouble at all. Not at all aggressive except when there are eggs in the nest. Really easy to keep being tough as old boots and impervious to anything the weather can throw at them. Last year our best goose laid 39 eggs. At the end of the laying season we left her with 7 eggs and she hatched them all.

[Hevxxx99]

Another vote for Emdens here.  They lay well, eat lots of grass and are quite chatty and sociable if you get them young so they get to know you. The eggs are sublime.  I have Emdens and Tolouse x Emdens as the crosses produce far fewer eggs, sadly, but are a little bigger for meat.

They are clever birds though: if they see you trap and remove one of their number they will become far more wary of you from then on!

If they do show any aggresion, turn to them and run at them with your arms spread. They don't tend to stand and fight!

[lilfeeb]

we have what turned out to be an african goose and an embden (courtesy of womble). They don't bother me or my husband but they can be aggressive with our children (12 and 10). They are real characters and both a good size. No idea what sex they are but will find out in spring if they start laying .

[lilfeeb]

here they are