I am on the search for the perfect goose, and dang if it isn't hard. I thought I finally picked a good breed (Shetlands) when everything got all confusing. Can someone please tell me what the difference is between Shetlands and Cotton Patch geese. Everything I have read seems to tell me that they are almost identical. They are both small, can fly, are auto-sexing, same colors, etc. I don't want to buy Shetlands, and then have someone say...oh look, Cotton Patch geese. HELP!
http://www.rightpet.com/Livestock-poultryDetail/cotton-patch-goose Quote: Scientific name: Anser cygnoides domesticus Country / Place of origin: United States History: The Cotton Patch Goose is a breed of domestic goose which originated in the Southern United States. It is so named because it traditionally was used to weed fields of cotton, corn, and other crops. Up until the 1950s, Cotton Patch Geese were customarily kept on rural Southern homesteads and farms as multi-purpose poultry used for weeding, meat, eggs, down, and grease. Their grazing kept fields clear of crabgrass and other weeds, while leaving crops unharmed and reducing the amount of manual labor necessary. After the mid-20th century, herbicides almost entirely replaced weeding on American farms, and the Cotton Patch Goose declined. They are currently listed as critically endangered by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC). According to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy , "The breed’s beginnings are not clear but it is thought to have derived from European stock brought to the U.S. during the colonial period. Cotton Patch geese posses many qualities that are common in sex-linked European breeds such as the West of England, Shetland, and Normandy geese. Cotton Patch are sexually dimorphic as other sex-linked goose breeds, but differ by having pink or orange-pink bills, light weight bodies, and the ability to fly." http://www.rightpet.com/Livestock-poultryDetail/shetland-goose Quote: Scientific name: Anser anser domesticus Country / Place of origin: Shetland Islands History: The Shetland Islands of the coast of Scotland are known for their unique breeds such as the Shetland Pony and the Shetland Goose. In this harsh northern environment, Shetland Geese have evolved to be hardy birds. They have only been in the United States for a couple of decades and have yet to be accepted in the American Poultry Association. Anser anser domesticus Quote: http://albc-usa.org/cpl/waterfowl/cottonpatch.html Quote: Here's a BYC: That talks about pilgrims and cotton Patches https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/614095/cotton-patch-or-pilgrims-what-should-i-choose
Well, My three Shetlands (all boys, I lost a pair), Have pink bills and legs. One has a gray feather or two. One on his back, so I call him "Spot".
