Breeding Geese

[Welshies]

Thanks! I will look into it more

Ducks will be your best bet as I see way more people interested in them than geese. Good laying breeds or heritage breeds will make the most income. Good luck

 

[Percheron chick]

I believe in going with what makes you happy and have the most expertise with.
I have Sebastopols. I knew the first time I saw one that I would eventually have a flock of them. Will I ever get rich on them? No. Will they pay for themselves? No. Will I leave a mark on the breed? No. That's not why I own any of my animals.
Sebastopol eggs go for $10 each. A straightrun gosling can fetch $50. A pair runs $150+. Might sound like some decent $$ but you know they aren't good layers and you will have a year invested into mature laying geese.
In today's internet world, it's easy yo expand your market beyond what you can sell on CL. You will need to be NPIP to ship out of state but well worth the investment in your venture.

 

[Gray Farms]

It depends on two factor in my opinion.

#1 - The demand in your area. . . You can raise hundreds of birds, and sell them are very reasonable prices. But if there is not demand in you are, then your not going to sell any.

#2 - Quality of you birds. . .Quality = more money, most of the time.

I use to raise crossbred geese for several years and sold hundreds of goslings for a decent buck. But never got more that $8 each, which isn't a bad price. But I also had 70+ breeding adults who ate over 100 pounds of feed a day. Needless to say that's several dollars in feed in a years time.

On the other hand I've raised purebred White Sebastopol Geese for 10 years now. My flock has produced many show quality offspring. And I sell my hatching eggs for $20, goslings for $50, and adult breeders for $100-$150 each. I have a small flock of very good quality birds. And I've had people drive hundreds of miles from two states away to buy from me. Now I'm not trying to toot my own horn by any means, I'm just saying people will travel/pay for quality.

I have found over the years that there are two "schools" of raising birds. Quality or quantity. Meaning selling 100 birds for $5 each or selling 10 birds for $50 each.

The main thing I would say is "Do your research into the market in your area first". Especially with geese, which take a lot of space and feed. Find other geese breeders and talk to them. If you can't find any breeders find out why. Is there just no one interested in raising them in your area. Or is there just no demand for geese in you area.

 

[Iain Utah]

As a backyard breeder, absolutely not. The best you can hope for is that the sale of eggs/geese will cover the costs of care. Best case scenario you have a 2yo buff dewlap toulouse pair, and you do not factor initial investment costs. One pair will yield 30 eggs per year. Of those, you sell/hatch 20 eggs. Average sale is $25 each. So that pair will make $500 per year. That same pair costs approx $5 per week for grain, etc. Your profit is a whopping $240 per year, and you have not factored in cost of labor. If you estimate one hour per week in time to care, gather eggs, market, package/ship, etc., that is 52 hours/$240 is $4.62 per hour.

You can make $50-100 for the goslings, but assume of the 30 eggs, only 15 hatch, and with the time factor to hatch, market and ship babies (including factoring in cost of losses), you still only make a couple hundred per year.

 

[Ryan Wiemken]

As a backyard breeder, absolutely not. The best you can hope for is that the sale of eggs/geese will cover the costs of care. Best case scenario you have a 2yo buff dewlap toulouse pair, and you do not factor initial investment costs. One pair will yield 30 eggs per year. Of those, you sell/hatch 20 eggs. Average sale is $25 each. So that pair will make $500 per year. That same pair costs approx $5 per week for grain, etc. Your profit is a whopping $240 per year, and you have not factored in cost of labor. If you estimate one hour per week in time to care, gather eggs, market, package/ship, etc., that is 52 hours/$240 is $4.62 per hour.

You can make $50-100 for the goslings, but assume of the 30 eggs, only 15 hatch, and with the time factor to hatch, market and ship babies (including factoring in cost of losses), you still only make a couple hundred per year.

That defiantly makes a lot of sense! Thanks! how much is a pair eating a week and how much is your feed? I buy layer feed in bulk and that averages about just under $8 a bag. I have raised waterfowl on a game bird maintenance/oats/scratch grain mix and have not noticed a difference at all in egg production or health.

 

[Iain Utah]

For my dewlaps, I feed mostly mazuri waterfowl maintenance, with a little Flockraiser and whole corn, and occasional fresh corn/watermelon/romaine lettuce as treats. Plus, they eat my horses' hay in the winter. Then, they get oyster shell and straw to fill nesting boxes in the spring. There's also the ongoing costs of maintaining fences, nesting boxes, buckets/bowls, kiddy pools, etc. It all adds up. The $5 per week average is not just for food. Food only is probably more like $3 for a pair.

 

[brutus]

As a backyard breeder, absolutely not. The best you can hope for is that the sale of eggs/geese will cover the costs of care. Best case scenario you have a 2yo buff dewlap toulouse pair, and you do not factor initial investment costs. One pair will yield 30 eggs per year. Of those, you sell/hatch 20 eggs. Average sale is $25 each. So that pair will make $500 per year. That same pair costs approx $5 per week for grain, etc. Your profit is a whopping $240 per year, and you have not factored in cost of labor. If you estimate one hour per week in time to care, gather eggs, market, package/ship, etc., that is 52 hours/$240 is $4.62 per hour.

You can make $50-100 for the goslings, but assume of the 30 eggs, only 15 hatch, and with the time factor to hatch, market and ship babies (including factoring in cost of losses), you still only make a couple hundred per year.

 

[brutus]

so true you have to love these birds you cant think of making a living more like a hobby and enjoyment