Goose (and gander) breed suggestions

[QuoVadis]

When we move to the country I'd like to get a small flock of geese, and I'd like to get a variety of breeds, but I also would like to get breeds that are known for being the nicest, because I like to have poultry that are very tame and bonded to me. Typically I order a couple/few of each breed I want, hold them all equally for the first couple weeks and then sell all the babies who don't seem to naturally respond to human interaction. The problem is that I have too many goose breeds I am interested in!

I for sure want to get Buff, and whenever I can find some I'd like to try domestic bred Canadians as well but don't count them into this because that will be awhile... I am also interested in:
Pilgrim
Shetland
Sebastapol
Pomeranian
African (I have read they are much nicer than Chinese?)
*Possibly* Toulouse or Roman Tufted

I would like a variety of colors, and I would like the breeds that most predispose them toward desiring human interaction. I would like 1 gander 3-5 gooses. What combination of breeds would you suggest?

Which ones have you found to be tamest? And which breed has the nicest Ganders? I would really prefer a gander that does not go insane during breeding season (toward humans).

Thanks!

 

[jesusonhi]

I LOVE my Chinese Goose! He is so sweet and does not have a mean feather on his body, except towards my new gosling but super sweet otherwise!

 

[HeritageGoose13]

Typically I order a couple/few of each breed I want, hold them all equally for the first couple weeks and then sell all the babies who don't seem to naturally respond to human interaction.

Geese do not really care to be interacted with. They are friendly, but they do not like to be touched or held.

And when selling, you cannot split up pairs as they mate for life. You should have 1 gander for 1 goose. Geese do not do well in trios. The male may hurt himself mating too much, or more likely the pair will pick on the third goose. Don't try and keep geese like ducks or chickens.

That said, some gentle breeds include Americans and Sebastapols, and to some extent, Africans and Toulouse.

 

[QuoVadis]

jesusonhi, Maybe I'll have to reconsider Chinese!

HeritageGoose, I think some geese do like interacting! I raised some female Embdens when I was a kid and they were extremely bonded to me! My parents still have two of them (getting up there in age!) and they will still come greet me and let me touch them when I visit! I now have read Embdens are not typically one of the nicest goose breeds, so if they aren't "nice" I'd imagine any of the sweeter breed would be amazing!

Anyone else want to weigh in on keeping in pairs versus keeping more females than males? It seems like a lot of people keep them that way... Also I would be selling any extras when they were pretty young, like a few weeks... I found with birds in general you can pretty much tell who is going to be friendly by a few weeks old.

 

[EvenLater]

I always feel the need to chime in when I hear "geese don't like to be touched or held" ... But then again, my Cas is a weird one! Lol

Of course as a breed, I'm rather partial to the Pomeranian's (I'm bias! LOL) which are just so pretty, and so rare (critically endangered as a breed) that I think it's our human responsibility to help bring them back. But I also think Buffs are sweet and gentle and quiet. I'm also not really a fan of large knobs (I don't know why LOL) or the overweight looking dewlap geese, but that's personal preference. Sebbies are quite interesting looking but are they practical as farm geese? I have no idea. If I were able to farm again, I'd focus on all the colors of the Poms personally. I just think they're really neat looking, and (at least Cas) temperament is more relaxed. (They're also P. Allen Smith's favorite goose breed

)

 

[HeritageGoose13]

I guess it depends on how you define interacting. My geese love to spend time with me, and I with them. Sometimes one of them will stand up next to me and have a long "conversation" of quiet honking. Another likes tugging on clothes. I find they generally don't like being touched or held, so that is what I meant. They do thrive on attention.

Mine will tolerate being petted, but after a while they get this weird look in their eye, like "Excuse me, I have things to do now, good-bye" and walk away.

 

[EvenLater]

I guess it depends on how you define interacting. My geese love to spend time with me, and I with them. Sometimes one of them will stand up next to me and have a long "conversation" of quiet honking. Another likes tugging on clothes. I find they generally don't like being touched or held, so that is what I meant. They do thrive on attention.

Mine will tolerate being petted, but after a while they get this weird look in their eye, like "Excuse me, I have things to do now, good-bye" and walk away.

