pilgrim geese

[mt]

I am looking to get a pair of Pilgrim geese next spring and wanted to get some details from someone who has them now. I live in town but zoning has the philosophy that you can have what ever you want as long as no one complains. I'm on a 1/2 acre with neighbors all around and one jerk 2 houses down so I have to give some thought to noise levels. I've read that they are calm and quite for geese but what is the definition of quite for the Pilgrim breed. I also have 8 chickens and was wondering how they would all get along together. All of my girls were breeds that were noted for being quite but my 2 Delaware are quite talkative so I really can't afford to add talkative geese to the mix.

Thanks for any feedback,
Michelle

 

[NCFF]

This is my first year with Pilgrims. They are 50 ft from my bedroom window. They are quite at night and during most of the day.
Their coop and day yard are next to the driveway. We live on a well traveled country road.
Their conversation with me go something like this:
Honks when I come out of the house.
Honks when I leave the property.
Honks when I come home.
Honks when someone else drives in the driveway.
Honks when I let them out in the morning as they run with wings a flapping hoping for a strong tail wind.
So quite, well ... If you live that close to your neighbors and do not want to add noise I would not recommend Geese or Ducks

 

[brownfoxfarm]

We have pilgrims & they are quiet through the day. BUT...

They all honk when we come out to feed/water & when we walk near enough to the pen for them to think we might be coming out to feed or water them. But when they are not getting all excited they are quiet. The females are noticeably more quiet than the males, though.

NCFF is right. Ducks & geese are just not made for modern town life... If there are neighbors who might complain - they will.

Joyce

 

[NCFF]

How about Muscovy Ducks? I had a few I was baby sitting. They were just about silent. I think they are super cute.

 

[Miss Lydia]

How about Muscovy Ducks? I had a few I was baby sitting. They were just about silent. I think they are super cute.

Muscovies are called the quackless duck, but when I let mine out in the morning they can get pretty noisy when greeting their big drake. It's quite comical, all wanting attention.

 

[learycow]

I have a trio of Pilgrims and I have to say they are the nosiest out of all my geese. Especially my gander.
But the American buffs that I have are very calm and rarely loud.

As far as neighbors go, I would suggest getting some that are not known to be noisy. Try them out for a year, and see how it goes. I'm sure it would be terrible for you to get some, get attached to them, just to have your neighbors complain so much that you have to re-home them.

Muscovy ducks are VERY quiet. They don't quack, they simply hiss and make quiet sounds. And they are EXCELLENT mothers they will hatch and raise their own young!

Or if you like to have colorful ducks and a variety, I would suggest getting male ducks only. If eggs are not important and you simply want some for pets/pleasure, them get all males. They don't quack as loud as the females. They have a more quiet, raspy sounding quack that is much quieter.
And as long as you don't have any females for them to fight over, you shouldn't have any problems! Though they may try to mate with your chickens during mating season.

 

[poultryfan73]

Mine are the complete opposite of yours haha. My pilgrims are quiet and my pair of Buffs are louder then even my guineas sometimes.