Pilgrim geese are a critically rare breed that was standardized in the midwest back in the early 1900s. They were developed to be a quiet, docile, fast-growing meat breed that can be sexed by color: males are white and females are a soft dove grey. This trait breeds true in these geese, allowing you to have a self-sustaining flock that you can sex yourself for years to come.
Geese are one of the most under-utilized, useful animals on a small hobby farm (NO POND is needed to keep geese). They can be trained at a young age to weed gardens, be kept in orchards to keep the weeds down and eat any windfallen fruit. Their down can be harvested - either when processed or while alive (they molt it out like a shedding cat twice a year) - and then used to make quilts, pillows, muffs, or any other high quality, warm and soft items you please. Goose down will last for 20 years before needing to be replaced (in comparison, duck down will only last for five years). They can be raised on grass (geese are strict herbivores) and fattened naturally, or raised on feed, at which point you can easily put a 12lb bird in the freezer at 12 weeks of age. Being great parents, you can let them incubate their own eggs, or hatch them yourself.
Goose eggs, like all waterfowl eggs, are fantastic for baking. They don't have a "fishy" taste and will make your cookies, pies, cakes, and breads incredible. Goose eggs can also be eaten as any other (massive) chicken egg. Being thicker, they cook faster and turn into giant plates of over-easy, scrambled, poached, or hardboiled eggs. One egg will easily replace 4-5 chicken eggs on the plate.
Once you buy a pair of Pilgrims you will have them for decades without having to replace them due to old age. Pilgrims reach their peak fertility at the ages of 3-5. It is not uncommon for a pair of Pilgrims to continue laying at the age of 20. They can be kept safe and sound in the same pen as your chickens or ducks for you to enjoy for years to come.
Our flock of Pilgrims consists of 25 individuals that have been collected from lines all over America, including Superior Farms (now gone), Fred Farthing (we purchased the flock), Holderread's breeder _and_ show quality (now gone), and many others. Because the breed numbers are so low, fertility and genetic diversity has been an issue. Also, because many mixed breed geese will take on the characteristics of Pilgrims, oftentimes mistakes are made and owners think they have a rare breed when they don't. We are maintaining a pure flock of these birds.
We are now taking reserves on 2011 goslings and hatching eggs. These are "Valentine's Day layers" since traditionally geese begin laying around mid-February. Eggs will be available in March (with the current reserves, mid-March is the estimated shipping date) after everyone has finished laying the first eggs of the year (which have a tendency to have a lower hatch rate). A very limited number of goslings will be available sometime in April.
To keep them affordable, we are still offering goslings at $35 per male/female pair. Individually, ganders are $15 and hens are $25. At the present time we do not ship goslings (although may be willing to do so as OVERNIGHT shipping only. Hatching eggs are $9 apiece or $50 for a half dozen. If shipped, we will be sneaking in an extra egg for free to cover any possible damages.
To reserve yours, send an email. No money needs to be put down, but deposits of 50% or more will receive their goslings and eggs sooner than verbal holds. Reserves can be made via check or PayPal (that way there is a proof that money was sent and was received).
For more information about raising geese, training them to weed, live harvesting down, or anything else, check out http://omniskies.com If you have any questions about Pilgrims, or about geese in general, feel free to email.
Geese are one of the most under-utilized, useful animals on a small hobby farm (NO POND is needed to keep geese). They can be trained at a young age to weed gardens, be kept in orchards to keep the weeds down and eat any windfallen fruit. Their down can be harvested - either when processed or while alive (they molt it out like a shedding cat twice a year) - and then used to make quilts, pillows, muffs, or any other high quality, warm and soft items you please. Goose down will last for 20 years before needing to be replaced (in comparison, duck down will only last for five years). They can be raised on grass (geese are strict herbivores) and fattened naturally, or raised on feed, at which point you can easily put a 12lb bird in the freezer at 12 weeks of age. Being great parents, you can let them incubate their own eggs, or hatch them yourself.
Goose eggs, like all waterfowl eggs, are fantastic for baking. They don't have a "fishy" taste and will make your cookies, pies, cakes, and breads incredible. Goose eggs can also be eaten as any other (massive) chicken egg. Being thicker, they cook faster and turn into giant plates of over-easy, scrambled, poached, or hardboiled eggs. One egg will easily replace 4-5 chicken eggs on the plate.
Once you buy a pair of Pilgrims you will have them for decades without having to replace them due to old age. Pilgrims reach their peak fertility at the ages of 3-5. It is not uncommon for a pair of Pilgrims to continue laying at the age of 20. They can be kept safe and sound in the same pen as your chickens or ducks for you to enjoy for years to come.
Our flock of Pilgrims consists of 25 individuals that have been collected from lines all over America, including Superior Farms (now gone), Fred Farthing (we purchased the flock), Holderread's breeder _and_ show quality (now gone), and many others. Because the breed numbers are so low, fertility and genetic diversity has been an issue. Also, because many mixed breed geese will take on the characteristics of Pilgrims, oftentimes mistakes are made and owners think they have a rare breed when they don't. We are maintaining a pure flock of these birds.
We are now taking reserves on 2011 goslings and hatching eggs. These are "Valentine's Day layers" since traditionally geese begin laying around mid-February. Eggs will be available in March (with the current reserves, mid-March is the estimated shipping date) after everyone has finished laying the first eggs of the year (which have a tendency to have a lower hatch rate). A very limited number of goslings will be available sometime in April.
To keep them affordable, we are still offering goslings at $35 per male/female pair. Individually, ganders are $15 and hens are $25. At the present time we do not ship goslings (although may be willing to do so as OVERNIGHT shipping only. Hatching eggs are $9 apiece or $50 for a half dozen. If shipped, we will be sneaking in an extra egg for free to cover any possible damages.
To reserve yours, send an email. No money needs to be put down, but deposits of 50% or more will receive their goslings and eggs sooner than verbal holds. Reserves can be made via check or PayPal (that way there is a proof that money was sent and was received).
For more information about raising geese, training them to weed, live harvesting down, or anything else, check out http://omniskies.com If you have any questions about Pilgrims, or about geese in general, feel free to email.
