Goose Breed and Gender ID?

[3spittingducks]

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View attachment 1035536 View attachment 1035538 I have two geese that were gifted to me last year. I am clueless as to breed and gender. They are the same age as one another. The pictures here are from last summer. Now the lighter colored of the two is much larger than the darker one. I have not seen evidence of egg laying, but I have of nest building. Day before yesterday the smaller goose "disappeared". The remaining goose was totally fine with this, which was weird because they cannot stand to be apart. Then this morning the missing goose magically reappeared. Hmmm. . . could it be that I have a goose sitting? I am hoping that some more experienced goose keepers can shed some light on what I have. Thanks for any help you can offer.

 

[KaylorFarms]

They look like graylags

 

[3spittingducks]

Thanks! That makes sense too with what I was told. He said they are grey geese, like that was a breed.

 

[KaylorFarms]

You're welcome!!! They're beautiful!!

 

[MagpieDucks]

Graylags aren't very common in the u.s. Production Toulouse maybe? The one on the left in the first picture show slight evidence of a knob.

 

[3spittingducks]

I don't know. I think they are well old enough to show a knob if there was one going to develop. I don't see any knobbiness about them. I took a good look at them today after looking at a lot of pictures online and reading up on the greylags and it looks like a good fit. From what I read there are a lot of spin-offs from the greylags that have been bred in many countries, and the "greylags" in the US don't necessarily look like the European originals. I have very little experience though, and my reading on the subject is limited. I will google on the T. Production so I can an idea of them. Thanks for the input.

 

[3spittingducks]

Update on my female goose. She was sitting, emphasis on "was". A newbee "helper" at the farm was very excited yesterday that he found a goose nest and was going to have an omelet. Which led to a demonstration/lesson in candling eggs and seeing the difference between goose eggs that are dark and have a blood line, eggs that have some signs of blood network, and then those that clearly have a developing embryo. And the lesson that submerging them in water and scrubbing them clean chills and suffocates the embryo to death. And, you most likely do not want an omelet from any of the eleven eggs you found. The biggest lesson learned was DON'T "F" WITH ANY NESTS! I have this in caps because that is how I felt, but not how it was delivered. We all have to learn. He felt badly enough for what he had done.

But I am heart broken. I have waited soooo long hoping I had a couple and that they would nest. Will she start up laying again this season?

 

[3spittingducks]

I don't know. I think they are well old enough to show a knob if there was one going to develop. I don't see any knobbiness about them. I took a good look at them today after looking at a lot of pictures online and reading up on the greylags and it looks like a good fit. From what I read there are a lot of spin-offs from the greylags that have been bred in many countries, and the "greylags" in the US don't necessarily look like the European originals. I have very little experience though, and my reading on the subject is limited. I will google on the T. Production so I can an idea of them. Thanks for the input.

Just did a quick look-up and I understand from the pictures and the text why you would go with Toulouse Production. My female is a little slender though and she can fly around the farm yard and over the fences. She doesn't go high or far but can fly the length of an acre without difficulty. Does that fit within the TP parameters?

 

[Duckymomlol]

production Toulouse are known to fly short distances with enough room. But, between their legs should be full and hang. My three look like they're wearing cargo shorts their little fat sacks are so long. Where the beak meets feather should curve in. Like a u. There should also be some black in the tail if it's a Toulouse. Neck feathers are different on the greylag and Toulouse as well