Anyone raise geese for down?

[Beekissed]

I'm very interested in doing this and can't find much on the subject in my local library and nothing online either.

If you do, what breed seems best? How often can you pick their down and what time of year? Do geese get broody and produce offspring as easily as chickens, or has that been bred out of them, as well? How much down would a pair of geese produce in a year?

 

[Beekissed]

Kim, the pictures I saw of the Mennonites, the geese was lying calmly on its back while its down was being pulled. No struggle, no squawking or distress noted in the pics they showed.

I'm not one for intentionally hurting animals, as I'm sure none of us are, so I wouldn't persist if I thought they were in pain. I am a hospice nurse...avoiding pain is my specialty, so to speak!

I agree with your take on the info provided. I always grow suspicious of articles that don't present the pros and the cons, and the emotionalism present in the article spells "agenda" to me also! I agree also with your opinion that the person probably had no personal experience with poultry and was speaking from an emotional standpoint, rather than an informed one.

 

[Beekissed]

Oh, don't misunderstand me! If your opinion would help me garner the information that I wish, I would certainly welcome it, but it can't, so I don't feel its relevant to the subject.

If you simply MUST express your opinion, then that is surely your perogative, and far be it from me to deny you the privilege. But I did ask nicely, as I do not wish to start a debate about the merits of the practice. I don't want this to dissolve into a post about people's feelings. I just want a little information, is all. If anyone can give me some real information relevant to the subject, I welcome the input.

 

[Beekissed]

Thank you for that information. Not entirely helpful for my needs.

2. No PETA or Cock fighting posts, period!​

 

[Omniskies]

Yes you can harvest down from your geese. No, it's not like tugging hair out. You know how you can pet a cat that is shedding and the silly thing gives you enough fur to make a house out of? That's what happens when birds moult.

"Holding the goose down and pulling out the feathers" sounds worse than it is. You don't harvest down from a goose that is running and you don't get the down by singing or staring intently.

Geese moult twice a year: once in late summer and once in early spring. When they moult you'll know - your yard will suddenly look like it's snowing. When they are moulting grab your goose and tug a bit on his down - not a fistful. If it comes out without a hitch then keep at it, harvesting the down using your pointer finger and thumb. If it doesn't come out easily then give your goose a treat he likes and send him on his way.

I haven't harvested down myself, but I'd like to try it out sometime in the near future. I'm a big fan of learning how. That's one more thing our geese can give to us that we can use to restuff pillows, make funky gifts or sell to others. Plus being able to harvest down makes geese even more useful to have around the farm. It's one more good trait to tell people about when you want to get them hooked on geese

For anyone who thinks it's cruel, this _can_ be a cruel act if not done right. Just as shearing sheep and harvesting wool from angora rabbits can be cruel when not done right. Just because certain groups highlight the bad or ignore the good doesn't mean it's 100% cruel all the time. These same people are oftentimes convinced that keeping animals in captivity, stealing away their eggs to eat and, God forbid, eating your own animals, are all unforgivable sins.

As for the specific details, I'll browse and ask around to see what I can find out. I've been meaning to find out for ages. This is a nice incentive.

 

[Omniskies]

Oh good grief. I found a link you do _not_ want to form an opinion from. It looks like the one someone else had read earlier.

http://www.down-feather-bedding.com/healthyliving/2006/11/whats-deal-with-hand-harvested-goose.html

Plucking feathers that are moulting is not like having your fingernails ripped out.

You do not have to follow a goose around for days to gather down. That's stupid.

This site is painfully transparent in what it's attempting to do: get you to agree that their down from butchered geese is oh-so much better than down gathered from live animals.

