Geese stats...

[nao57]

I wanted to question you guys on geese stats. I'm looking at books and sometimes books vary a lot. Like I've had some books quote Saxony ducks at less than a hundred eggs a year, and others quote it way up there by other ducks. I've seen the same for misquoting Pekings and Runner duck egg numbers also. And then when I had my own pekings and runner ducks the egg production was actually much better than what books said. And they were both pretty good layers! Even one book from another quotes way different figures on the ducks. So if its like that with ducks then I have to think that its the same with Geese.

So this is what prompted me to want to go over this with some ppl like you guys that have experience. And see what you thought. I wanted to get a few questions on geese bounced off you.

And first of all big thank you also. Its nice to be able to ask people stuff (while we still have power and internet).

So here goes; I'm trying to find a geese species that would have the best blend of meat production overall with egg production affecting that also. So if you know... one type hatches more goslings, that's overall more meat later when you factor that in? And I'm trying to especially ask this regarding the heavyweight geese; like out of the group of embdens, toullouse, african, American Buff, and other 20+ lb birds if I missed any... how do they rank with egg production? What do you think on this and about how they rank? And curious what you'd quote for egg production per year on the heavier geese breeds? (The book doesn't quote Chinese or White Chinese as a heavyweight breed... not sure if that's a mistake or not.)

Thanks.

Book says; Embden up around 20 eggs in one book, up to 30 in another; quotes Toulouse at about 25 to 30 eggs; American Buff 10 to 20 eggs; Not sure on Africans.

And once again I'm asking if you see differences on that? Are the figures wrong? Also the books didn't distinguish between dewlap and non-dewlap Toulouse, which seems like they should differ.

And which breeds would you rank #1 and #2 for overall getting the most gain quickly over time for them growing and reproducing?

Thanks for any input.

 

[telandra2]

My African/African mix lay an egg every other day throughout breeding season. My Ancona ducks are an egg a day from Spring until they molt, around October. This year one duck started around Feb 1st and the other 5 were a few weeks behind. Iirc the goose started up with the duck majority.

I haven't caught the embden pair at it, but she could be dropping an egg in the communal nest.

The second hand, id'd here as Africans, and the feed store bought, so should be pure, Chinese look the same to me size wise. The embdens are noticeably heavier. (I can try to take a comparison pic if it'd help)

2 of three African went broody last year. The second abandoned her nest to steal #1s new goslings. They were both 10mons-ish old.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Chinese are not heavy geese. They are the Leghorns of the goose world--that is, they lay the most eggs, and don't get very large. "The most eggs" is still, to my understanding, generally fewer than eighty per year. If you're looking to hatch out and raise goslings to eat, they'll probably beat the larger breeds in production, because they lay twice as many eggs.

They're also very, very loud, and the gander that I had was moderately human-aggressive--if you didn't feed him fast enough, he'd nip.

I have a brown Chinese goose. This is her first year. She started laying February 20th (I assume. I found a nest with a dozen eggs, and since I've found it, I've found a new egg every other day since.)

I also have an Embden goose. This is Gwenevere's third year, and (for numerous reasons I won't gripe about right now,) the first year I've been able to count eggs. She started laying March 5th, and has skipped a few days. I've gotten twelve eggs from her as of yesterday. She generally stops laying in mid-May. So 20-30 sounds just about right.

I got her from Ideal, via Rural King. and the male "Embden" I got with her has a knob. I believe that either Ideal bred in some Chinese to improve egg production, or one accidentally got into their breeding pens. I kept one of their sons, and he grew larger than his father by autumn. He currently outweighs his father by at least five pounds. His father is much more aggressive, however, and despite attempts to change it, the pecking order remains very clear.

Are you planning on incubating, or fostering the eggs, or letting the geese go broody? Most geese go broody, but that tends to hamper egg production, so that may be something you want to consider.

Muscovies make great, great brooders for goose eggs if you can get some females.

 

[telandra2]

Update for your stats:

1 11mo African old is sitting on eggs as of 3 days ago. 4 Feed store African, 1 Embden. (And 3 ganders)

 

[judyc]

I have American Buffs. This is their third year. Lat year the dominant goose laid 13 eggs and hatched one gosling. The other goose laid six eggs in a separate nest and hatched zero. This year I am taking eggs. The dominant goose has laid 13 eggs as of today. !2 of the eggs are in the incubator. If she lays another dozen eggs I will steal them also. Last year they couldn't even manage to raise one gosling, so I'm going to raise any I get for the first month. This will also make it easier for me to sex the goslings.

 

[AGeese]

Mine and my neighbors Embdens are all good layers which start laying in February-March. Some of them are excellent mothers, broody and protective of nest and goslings.

 

[nao57]

Thank you for the replys!