African Goose or Brown Chinese Goose?

[Crandox]

So I got another pair of geese today and was told the female is a brown Chinese goose but to me she looks more like an African goose. The only thing that makes me unsure if she is an African goose is the fact that she is a little smaller than the male who is a white Chinese goose, aren’t African geese bigger than white Chinese? Anyways so is she an african or a brown Chinese goose?

 

[CloneFly]

100% African goose

 

[Goose Smith]

I also vote African. I have a mixed gaggle and one is an African like yours. I will say there is a pretty distinct difference in the bloodlines of African geese.

There are hatchery African geese and then there are Super African geese. The super Africans look like the original Chinese Lion Head Goose from way back.

The hatchery Africans are at best only slightly more stout than a regular brown or white Chinese goose, they never get very heavy or develop the signature large dewlaps. Which IMO are features that made the lion head geese or original African geese unique from the brown/white Chinese.

In any case, I think you have a fine couple of birds there! I added a photo of my African female a Brown Chinese male. The female (far right in photo) is an African from cackle. She is slightly heavier, but has a much shorter neck, similar to yours.

 

[Crandox]

I also vote African. I have a mixed gaggle and one is an African like yours. I will say there is a pretty distinct difference in the bloodlines of African geese.

There are hatchery African geese and then there are Super African geese. The super Africans look like the original Chinese Lion Head Goose from way back.

The hatchery Africans are at best only slightly more stout than a regular brown or white Chinese goose, they never get very heavy or develop the signature large dewlaps. Which IMO are features that made the lion head geese or original African geese unique from the brown/white Chinese.

In any case, I think you have a fine couple of birds there.

Got it, thank you for the input, she is a little on the small side in my experience even for a hatchery African but pretty much every other description of the African goose fits, and she even has a noticeable dewlap which I’m pretty sure brown Chinese geese very rarely have.

 

[Goose Smith]

Yours does have a dewlap, do you know the age? Mine will be a year in February. The Lionhead or super African have a different shape to their bills as well. Here’s a decent photo from google. I like all geese, but there’s something cool about the Chinese and African lines to me. They’re much more bold than other breeds. Best of luck!

 

[Crandox]

Yours does have a dewlap, do you know the age? Mine will be a year in February. The Lionhead or super African have a different shape to their bills as well. Here’s a decent photo from google. I like all geese, but there’s something cool about the Chinese and African lines to me. They’re much more bold than other breeds. Best of luck!

I don’t know but I’m pretty sure she’s quite young, she hasn’t layed eggs yet. I like the Asian swan geese derived breeds too and I REALLY wish I could get some super African geese but they are so hard to find and so so expensive. The hatcheries just started putting their goslings up for sale less than a month ago and all of them are already sold out of all their super African geese and dewlap Toulouse, they’re very hard to come by.

 

[Goose Smith]

I don’t know but I’m pretty sure she’s quite young, she hasn’t layed eggs yet. I like the Asian swan geese derived breeds too and I REALLY wish I could get some super African geese but they are so hard to find and so so expensive. The hatcheries just started putting their goslings up for sale less than a month ago and all of them are already sold out of all their super African geese and dewlap Toulouse, they’re very hard to come by.

I’m in same boat as you. I was on email notification for all the hatcheries carrying gosling and saw they sold out of all the super Africans and fancier Tolouse in within a few hours. I did grab some Embden and American Buff geese but they’re not hatched till June

 

[Crandox]

Within a few hours that’s crazy! Wow I really need to add Dewlap Toulouse or super Africans to my breeding program because I’d probably make a small fortune. Hatcheries are selling newly hatched females dewlap Toulouse for over 200 dollars! Then again doesn’t it take like 2 or even 3 years for them to reach sexual maturity?

 

[Goose Smith]

I think it’s a great idea, you should! I was honestly thinking the of doing the same thing. I think it’s a shame that they’re nearly impossible to find and outrageously priced. I do think they are slower to mature and that could affect the price I suppose…But all the Chinese/African I’ve had matured pretty quickly. I’ve got some breeding now that are not a year old yet, we will have to wait and see if any eggs are laid.

 

[JRies]

Just thought I would throw this out there definitely not advertising. This will be my first year shipping day olds. My full breeding flock is African Dewlap. and never count your goslings till they hatch. I am though in the process of getting all my certifications for shipping.

I had a very similar issue getting started with my flock. But there are good breeders out there depending on where you live. Where I live in Colorado it was a goose desert for quality Dewlap Africans. But I kept with it. I was very blessed to get some from the Holderreads and have there help locating other birds.

As far as hatchery Super Africans go Metsers California farm got hit with AI this year so Im sure there breading stock became more limited to what they had on there other farm or what partners they have to get eggs. If you really want to get them from them I would wright them and see if you can get on a waiting list.