Very true! And some of us here are just weird, and "interacting" means spoiling, buying toys meant for infants, carting them around to stores and fast food drive throughs, taking them for walks...wait..did I have another child or a goose?? Now I'M confused! LOLOLOL

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Buff female is so precious she would have made a great indoor goose. That's the key only 1 inside that way they bond to their human. Our gander who is same age and came here at 2 days also wasn't near as loving as Toots the Buff ,Babe is a Buff/Toulouse mix. When I took them outside for them to get Missy and Sam interested Since I really did get them for Missy since she lost her gosling at hatch I wanted to of course still have that connection with them but mainly wanted them to bond with my 2 adults. . Toots would crawl up in my lap and cuddle Babe never did, He'd lay close though. Now even though I don't get to touch them often I still enjoy having them close they love to hang out with me and we go for walks so they can forage. and if they get scared they run to me. That's enough for me really. I can hug and love on my dogs all I want. My geese have become a beautiful family and even though the 2 youngest were a year old end of May 2015 Sammy my gander still is very protective of them.

 

[EvenLater]

I think you said it right there Ms Lydia. If you crave that goose/human bond, you really need just 1 goose to achieve it, and give them all the attention you can. Even though Cas has had the opportunity to see and mingle with other geese, I don't think he really knows he's a goose, and prefers humans for company to those of his own kind. For awhile when he was very young, I thought I was somehow hurting him by not letting him have a goose friend, so I really did make an effort, in case it was some gap in his life that needed filling.

But, Cas is a weirdo and does not care for other geese, minus watching them on TV or movies. In the flesh, he either becomes mean and protective, or he's frightened of them, so I inevitably gave up on it, since he seems perfectly happy and content being a lone house goose with his people. But, I also understand that my Cas is quite the exception to the rule! Lol And, the amount of time I (and others in the family) are able to devote to him is nearly 24/7 (minus sleeping LOL) which not everyone can do feasibly.

What amazes me most, that I never really expected, is just how attached you can really become to these critters. I've had many, many farm critters before, and at a loss yes I'd be upset about it, but you move on. Heaven help me if something happened to Cas though, I'd be completely crushed. He's the only critter baby I have right now that allows me to dote and love on him. My dogs are older, one's occasionally sore and grumpy and the other never really liked being "cuddled". The cats, well they're just cats LOL, and my parrot enjoys a good pet, but is too small and fragile to really snuggle with. My human kiddos are nearing adulthood, so cuddling them won't happen either! LOL So, now I have Cas, who greets me each night when I get home from work by loudly telling me everything I missed and climbs right into my lap and lays his head up on my shoulder and I can just hug and hug him.

My goose, the weirdo! LOL

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think you said it right there Ms Lydia. If you crave that goose/human bond, you really need just 1 goose to achieve it, and give them all the attention you can. Even though Cas has had the opportunity to see and mingle with other geese, I don't think he really knows he's a goose, and prefers humans for company to those of his own kind. For awhile when he was very young, I thought I was somehow hurting him by not letting him have a goose friend, so I really did make an effort, in case it was some gap in his life that needed filling.

But, Cas is a weirdo and does not care for other geese, minus watching them on TV or movies. In the flesh, he either becomes mean and protective, or he's frightened of them, so I inevitably gave up on it, since he seems perfectly happy and content being a lone house goose with his people. But, I also understand that my Cas is quite the exception to the rule! Lol And, the amount of time I (and others in the family) are able to devote to him is nearly 24/7 (minus sleeping LOL) which not everyone can do feasibly.

What amazes me most, that I never really expected, is just how attached you can really become to these critters. I've had many, many farm critters before, and at a loss yes I'd be upset about it, but you move on. Heaven help me if something happened to Cas though, I'd be completely crushed. He's the only critter baby I have right now that allows me to dote and love on him. My dogs are older, one's occasionally sore and grumpy and the other never really liked being "cuddled". The cats, well they're just cats LOL, and my parrot enjoys a good pet, but is too small and fragile to really snuggle with. My human kiddos are nearing adulthood, so cuddling them won't happen either! LOL So, now I have Cas, who greets me each night when I get home from work by loudly telling me everything I missed and climbs right into my lap and lays his head up on my shoulder and I can just hug and hug him.

My goose, the weirdo! LOL

I love it. Geese are amazing aren't they, Just watching the sweet bond mine have with each other is just such a blessing. Maybe one day I'll try just one in the house, I was actually one of those who said[and you probably remember] That a lone goose will not be happy and well adjusted. Then I saw you and Cas and have changed my mind. But you hit on the reason, interaction and time that are the 2 main things that make your relationship work besides love of course. And I don't know if geese actually feel love like we do but I'd say it's pretty darn close when you think they form a bond that lasts a life time and according to mine cannot stand to not be in each other eye sight with out calling out and getting back together. Running to do it. lol Geese sure are special.