Here is some information about live harvesting:

Quote:

"Down and Feathers
The most valuable goose product is the down, which is obtained from the goose's breast area, followed by the fine feathers. Harvesting feathers and down from live geese is possible because between 9 to 10 weeks of age their mature down feathers moult naturally. This harvest can be an important source of income from geese being bred for the production of either meat or fattened liver products and from those in breeder flocks. Down and feathers can be stored and marketed on the international market or used in local cottage industries for the production of high-value retail products such as bed coverlets. Most commercial products contain a blend of both down and feathers; the higher the proportion of down, the higher the value of the product. The demand for down and feathers remains strong, meaning new producers can profitably access the market, especially the market for hand-plucked down and feathers, which have the highest value. "

Quote:

"EMBDEN. This is the big, dignified, white goose that can weigh up to 26 pounds. (So-called "market" strains may not get this big, but are preferred because they're more fertile.) The Embden's eggs are quite large and its abundant white down is especially valuable. This down may be plucked from the goose when it molts or when a female is about to go broody. Another way to harvest the down and breast feathers is to let the broody female pluck them out herself and use them to line her nest. Then all you have to do is steal the lining that is, if you don't mind arguing with a Betty goose!"

 

[Wolf-Kim]

This just goes to show you, that you need to be aware of where you are finding your information. I do not know anything about goose down harvesting, but I did know immediately upon reading a couple of the sources cited, that they only had their "commercial" interests in mind. Please remember to look at WHERE you are getting your information and what their "hidden agenda" is, almost everyone has one.

Using Omni's example, it was very obvious why they would want to spread propoganda about "hand-harvested", it is because they are a large commercial manufacturer of goose down products. They get their material from commercial raised and slaughtered geese. Their "hidden agenda" was to turn you against the smaller producers of "hand harvested" goose down, so you would buy their product instead. Human emotion is an incredible power tool when it comes to commercialism and manipulation/marketing. Basically "buy our product because their product is cruel" when in reality all you have is a salesman writing a rant about something he is ignorant on. I bet you the man/woman who wrote that article does not own geese or is knowledgeable about them.

It is better to do thorough research from "multiple" sources and standpoints and then make your own opinion on a topic. Don't stand for something when you've only heard one side. If I wanted to, I could write a long, emotional rant about why "spaying and nuetering is cruel and selfish", but we all know the other "side" of spaying and nuetering. I guess I'm just saying "Please do your research and be aware of your source's 'hidden agenda'."

From what I've read on the topic myself, I think hand harvesting goose down is perfectly fine and if you wanted to raise geese solely for that purpose, it would be no different than shearing sheep, if done correctly. Just my opinion.

-Kim

 

[Beekissed]

Well, I plan to maximize the usage of my 1+ acre next year and I have an orchard on nearly half of that. I want to get a hair sheep and would like to throw in a pair of geese. I heard they are quite compatible on pasture, they will keep the yard mowed down, I can breed the sheep and sell the lambs, harvest a little down from the geese for the "baby" quilts, and other things, I want to make from it and have a more useful setup.

I would also like to harvest the hair from the sheep, and the dog, to fill dog beds with, along with cedar chips, of course. Or use it for good mulching even. I would just like to use this land for more than just a place to grow a garden, harvest apples and mow the lawn all summer! I'm hoping that my neighbor that owns the mostly-empty pasture that lies next to me, will let me run the sheep and geese in there occasionally, just to give my pasture/lawn some rest.

Ninja, I'm glad there are other folks who want to learn about this subject also. I know our ancestors used to harvest down for its many uses and I would like to turn the clock back a little and become more self-sufficient. I bought each of us a down comforter last year and it was one of the best investments I've ever made. Instant heat, lighter than a cloud, springs back, after washing, into a fluffy, warm dream!

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I say read up one how to "do it right" and then go for it. You'll know whether it is humane or not, when you do it. If it hurts, the goose is sure going to let you know. I think you'll be fine.

-Kim

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I found the article's author ignorant and making harsh assumptions. Pulling any kind of feathers, will never compared to "pulling your fingernails off."

That article got me going for some reason, I'm in rant mode. LOL. It was like a reverse PETA post, more emotional and tear jerking stuff than just cold hard fact. One sided sources are usually red flags. In my public speaking course we were told that a good public speaker at least acknowledges the other side..

I dislike informational sources that say "think this way", instead of presenting the pros and cons of both sides and letting you decide how you want to think/feel about it. LOL

-Kim