Question for the geese and turkey owners

[conny63malies]

Not sure if its the right area to post this topic, but here i go.
We always wanted to eat a goose for x-mas or thanksgiving, but a regular raised one is 35$ and up and dont get me started on the free range raised prices. Since we going to have a by flock anyways i thought about raising one or two for slaughering purposes. But from what i remember they are kind of noisy. Here is where oyur expertice(sp?)comes in. Is there a kind of goose and/or turkey that is less noisy? What would have i to do to keep them quiet. Is is depending on the sex? I would raise from egg or day old chick.

 

[silkiechicken]

I am new to turkeys myself and find them to be very curious... however... with feed prices here at $20 per 50 lb bag, and the meat chick being about $6, and each going though 100 lbs till slaughter, I figure I'll be spending at least $45 on the bird, not including supplies and heating on them. I am keeping them away from the chickens because I don't want to risk black head and they need a high protein feed in order to grow strong enough legs to support their body weight. So far they are about as noisy as the chickens. I figure if I butcher them at 4-5 months old, they won't be really that mature to make that big of a rukus... never know though.. I'm only two weeks in!

Best of luck. Let us know how it turns out for you!

 

[cgjsmith]

I don't know about quite turkeys all mine are loud except the hens. As for geese i've had pilgrams who were quiet and a embden (I think) that is not. Crystal

 

[Omniskies]

I'm loving my Pilgrims. They are definitely much, much quieter than the Embdens and Toulouse I've had in the past.

Pilgrims are a smaller goose, so you won't get as much meat, but they tend to average around a pound a week for the first ten weeks. Males are pure white and are going to be easier to get as an official meat goose.

Since Pilgrims are so rare, they're tough to find and tend to be more expensive than the run-of-the-mill barnyard goose.

I have extra males for sale, but I live down in Missouri. If you can find an inexpensive way to get them to you then you're welcome to fill your freezer.

Good luck with your hunt. Ify ou want more information about geese expenses, check out the article "Geese Grow on Grass." Supplemental feed is always good, but it's nice to know a bird that size prefers mowing the lawn.

PS: Why just get a couple meat geese when you could raise your own? Pilgrims need more love

 

[MissPrissy]

We raised 2 bourbon red hens last year for Thanksgiving. They were very quiet. 26 weeks and we processed them. They were delicious! We have broad breasted bronzes and standard bronzes this year.

This year I am raising goose for Christmas goose. I am told the embdens are the best for table birds. I have hatched 2 small batches and will have a 3rd large clutch ready in May. We intend to keep a small flock and breed them for our table purposes.

I don't know about less noisy but I am not willing to sacrifice the best table bird for a more quiet bird.

 

[greyfields]

I raise Christmas goose here. I keep Embdens, Pilgrims and Tufted Romans. That gives me 3 roughly different sizes (and crossbreeds) so we can meet everyone's desired weight. Some people want a 20 lb goose, others 10. Never compare a goose straight up with a turkey though. Goose meat is rich and tastey. Most the meat on turkeys is drab and boring. A goose goes much further.

It costs my customers around $50 for a goose. It's a fair price to pay especially for a special occassion like Christmas. Waterfowl only lay in the winter. So, I'm hatching goslings which I have to feed all the way until Thanksgiving. They hang around a long time, that's why the expenses add up and thus the price.

 

[greyfields]

Quote:
The cullinary enjoyment from a goose is so far above and beyond a turkey. Last year we made confit from the goose legs, stuffed the neck and simmered it in the goose fat, and roasted the bird. It was 3 distinctly tastey meals out of the one beast... whereas with turkey you're maybe lucky to get a few sandwiches and maybe boil the carcass for soup.

The one thing is that backyard raised meat birds are not injected with brine like commercial birds are. So you have to be very cautious with cooking temperatures. Find a pre 1950 cookbook and use those times/temperatures, rather than a modern one.