First time geese - African or Pilgrim?

[goats-n-oats]

I'm looking for a few (3-8) geese to help watch my ducks while they forage. After researching and reading reviews and seeing what's available (every hatchery is sold out, except McMurray has a few breeds) I've narrowed it down to African or Pilgrim. Although thr Pilgrim is considered quiet, the Metzer reviews rave over its guarding capabilities. I understand that Brown Chinese honk constantly. My farm is in a rural area so there are no noise restrictions but I personally find it hard to concentrate on chores with a lot of noise. Do Africans honk constantly or only when alerted? Would the white color of the Pilgrim males be conspicuous to predators (animal or human)? Any experience with either breed?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Geese will not watch out for your ducks, and they may even try to kill them.

I had African and I could not stand the noise. 3 African made more noise than 10 buff and pilgrim.

My pilgrim were more rowdy when they had their gander. Now with new ganders they are more behaved towards other birds.

I would choose pilgrim over African. My buff American have been the best behaved geese. They are loud during breeding season, but more quiet the rest of the year.

 

[goats-n-oats]

Geese will not watch out for your ducks, and they may even try to kill them.

I had African and I could not stand the noise. 3 African made more noise than 10 buff and pilgrim.

My pilgrim were more rowdy when they had their gander. Now with new ganders they are more behaved towards other birds.

I would choose pilgrim over African. My buff American have been the best behaved geese. They are loud during breeding season, but more quiet the rest of the year.

Ok. Let's say I try both, African and Pilgrim, and the African are too noisy, are they sellable, for meat or pets?
What do you like about buffs, other than the low noise level?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Ok. Let's say I try both, African and Pilgrim, and the African are too noisy, are they sellable, for meat or pets?
What do you like about buffs, other than the low noise level?

The buff seem like the most easy going of the breeds I've tried. It all depends on your area whether there are people looking for geese or not. The pilgrims are fairly expensive, so I probably wouldn't want to sell those for meat. I just looked and Murray Mcmurray is currently out of pilgrim. So if you want them this year you may need to just go with the African.

 

[goats-n-oats]

The buff seem like the most easy going of the breeds I've tried. It all depends on your area whether there are people looking for geese or not. The pilgrims are fairly expensive, so I probably wouldn't want to sell those for meat. I just looked and Murray Mcmurray is currently out of pilgrim. So if you want them this year you may need to just go with the African.

Hey, thanks for your reply. There's a breeder of pilgrims 3 hours from me and he's asking $20/gosling. He raises them for meat. The only issue is that his birds do not appear to be 100% autosexing. He said there are gray-brown ones which are all female, and white ones which could be male or female. Does this mean they are mixed?.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hey, thanks for your reply. There's a breeder of pilgrims 3 hours from me and he's asking $20/gosling. He raises them for meat. The only issue is that his birds do not appear to be 100% autosexing. He said there are gray-brown ones which are all female, and white ones which could be male or female. Does this mean they are mixed?.

That's a decent price even if they are mixed. In pilgrim only the males are all white with patches of light gray. The females can have some patches of white and the head has white in various degrees. At that price I would try some.