American Blues & Lavenders????

[mominoz]

Are the American blues and Lavenders real American geese? Or are they a hybrid? I wanted to get a colored goose on the critical or endangered list from the ABLC to raise and found out Holderreads no longer has the Buffs (which I can get elsewhere)...but only Blues and Lavenders which are "rarer" ??????? Would the blues, lavenders be considered on the List too? Or is it only the Buff Americans?

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Ok American is the Breed, Buff,Blues,Lavenders and other colors are Varieties that were bred from the basic Breed. The first was Buff so it is sometimes added as part of the breed name.
The ABLC lists may be ok for other stock but for Poultry they are basically fiction. They don't send out enough surverys and the return rate is fairly low so they don't really give a good picture of the status of poultry populations in the US.
Holderreed does fancy poutry so the fact that he doesn't raise them means one of two things, they are so common that his price is undercut by other breeders, or there is little interest in the breed and it doesn't make sense to breed birds that people won't buy.
I hope this was of some help and thank you for trying to save rare breeds.Blues and Lavenders are still fairly rare but are not "old breeds'

 

[FarmrGirl]

Quote:
American Blue and Lavender Ice are two handsome varieties of the the American goose which are the fruit of Dave Holderread's 20-year investigation of the genetic intricacies of blue color in domestic geese. The plumage of the Blue is a pretty bluish-gray; the Lavender Ice is an exquisite silver-lavender. Bills are orange and the eyes are brown. These geese have the same solid conformation as the American Buff, and typically weigh between 12-18 pounds. Most females lay 30-45 eggs in the spring breeding season if eggs are gathered daily. When allowed to set, they make excellent natural parents. The goslings are hardy, fast-growing and superb foragers. With their unique colors and many practical attributes, they make a superior goose for the homestead or yard.

 

[mominoz]

Well.....I already joined ABLC, and I guess it may be somewhat worthwhile, if for nothing else than it stirs interest in conservation.That is how I found out about breeds at risk.....
So who, and where are the statistics, andare they even available? to judge populations? Information on the web seems pretty sparse about waterfowl...alot of the links are gone when you click (like on feathersite)....or are waterfowl people not as internet savvy....?
Is anyone keeping track of populations? I'd like to be of help conserving...beyond just my own pleasure..... I figure the "popular" birds are taken care of ......(ie. Sebastropols seem to be a biggie now) I'd like to help out with the "ugly ducklings.... so to speak or the forgotten ones.....(I'm a sucker for losers.....;0)
I also have ducks from Holdereads.....
Have a few Tufted Buffs. But wanted to get another 'breed at risk'... and preferred a colored breed so the blowing fathers aren't as noticeable to the neighbors....

 

[AuroraSprings]

Here's photos of our American Blue & American Lavender Ice:

What do you get when you mix a Blue American and a female Cotton Patch?

This girl:

Smaller than the Americans, but still growing even as a yearling. Much larger than the Cotton Patch. Still able to fly, but not as flighty as her full-blooded sisters. Darker grey body, orange beak, legs, & feet. Flatter/more convex beak. Thicker neck, with deeper ruffles. She's for sale but it's interesting to watch her grow.